Trump denies report 'broken-down' McConnell forced him not to attend Biden inauguration

Former President Trump on Monday denied reports that he decided not to attend Democratic presidential challenger Joe Biden's inauguration ahead of a letter spearheaded by Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell telling him not to go.

"From Election Day, November 3rd, the day I realized that the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged, I would never have agreed to go to Joe Biden’s Inauguration," Trump writes. "This decision was mine, and mine alone."

McConnell, a Kentucky lawmaker, tried to gather support for a letter to Trump over concerns he would be disruptive, according to excerpts from a soon-to-be-released book by ABC-TV reporter Jonathan Karl.   

"The old broken-down Crow, Mitch McConnell, had nothing to do with it," Trump also wrote about his decision not to attend the inauguration. "According to third-rate reporter Jonathan Karl of ABC Fake News, McConnell unsuccessfully tried getting a letter signed by others for me not to go. This was nothing I ever heard of and actually, if he ever did get it signed, I probably would have held my nose and gone. 

"The election was rigged, the facts are clear, and Mitch McConnell did nothing. He was probably too busy working on deals with China for his wife and family."