Trump Inauguration: Schedule, Cost, Guests and Ceremony Details
On January 20, newly elected President Donald Trump makes a triumphant return to the White House. At noon, he will be sworn in as President of the United States. The publication writes about how the ceremony will take place AlJaseera.
After his defeat in the 2020 election, many believed that Trump's political career was over. Four criminal cases were brought against him. One concerned classified documents, another falsified business records, and two more were related to allegations of election interference.
However, in November, Trump won his biggest election victory, winning not only the Electoral College vote but also a symbolic majority of voters.
On the subject: The inauguration of the President of the United States: interesting facts and traditions
What is inauguration
In the United States, a presidential inauguration is a ceremony during which the newly elected head of the White House takes the oath of office and officially begins his or her four-year term in office.
To take the oath of office, he places his hand on the Bible, although some presidents have used other books of spiritual or political content. The newly elected president then delivers his inaugural address to supporters, officials, and foreign diplomats in attendance.
What does the presidential oath sound like?
The oath is taken from Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will use my best endeavors to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
What book will Trump be sworn in on?
During his first inauguration in 2017, Trump took the oath of office on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used in 1861, as well as a second Bible given to him by his late mother, Mary Ann MacLeod Trump.
According to media reports, the 47th president will most likely take the oath again on two Bibles - Lincoln's and his late mother's.
Trump is also using the inauguration to promote sales of a special edition "Inauguration Bible," which costs $69,99.
"The most important thing we have to give back to America to make it great again is God," Trump says in the ad.
When and where will the inauguration take place?
The inauguration will take place at 12:00 p.m. ET (17:00 GMT) on January 20, 2025.
The ceremony was originally planned to be held outdoors, on the west side of the U.S. Capitol overlooking the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
However, colder weather forced Trump to rethink his plans. On January 17, for security reasons, he announced that the ceremony would be moved to the Capitol Rotunda and held under its 88-foot dome.
Because of this, the number of people in attendance will be limited. Trump urged his supporters to watch the live broadcast from Capitol One Arena, where he will appear later in the day.
How many people are expected?
Inauguration crowds have always been something of an obsession for Trump.
In 2017, he claimed that a record number of people had gathered for his inauguration, although this was not true.
About 220 thousand invitation tickets were issued for the current ceremony.
The change of venue could be a problem, however. The ceremony was originally supposed to be held outdoors. But now it will be broadcast from the Capitol One Arena, which only has room for just over 20 people.
How Cold Will It Be in Washington on January 20th
Trump's second inauguration could be one of the coldest in decades, according to preliminary estimates, as a polar atmospheric front passes over the United States.
As of January 17, the National Weather Service forecast a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius for midday on January 6.
Who else held an inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda?
In 1985, Ronald Reagan, taking office for a second term, also faced freezing weather, with temperatures dropping to -14 degrees Celsius.
Like Trump, Reagan decided to move his inauguration to the Capitol Rotunda.
However, previous presidents have held ceremonies in other parts of the Capitol, such as the Senate Chamber, although outdoor events have become more common over time.
Who will be present?
Presidential inaugurations have always attracted powerful people, but this year the guest list was especially interesting.
Three previous presidents — Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton — have confirmed their attendance, and the leaders of the outgoing administration, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, will also be in attendance.
Biden and Harris have previously faced off against Trump in the presidential race. Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election but dropped out of the 2024 race to be replaced by Harris, who ultimately lost.
Trump's guest list includes prominent far-right leaders from around the world, including Argentine President Javier Miley, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French politician Eric Zemmour and British MP Nigel Farage.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was also set to attend, but his country's Supreme Court deemed Bolsonaro a potential fugitive due to criminal cases against him.
Also expected to welcome Trump's return to power are prominent businessmen including billionaire Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Critics see the presence of tech billionaires as a sign that the industry is now backing Trump, despite caution or outright criticism in the past.
Who financed the inauguration?
While Tim Cook previously called the January 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol a "shameful day," he reportedly donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration ceremony.
And he’s not the only one. To secure the new administration’s support, the corporate world has been actively funding the event. As of January 8, the inauguration fund had already raised a record $170 million.
Some insiders suggest that the total amount of donations could exceed $200 million by the time of the ceremony.
These funds are used to cover the costs of the inauguration itself, as well as accompanying events such as private balls and a parade.
Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta have each pledged $1 million, as has Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who has also pledged $1 million.
Major donors include pharmaceutical company Pfizer, financial services company Intuit, stock trading app Robinhood, and automakers Ford and General Motors.
Trump's last inauguration also broke records for the amount of funds raised, which totaled $106,7 million. By comparison, Biden received only $61,8 million for his 2021 ceremony.
Who will speak at the inauguration?
In 2017, Trump faced difficulties in finding performers, but this time the situation is different.
Pop star Carrie Underwood will perform America the Beautiful, and country singer Lee Greenwood will once again sing his hit God Bless the USA, which was often played at Trump campaign events.
In addition, the national anthem will be performed by opera singer Christopher Macchio.
The Village People will perform the disco hit "YMCA," a favorite of Trump's.
What was the controversy over the US flags?
On December 29, the 100th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, died at the age of 39. Traditionally, the United States flags on federal buildings are flown at half-mast for a 30-day period of mourning.
But Trump objected to flags being flown at half-staff during his ceremony.
"Democrats are rejoicing that our magnificent American Flag may be flown at half-mast during my Inauguration," Trump wrote on social media. "No one wants that, and no American will be happy about it."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, backed Trump and demanded that flags be flown at full height on Inauguration Day, then clarified that they would be lowered again the following day.
The move broke with presidential tradition. Flags had previously been flown at half-staff throughout the mourning period, as was the case in 1973, when Richard Nixon took office for the second time in the midst of mourning for one of his predecessors, Harry Truman.
Are protests expected?
When Trump took office in 2017, mass protests against his far-right policies swept across the country.
More than 200 protesters were arrested on the day of Trump's first inauguration, but nearly all charges against them were later dropped.
The next day, about 500 people took part in the Women's March on Washington, one of the largest single-day protests in the city's history. Across the country, nearly four million people took part in local versions of the Women's March.
This time, the reaction is likely to be more muted. While protests are expected, the scale of demonstrations is likely to be much smaller than in 2017.
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What security measures have been taken?
Security will be at the highest level, especially after the assassination attempt on Trump last July, when he was shot in the ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Nearly 48 miles of seven-foot-high fencing have been erected around the Capitol, more than ever before, and about 25 law enforcement officers, including 7800 National Guard members, are expected to help keep the capital safe.
Washington city officials said roads will be closed around inauguration sites and all guests with tickets will undergo security checks before entering any inauguration-related events.
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