Bidens stood outside White House after inauguration as Trump fired staff: Report

US President Joe Biden was reportedly left waiting outside the White House on Inauguration Day after former President Trump sent the staff home. Chief usher Timothy Harleth had abandoned his role before Niden arrived in the White House and there was no White House staff to greet the Bidens as they were all signed off by Trump. Both President and the First Lady Jill Biden waited to enter the White House in front of closed doors due to no staff, and instead, resort to taking pictures of their new residence. Trumps resigned the butlers off their duties and asked them to go home, an official not associated with the Biden administration and close to Trump administration told The National Journal. As they had all left, there was no-one to help the Bidens when they arrived, he added. 

White House chief usher Timothy Harleth hired by Melania Trump in 2017 and installed by the Trumps, was quickly fired. He had assumed the role into the White House from Trump International Hotel DC, where he worked as a manager, filling a position for  Angella Reid, who was hired by the Obama administration. Biden White House official confirmed to US broadcaster CNN that Harleth's departure happened ahead of Biden's arrival. He was let go before the Bidens entered the White House, the source said.

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Bidens stood 'awkwardly' outside White House

According to the White House Historical Association, the usher is responsible for the construction, maintenance, remodelling, food, as well as the administrative, fiscal, and personnel functions inside the White House. However, Trump hastily dismissed the protocol chief in his final ‘petty’ act leaving the newly sworn-in President and his family standing awkwardly at the White House entrance.  'It happened before we walked in the door,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at White House briefing on Friday after she was asked by reporters about who fired Harleth. However, a Trump aide told Daily Mail that the head usher served the Trump family throughout his tenure and any suggestion that his resignation was at the direction of anyone other than the Biden team was false. However, in an unfortunate event, the Bidens walked at White House on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the first time and there was no staff to greet them. 

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