Trump departs for Florida as Biden's inauguration takes place at US Capitol

President-elect Joe Biden (L) and Dr. Jill Biden (R) arrive at the East Front of the US Capitol for his inauguration ceremony to be the 46th President of the United States.

Donald Trump departed the White House for the final time as US President after having pardoned 142 allies including his former strategist, Steve Bannon.

“It’s been a great honour, the honour of a lifetime. The greatest people in the world, the greatest home in the world,” Mr Trump said before heading to Marine One, on South Lawn.

“We love the American people, and again, it has been something very special. And I just want to say goodbye but hopefully it’s not a long term goodbye. We’ll see each other again.”

Mr Trump will be the first president in modern history to boycott his successor’s inauguration.

Mr Trump has refused to publicly concede to Mr Biden and did not mention the Democrat by name in a pair of farewell addresses.

Flags take the place of crowds in light of Coronavirus restrictions.

While Mr Biden is inaugurated, Mr Trump will arrive in Florida, snubbing the tradition of passing the metaphorical baton to his successor.

Marine One was headed to Joint Base Andrews where Air Force One was parked, a dramatic backdrop against the rising sun.

“So just a goodbye. We love you,” Mr Trump told supporters at Joint Base Andrews where he walked across a red carpet and boarded Air Force One to head to Florida.

“We will be back in some form.”

President-elect Joe Biden and vice President-elect Kamala Harris will become the 46th president and 49th vice president of the United States at 4.30pm GMT (11.30am ET).

Mr Biden and Ms Harris will be sworn in at noon Wednesday in front of the US Capitol in Washington DC, before a sparser audience than previous years due to the Covid pandemic.

The Capitol Building, which was violently stormed by Trump supporters two weeks ago.

200,000 American flags placed in front of the Capitol building will take the place of crowds this year.

More than 25,000 troops are also on patrol in the streets of the capital following the insurrection by a pro-Trump mob earlier this month.

Mr Biden will address the nation during the inauguration detailing his plans for his presidency.

Lady Gaga is scheduled to sing the national anthem and Jennifer Lopez will provide a musical performance.

On Tuesday evening Mr Biden and his wife Dr Jill Biden, along with Ms Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, paid tribute to the almost 400,000 American victims of the pandemic during a memorial at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.