The Minnesota Democrat was in the car when they rode to the Capitol.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, chair of the congressional inaugural committee, spoke to ABC News about what was said during the limousine ride she shared with then-President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump as they made their way to the Capitol for the inauguration ceremony Monday.
“I’m not going to reveal every detail, except to say maybe we did discuss football just a little bit, and some of the games yesterday,” she told ABC News World News Tonight anchor David Muir, referring to Sunday’s NFL playoffs.
“And we also talked about the now-president’s upcoming trip to Los Angeles, and I talked to him privately about that with the Olympics coming, and how important that is, and of course, mentioned the firefighters in my speech,” she added.
President Joe Biden, Senator Amy Klobuchar and President-elect Donald Trump depart the White House for the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Jan. 20, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Klobuchar also told Muir that she hopes “some relationship” between Trump and Biden could develop after the experience.
“I think President Biden deserves that, and I also appreciated the entire day we spent with the Trumps,” she said, emphasizing the need for common ground despite not agreeing with everything Trump discussed.
Klobuchar delivered the “call-to-order” during Trump’s inauguration in which she emphasized the theme of “enduring democracy.”
“The presence of so many presidents and vice presidents here today is truly a testament to that endurance,” she said in her opening remarks at his swearing-in.
President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump arrive ahead of the 60th inaugural ceremony on January 20, 2025, at the US Capitol in Washington.
When asked about recent news of preemptive pardons issued by Biden Monday and potential ones by Trump, Klobuchar said she opposed what she called “large-scale pardoning.”
“I’m someone that has long-advocated for pardon reform. I would like to see some kind of commission set up where they review cases on a case-by-case basis,” she said.
Biden announced a slew of pardons for what he called potential targets of the Trump administration on Monday, including members of his immediate family. At the same time, ABC News reports that Trump is preparing sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 defendants.
