State Dept. condemns arrests, repression in Russia

Members of Biden's national and homeland security teams met via video conference with current career and acting agency heads to discuss inaugural security, the Biden team announced in a readout of the call on Monday. 

Led by incoming homeland security adviser Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall and temporary adviser to the transition on homeland security Lisa Monaco, the group discussed the "current operational posture for the Washington, D.C. region and the nation," though little information was shared about the actual content of the call.

"Career officials from the National Security Council, the Secret Service, the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of State, the Department of Treasury, the Department of Defense and other agencies briefed participants on the current security situation and the pace of interagency coordination with state, local, and industry partners," the readout said. "Participants affirmed the importance of continued close coordination in the period leading up to and including Inauguration Day." 

Biden's inauguration on Wednesday is expected to be unlike any other, featuring an unprecedented level of security as well as a slew of pandemic precautions. 

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

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Head of DC National Guard discusses inauguration securityMajor General William Walker, the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard, discusses the current threat level in the nation’s capital and how troops are preparing for Wednesday.

ABCNews.com

First lady Melania Trump on Monday afternoon tweeted a nearly seven-minute long farewell video looking back on her time in the White House. 

She said serving as first lady has been "the greatest honor of my life" and reflected on her "Be Best" initiative, work combatting the opioid crisis and more. 

"No words can express the depth of my gratitude for the privilege of having served as your first lady," she said. "To all the people of this country, you will be in my heart forever. Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America."

Her video comes just under two weeks after Trump supporters violently sieged the Capitol building and just days before Biden's inauguration. 

In her farewell message to Americans, the first lady said, "Be passionate in everything you do. But always remember that violence is never the answer and will never be justified." 

-ABC News' Elizabeth Thomas

To mark the holiday celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Vice President-elect Kamala Harris participated in a service activity focused on food insecurity in the nation's capital on Monday. 

She packed bags of food alongside her husband Doug Emhoff at Martha's Table, an initiative focused on increasing access to healthy meals in Southeast Washington.

"I think it's so important to remember that Dr. King was killed in large part, I believe, because he was on the verge of bringing together the Civil Rights movement around racial justice with the fight for economic justice," Harris said. "And when we look at where we are as a country today, when we look at recent events, we know that the fight that Dr. King was engaged in is still a fight in America, which is to recognize the connection and to recognize our collective responsibility to address these injustices."

She also spoke about the tasks ahead as she prepares to become vice president, saying she and Biden are going into Wednesday "ready to do the work." 

"And we've got a lot of work to do," she added, referencing plans for vaccinations and economic recovery. 

When asked if their proposed one-time $1,400 stimulus check was enough for Americans, Harris called it a "start." 

"There's a lot more to do, which is why there are so many other components to our relief package and the work that we are committed to doing going forward," she said. 

Finally, Harris spoke about how she's feeling ahead of her historic swearing-in, which has faced unprecedented security threats. 

"I am very much looking forward to be sworn in as the next vice president of the United States, and I will walk there, to that moment, proudly with my head up and my shoulders back," Harris said.

-ABC News' Averi Harper

Country singer Garth Brooks will be joining the Biden inauguration celebration on Wednesday and perform during Biden's swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Monday.

Brooks has performed for every president since Jimmy Carter, with the exception of Ronald Reagan. 

He will join previously announced performers Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez. During the virtual press conference, Brooks stressed that his decision to perform at the Capitol was not a political one, but one focused on unity -- a message that the Biden administration has pushed as they get ready to enter office. 

"I am a civilian of the greatest country on the planet," Brooks said. "So our job is to work as hard as we can for all of us to have a better future than before." 

Brooks even quipped that he "might be the only Republican" at the inauguration, but said he wanted to move past the divided nature of the country.  

-ABC News' Molly Nagle