US President Joe Biden will not be making an appearance at the upcoming birthday party of former president Barack Obama, who is turning 60 this Wednesday, US media reported.
"While President Biden is unable to attend this weekend, he looks forward to catching up with former President Obama soon and properly welcoming him into the over 60 club", a White House official told The Hill on Monday.
Biden is reportedly planning to travel to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for a home holiday.
Axios reported that Obama is throwing a lavish birthday bash at his Martha's Vineyard mansion in Massachusetts, with celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney and even Steven Spielberg expected to congratulate the ex-president in person, though the full list of guests has not been made public yet. Pearl Jam is also expected to play at Obama's soiree.
According to the outlet, as many as 475 guests have already been confirmed to be attending the party. Over 200 staff will be working at the event. The guests are required to test negative for COVID-19, but it is not clear if they will be required to wear masks.
The number of expected guests at Obama's birthday party has made a lot of netizens angry over the fact that it is taking place as the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, believed to the most prevalent and fastest spreading mutation in the world albeit not as deadly, conmtinues to rage in the United States.
Many Americans have been deprived of the opportunity to host big family parties and in many cases - even attend the funerals of their loved ones.
On Sunday, Director of the National Institutes of Health Francis Collins said that one cannot be certain about the vaccination status of attendees at large gatherings, hinting that such events are potential coronavirus spreaders.