When is inauguration day?
The US presidential inauguration always takes place on January 20, a date that has been standard since the 1930s.
The event only runs the next day if the 20th is a Sunday, which has happened four times. In this case, the President-elect takes the oath privately on Sunday and repeats it publicly the next day.
Each new presidential inauguration marks the beginning of the next four-year term, regardless of whether the same president remains in office. Recently, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama held two inaugurations.
45th President Donald Trump will now have his second inauguration, making him the 47th President. He would be the second president to win a non-consecutive term and return to office after a four-year hiatus. The first person to do this was Grover Cleveland in the 1890s.
Where does the ceremony take place?
Since 1801, most presidential inaugurations have been held in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
In exceptional circumstances, the ceremony was held with little or no planning. There have been nine irregular inaugurations in the middle of a presidential term because the president either died or resigned.
Lyndon Johnson became chairman of Air Force One after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and Gerald Ford took the oath of office at the White House after Richard Nixon resigned.
Since Ronald Reagan’s first inauguration in 1981, all inaugurations except one have taken place on the west facade of the Capitol Building facing the National Mall – his second inauguration in 1985 was held inside the Capitol Building due to inclement weather – compared to outside. It was a very small place.
With wind chills forecast to be in the single digits Monday morning, Trump announced Friday that events including the oath of office, inaugural address, prayer and other speeches would be held in the Capitol Rotunda, as occurred during Reagan’s second inauguration. Was. ,
Around noon, when the president-elect takes the oath of office, the wind chill in Washington is expected to feel as low as 8 degrees Fahrenheit (-13 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
What happens during the ceremony?
Traditionally, the president-elect visits the White House and accompanies the outgoing president to the Capitol to publicly demonstrate the peaceful transfer of power. Trump abandoned this move in 2021, bypassing Joe Biden, but Biden will likely keep the tradition.
The ceremony will begin before noon and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance will take the oath of office.
At noon, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath of office to Trump.
Unlike most ceremonies, the words of this oath are specified in the Constitution: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully perform the office of President of the United States, and will protect, defend and defend it to the best of my ability.” The Constitution of the United States.”
The Marine Band will play the presidential anthem, “Hail to the Chief.” After that a 21-gun salute takes place and the new President gives his inaugural address.
What happens after the ceremony?
After the ceremony, the new president will escort then-former President Biden to a departure ceremony on the other side of the Capitol building, where a helicopter will fly him home.
There will be a lunch with senior congressional lawmakers inside the Capitol, followed by a parade that typically travels down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
But this time due to the cold, the parade will be mostly indoors at Capital One Arena. The sports venue, which is a few blocks from the Capitol, houses more than 20,000 people. The entire ceremony will be live-streamed to viewers here, and Trump has announced he will stay after the oath of office.
At the White House, the President is expected to sign a number of executive orders early in his presidency.
In the evening, several official inaugural balls are held around Washington. The first couple is scheduled to give a brief presentation at 3 p.m.
Who is expected to attend?
Former presidents, first ladies, and vice presidents usually attend each inauguration. This would mean that Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden are expected to attend with their wives. However, there is news that Michelle Obama will not attend this program.
So far, heads of state have not attended any inauguration. However, it has been reported that Trump has extended invitations to the presidents of China, El Salvador and Argentina, as well as the prime ministers of Italy and Hungary. Argentine President Javier Miley is said to have confirmed this. He will be the first foreign leader to attend the inauguration ceremony of a US President. China will send Vice President Han Zheng in place of President Xi Jinping.
What’s just as interesting is who comes, who doesn’t. In 2017, 67 Democrats boycotted Trump’s first inauguration. This year, the list of Democrats’ no-shows is growing, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Another person who will not be present is the “designated survivor”. This person, whose identity is kept secret, is selected by the President and is usually a Cabinet member in the line of presidential succession.
He avoids events where almost everyone in the government gathers in one place where a disaster could render the government unable to function. If something catastrophic happens, this person becomes acting president.
Who pays for inauguration day?
The government organizes and pays for the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol.
The government also pays for security, which is the biggest expense of the entire event. For the 2017 inauguration, approximately 28,000 personnel were on guard, including the Secret Service, FBI and National Guard. The cost was estimated to exceed $100 million (€96.2 million) and was paid for by taxpayers.
An inauguration committee appointed by the newly elected president plans and finances most other festivities, such as parades and balls. These committees are funded by contributions, and there are no limits on what any American citizen or company can give to these committees.
Ford, GM, Uber and Amazon have all agreed to donate at least $1 million in cash or services to the Trump inaugural committee. It is reported that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have personally sent $1 million.
new York Times Found that “the total amount for his funding committee.” [Trump’s] The inaugural celebration – raising at least $150 million, with more expected – will surpass the record-setting $107 million raised for his 2017 inauguration.”
That would be the most in history and surpass Biden’s inaugural committee, which raised about $62 million.
This article was originally published on January 7, 2025. It was updated on January 18 with information about Donald Trump holding his inauguration ceremony indoors.
Edited by: Rob Mudge