Trump's former deputy press secretary recalls morbid departure ceremony: 'Felt like it was a funeral'

On Sunday’s The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, former White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley recalled the emotional departure ceremony for former President Donald Trump. Gidley joined Trump’s family, former staff and supporters for the event at Joint Base Andrews just hours before the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“There were a lot of people crying, of course,” said Gidley. “I felt one person next to me commented, they felt like it was a funeral. In a way, they were at a funeral. A person said, ‘In many ways, the country died.’”

During the television broadcast of the event, Trump’s children could be seen weeping. Gidley explained that they were not alone.

“It was when the president started speaking,” said Gidley, “a girl I know that I worked with in the White House who all day was like, ‘I'm going to be fine. It's all OK, this is how it should be. Everything is fine.’ As soon as he start speaking, I looked out — tears were pouring out from her glasses, and she said, ‘I'm not fine, I'm not fine, I'm not fine.’”

Even though Trump is no longer president, Gidley believes his legacy of masculinity and power will continue to shape the Republican party for years to come.

“The GOP of the lovable loser, I think, is over,” said Gidley. “I think the self-loathing Republican is not going to have a place in the party, I think, for quite some time.”

The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Showtime.

Watch as Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton share message of unity following Biden’s inauguration:

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