Before the ceremony:
In the morning, Melania and Donald Trump attend a church service at St. John's Church before having tea with the outgoing presidential couple, Joe and Jill Biden, at the White House. Then, they head to Congress.
The ceremony was supposed to take place outdoors, on the Capitol steps. But on Friday, Trump announced that it would be moved indoors to the building's rotunda due to "arctic" weather. An indoor ceremony has not been held since Ronald Reagan's inauguration in 1985, when the temperature was around -6, -7°C.
220,000 public tickets had been distributed to the general public for the National Mall, according to the congressional committee in charge of the ceremony. Now, the public is instead offered to follow the ceremony on a large screen from the nearby Capitol One arena.
Inside the Capitol, preparations are being made for members of Congress, the diplomatic corps, and invited guests. Among them are super-entrepreneur and Trump advisor Elon Musk, TikTok CEO Shou Chew, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Argentine President Javier Milei, as well as former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Michelle Obama has declined, which has raised questions.
The security arrangements are enormous, especially in light of the summer's assassination attempt against Trump.
It will be the best-protected national security event ever, promises Secret Service security chief Matt McCool in the local NBC channel.
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The ceremony:
The entertainment begins in the morning. Prayers will be said, poetry read, and dance performances held. Country star Carrie Underwood sings "America the Beautiful" and tenor Christopher Macchio sings the national anthem.
According to the Constitution, the Vice President takes the oath of office first, followed by the President, at 12 local time (18 Swedish time). The solemn ritual is led by Chief Justice John Roberts.
Then, Trump delivers his highly anticipated inaugural address. In 2017, he upset many by talking about "bloodbaths" in cities, a supposed epidemic of violence he claimed he would stop.
At around the same time, Joe and Jill Biden leave the capital.
The new President then goes on to sign a number of documents, including several of the over 100 presidential decrees prepared for the first day. Then, the new administration is treated to lunch before Trump inspects the honor guard.
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After the ceremony
At 3 pm, it's time for the grand inaugural parade, with orchestras and military units. It usually takes place on Pennsylvania Avenue, but it too has been moved to the Capitol One arena, where Trump has promised to attend. In the evening, several balls will be held, with the Trump couple expected to attend three.
The US system of government is based on the separation of powers between the judiciary (the Supreme Court), the legislature (Congress), and the executive (the President). The idea is that the three should control each other. The system, which is described in the US Constitution that came into force in 1789, has a built-in inertia: each actor has certain opportunities to review and limit the others. In the US, this is called "checks and balances."
The President is both head of state and head of government and does not form a government based on the distribution of mandates in Congress.
The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court and is the commander-in-chief of the military.
The Supreme Court can, among other things, invalidate laws passed by Congress.
Congress passes federal laws, decides on taxes and appropriations, and approves ministers and other high-ranking officials. It can also impeach federal officials, including the President and judges, through impeachment.
Source: The US Constitution
Republican Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on January 20. His Vice President will be former Ohio Senator JD Vance. 78-year-old Trump was also President between 2017 and 2021, but failed to be re-elected in 2020.
Unlike other presidents, Trump had no prior experience as an elected politician or military officer when he moved into the White House. He was a businessman.
Born in Queens, New York, Donald Trump has a degree in economics with a focus on real estate from the University of Pennsylvania. He inherited properties from his father and built an empire with a focus on hotels and golf courses, among other things.
Donald Trump is the father of five children: Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany, and Barron.
In 2005, he married for the third time after divorces from Ivana Trump and Marla Maples. His current wife is Slovenian-American Melania Trump.
