Boris Epshteyn, communications director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) told Breitbart that the upcoming inaugurations were "not about any one celebrity or any one entertainer or about any of those folks sipping champagne and cocktails somewhere in the Hamptons or in Beverly Hills. It’s about the American people," adding, "This inaugural will represent the people. That’s one, and two it’s about getting to work right away."
The incoming President will attend just three inaugural balls, a drastic change from the ten attended by Barack Obama in 2009, and the nine attending by George W. Bush in 2001 and 2005, not counting unofficial celebrations.
Kelly Clarkson, Beyonce’, James Taylor, Eva Longoria, Alicia Keys, Marc Anthony, Usher and Stevie Wonder are just a few big names that took part in the balls and parties during Obama’s second inauguration.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2016
One of the balls will be an event started by Bush and continued through the Obama administration, the Commander-In-Chief Ball, which is usually only open to enlisted members of the military.
Trump will open the ball up to military families, wounded veterans, firefighters, EMTs and police officers.
PIC’s deputy communications director Alex Stroman explained that the focus is a result of Trump’s deep respect for first responders and law enforcement.
"He’s vowed to be a law and order president. He respects our police, he respects our military, he respects those who put their lives on the line whether it’s firemen or EMTs or police every day. He made that a point throughout his campaign to honor these folks, veterans, military, et cetera, who put their lives on the line for our country. It’s a way to, in one of his first acts as president, to thank those who do that."
Stroman added that the inaugural parade would be shortened to an hour, so Trump "can go to work."
He explained, "The president-elect is about honoring the traditions, and this is a ceremony about the American people more than any one person. You’ve seen some previous inaugurations are really lavish, you have a lot of long events, a lot of big events. This president-elect is somebody who’s ready to get to work."
There are currently expected to be over 8,000 participants in the inaugural parade, representing some forty organizations.
