| Trump's exit | Trump held a military-style send-off for himself instead of attending the inauguration — the first president since the 19th century absent from his successor's swearing-in ceremony — before flying on Air Force One to his Florida resort. While not mentioning Biden by name, he said in a speech, "I wish the new administration great luck, great success" and reportedly left a note for the Biden in the White House.  Donald and Melania Trump board Air Force One during a farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg Peaceful day | In the end, there were only small, scattered protests by right-wing Trump supporters, despite warnings by the FBI of the potential for bigger trouble. Washington was the scene of heavy national guard deployment, concrete barriers, and chain-link fences as part of the historic security provided for the inauguration and at state capitol buildings across the nation. Mending fences | Biden plans to re-engage with the World Health Organization and send top medical expert Anthony Fauci to an executive board meeting this week. Trump had attacked the WHO for what he said was its undue deference to China and failure to provide accurate information about the virus. He also publicly belittled Fauci and diminished his role in past months. U.S. deaths topped 400,000 yesterday in the world's worst Covid-19 death toll. - Biden's team is increasingly worried the pandemic is spiraling out of control — imperiling his promise to contain the outbreak — as vaccinations lag and a more transmissible strain emerges, sources say.
Curt farewell | China slapped sanctions on former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and other Trump administration officials even as Biden was being inaugurated, saying they had made "crazy moves" that harmed ties. The officials listed were instrumental in shaping Trump's more confrontational stance toward China, which included a raft of sanctions and a declaration, on its final day, that Beijing had committed genocide in its Xinjiang region. - Senior officials in Europe were quick to push their case for renewed collaboration with the U.S. after four years of tumult with Trump on trade, defense and climate change.
 What to Watch - Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is poised to become the chamber's majority leader later today when three new Democratic senators are sworn in.
- Unlike past presidential transitions, none of Biden's cabinet picks are teed up for confirmation votes today and some could take days or weeks.
And finally ... The inauguration featured moments of delight. Pop star Lady Gaga sang the national anthem and National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman dazzled the audience with her poetry and life story — "even as we grieved, we grew." Country music star Garth Brooks, a Republican, sang "Amazing Grace." In response to conservative critics of his attendance, Brooks told reporters, "the message they're pushing is unity, and that's right down my alley, man."  Amanda Gorman recites a poem. Photographer: Patrick Semansky/AFP via Getty Images | 
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