Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as the president of the United States on January 20, marking the start of his second term and concluding one of the most remarkable political comebacks in American history.
Traditionally, Inauguration Day is filled with ceremony and festivities, as one president departs the White House and another takes residence.
However, Mr. Trump has also promised to sign a series of executive orders on issues ranging from border security to oil and gas extraction on his first day in office.
Here’s what we know about Inauguration Day so far.
Mr. Trump will take the oath of office, likely administered by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, at 12 PM local time (5 PM Irish time).
This will be Mr. Roberts’s second time administering the oath to Mr. Trump.
He will subsequently deliver his inaugural address, which he intends to be both uplifting and unifying, as indicated in recent interviews.
This would be a notable shift from his first speech in 2017, which painted a picture of a country afflicted by “American carnage.”
Incoming Vice President JD Vance will also be sworn in during the ceremony.
Outgoing President Joe Biden has confirmed his attendance at the event, unlike when Mr. Trump skipped his inauguration four years ago.
In recent years, presidents have been inaugurated from a large temporary platform on the Capitol’s scenic West Lawn, offering views of the National Mall.
For this inauguration, however, Mr. Trump has stated that the ceremony will take place indoors due to extreme cold, with the presidential parade held at a nearby sports arena.
“An Arctic blast is sweeping the country,” Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social account on Friday.
“As a result, I have ordered the Inaugural Address to take place in the United States Capitol Rotunda, in addition to prayers and other speeches.”
This significant alteration means Mr. Trump will not address the crowd from the Capitol steps, where many attend to welcome new presidents.
Preparations in Washington are already underway for a large influx of visitors, though many will now have to experience the event from home.
The last president to take the oath indoors was Ronald Reagan in 1985, who also moved his ceremony to the Capitol’s historic Rotunda due to dangerously low temperatures.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden has confirmed his commitment to attending the inauguration ceremony.
Who is invited?
In a departure from tradition, Mr. Trump has extended invites to several foreign leaders for the ceremony.
Historically, such leaders have opted out of attending due to security precautions, sending diplomats in their place.
Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, a notable supporter of Mr. Trump, has confirmed his attendance.
Another ally, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, has expressed interest in attending.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is not anticipated to attend, despite receiving an invitation.
Argentinian President Javier Milei is among several foreign leaders invited to the inauguration ceremony.
In a particularly Trump-esque twist, the Republican has invited several tech giants as VIP guests at the event.
They will join other distinguished guests, including his cabinet nominees.
Billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg are set to attend, along with Shou Chew, the CEO of Chinese social media platform TikTok, according to US media.
Elon Musk at a campaign rally for President Donald Trump in October at Madison Square Garden, New York.
Mr. Trump’s outreach to tech moguls has coincided with his campaign benefiting from disinformation propagated on platforms such as TikTok, Mr. Musk’s X, and Mr. Zuckerberg’s Facebook and Instagram.
All living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama—are expected to attend, along with their wives, except for Michelle Obama.
This means Hillary Clinton, whom Mr. Trump defeated in the 2016 election, and Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he beat in November, will also be present.
Musicians take center stage.
Mr. Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was notable for its lack of celebrity endorsements, as the reality star-turned-politician found it challenging to secure A-list musicians willing to associate with him.
However, his second inauguration appears to be faring better.
Renowned country singer Carrie Underwood is scheduled to perform “America the Beautiful” during the swearing-in ceremony.
Another performance will come from country artist Lee Greenwood, whose patriotic song “God Bless the USA” became a popular anthem at Trump rallies.
A pre-inauguration rally will feature performances by The Village People, whose classic hit “Y.M.C.A.” has also been a staple at Trump events, along with Kid Rock and Billy Ray Cyrus.
Country artists such as Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, and Gavin DeGraw will also perform at Mr. Trump’s three official inaugural balls.
Getting to work.
Mr. Trump has pledged to spend the afternoon signing over two dozen executive orders—directives that don’t require congressional approval—that aim to dismantle numerous policies of the Biden administration.
Expected measures include granting immigration officers greater discretion in arresting migrants without criminal records, sending additional troops to the US-Mexico border, and recommencing construction of the border wall.
Donald Trump has vowed to restart construction on a wall at the US-Mexico border to prevent unauthorized entry into the United States.
The executive orders will also focus on increasing energy production, fulfilling Mr. Trump’s reiterated campaign promise to “drill, baby, drill.”
He is also anticipated to issue the first wave of pardons for individuals convicted by the federal government for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
Partying at night.
Various galas will be held on inauguration night.
A series of inaugural galas are scheduled for that evening across multiple venues in Washington, some of which Mr. Trump may attend.
The official events will be funded by Mr. Trump’s inauguration committee, chaired by real estate developer Steve Witkoff and former US senator Kelly Loeffler.
Amazon.com, led by founder Jeff Bezos, and Meta Platforms, headed by Mr. Zuckerberg, have pledged to contribute $1 million each to the committee.
Large donations to the committee must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission.
Mr. Trump raised a record $106.7 million for his 2017 inauguration festivities.
