President Biden celebrated his 81st birthday on Monday and plans to continue the festivities on Nantucket this week.
Biden will spend Thanksgiving on the island with his family, as he does every year, the Associated Press reported.
The Bidens are expected to arrive on Air Force One Tuesday evening and will be staying at a compound owned by billionaire David Rubenstein, according to the Nantucket Current.
Biden will mark his birthday on Nantucket with coconut cake, which has become another family tradition, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday.
“They’ll be able to celebrate the president’s birthday as a family together in Nantucket later this week, and certainly will do that with coconut cake, which is something that they traditionally do,” she said.
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Biden and his family have celebrated Thanksgiving on Nantucket since the 1970s.
The president and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to leave the White House at 5:10 p.m., depart from Joint Base Andrews at 5:40 p.m., and arrive at Nantucket Memorial Airport at 6:50 p.m., according to his itinerary.
But President Biden’s motorcade arrived at the base at 6:50 p.m., according to a White House pool report. The president, wearing a ballcap, exited his vehicle and then walked over to Air Force One with First Lady Jill Biden.
The President did not stop to speak to the pool, who shouted questions on the potential hostage deal.
He boarded the aircraft at 6:51 p.m., the report stated.
Aides traveling with the President are Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations; Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the First Lady; Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary; Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary, according to the pool report.
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They’re scheduled to return to the White House on Sunday.
The Massachusetts State Police sent personnel to Nantucket in anticipation of the president’s visit, according to spokesman Dave Procopio.
“We routinely assist the United States Secret Service with executive security missions for any US President, Vice President, or other dignitary under their protection during visits to Massachusetts,” Procopio said in an email to the Globe. “We have personnel deployed to Nantucket for this mission.”
A huge contingent of Massachusetts State Police Troopers just rolled off the Steamship Authority’s M/V Eagle ferry ahead of President Biden’s arrival on Nantucket on Tuesday. #Nantucket @MassStatePolice pic.twitter.com/eHiZttAZe5
— Nantucket Current (@ACKCurrent) November 20, 2023
Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.