DC Marching Bands Shun Trump's Inaugural Parade: Report

WASHINGTON, DC — Breaking a 20-year tradition, not a single D.C. public school marching band has applied to participate in the inaugural parade on Jan. 20 when Donald Trump is sworn into office, according to a report.

NBC Washington reports that Ballou High School had performed at George W. Bush's second inaugural parade in 2005 and Barack Obama's second inauguration in 2013, but won't be applying to perform this year. Dunbar High School performed at Obama's first inauguration in 2009, but also won't apply. In fact, no D.C. public schools appear to have applied to participate, according to the report.

While several of the bands cited various logistical issues, at least one band director quoted in the report believes that Trump's controversial views are at least partly to blame. D.C. voted heavily in favor of Hillary Clinton, and Trump was shunned by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the opening of the Trump International Hotel earlier this year -- although she sat down with him recently.

Band applications are submitted to the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR), a group of U.S. Armed Forces service members that assists the inaugural committee. The deadline was Nov. 28, but later extended a week.

Image via the White House