On Monday, Donald Trump will be sworn in for a second term as president of the United States, marking a remarkable comeback.
After his loss in the 2020 election, many believed that Trump’s political future was over. Critics also questioned whether the scandal would overshadow his accomplishments.
After all, false claims of election fraud led to a mob violently storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He subsequently faced four criminal charges. The charges included one charge of concealing confidential documents, one charge of falsifying business records, and two charges of misconduct. Election interference.
But in November, Trump won both the electoral vote and the symbolic popular vote, the biggest victory in electoral history.
His latest inauguration is expected to bring together several former critics turned allies, including powerful members of the country’s tech elite.
What will happen at the US presidential inauguration, who will attend, and what can we learn about President Trump’s return to power? This brief will answer these questions and more.
What is an inauguration ceremony?
In the United States, the presidential inauguration is when the next president takes the oath of office and officially begins his four-year term.
When taking the oath, president-elects usually place their hands on the Bible, but some choose another book with spiritual or political significance.
After reciting the oath of office, the new president will deliver his inaugural address to an assembled crowd of supporters, government officials, and foreign dignitaries.
What does the oath of office say?
This oath is based on Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution.
It says, “I solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will do everything in my power to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Which book will President Trump be sworn in?
At his first inauguration in 2017, President Trump was sworn in using the same Bible used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. He also used a second Bible given to him by his late mother, Mary Ann MacLeod Trump.
According to media reports, President Trump is likely to use a similar combination of books this year: Lincoln’s Bible and one given to him by his mother.
President Trump also used the opportunity to promote the special edition “Inauguration Day” Bible, which currently costs $69.99.
“The biggest thing we have to bring back to make America great again is God,” Trump said in a promotional video on his website.
When and where will the inauguration be held?
The inauguration ceremony will be held on January 20, 2025 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (17:00 Japan Time).
The ceremony was originally scheduled to be held outdoors on the west front of the U.S. Capitol, facing a park called the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
But frigid temperatures forced President Trump to reconsider. On Friday, citing safety concerns, the president announced the ceremony would be moved indoors under the 88-meter (288-foot) high dome of the Capitol Rotunda.
However, the number of participants will be limited in an enclosed space. Nearly 250,000 guests have tickets for the original outdoor event, but President Trump is encouraging supporters to instead watch the live broadcast from Capitol One Arena, where he will appear later in the day. .
How cold will it get?
Early predictions indicated that Mr Trump’s second inauguration could be one of the coldest in decades as a polar vortex sweeps through the US.
As of Friday, the National Weather Service expected midday temperatures Monday to hover around -6 degrees Celsius, 22 degrees Fahrenheit.
Has any other president held his inauguration ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda?
Just one thing. In 1985, Ronald Reagan became president for the second time, but he too faced severe weather. Temperatures reached minus 14 degrees Celsius, or just 7 degrees Fahrenheit, even colder than expected on Monday.
So, like Trump, Reagan decided to move his inauguration ceremony indoors to the Capitol Rotunda.
But while outdoor ceremonies have become increasingly the norm, other presidents have held ceremonies in other parts of the Capitol, such as inside the Senate chamber.
Who will participate?
Presidential inaugurations always draw influential people, but this year’s attendee list is even more impressive.
All three former presidents, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, are scheduled to attend. So are the outgoing administration’s leaders, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Both Biden and Harris confronted Trump on the campaign trail. Mr. Biden won the 2020 race against Mr. Trump, but withdrew from the 2024 race, and his replacement, Ms. Harris, ultimately lost.
President Trump’s guest list also includes a roster of far-right leaders from around the world. Argentine President Javier Millei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French politician Eric Zemmour and British MP Nigel Farage are also expected to attend.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro also attempted to attend, but the country’s Supreme Court ruled he was a flight risk given the legal proceedings he faces in the country.
Many famous people such as billionaire Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, etc. Businessmen are also likely to cooperate with Mr. Trump’s return to power.
Critics see the tech billionaire’s presence as a sign that the industry is embracing President Trump, despite previous wariness and outspoken criticism.
Apple’s Tim Cook, who previously called the January 6 riots a “shameful day,” reportedly donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration.
Mr. Cook is not alone. In a sign of the business community’s efforts to win support for the incoming administration, President Trump’s inaugural fund has raised a record $170 million as of January 8.
By the time the ceremony begins, some officials expect the total to exceed $200 million.
These funds will help cover the cost of the inauguration itself, as well as related events such as private balls and parades.
Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta have announced they will donate $1 million, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also donated $1 million.
Other major donors include pharmaceutical company Pfizer, financial services company Intuit, stock trading app Robinhood, and automakers such as Ford and General Motors.
President Trump’s last inauguration also drew record donations of more than $106.7 million. By contrast, Biden received just $61.8 million in donations at the 2021 ceremony.
Who will perform at the inauguration ceremony?
Trump famously had trouble finding performers for his 2017 inauguration, but that won’t be the case this year.
Pop star Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful,” while country singer Lee Greenwood will perform “God Bless the USA,” a popular hit on President Trump’s campaign soundtrack. ” is scheduled to be performed again.
Meanwhile, opera singer Christopher Macchio is scheduled to sing the national anthem.
The group Village People will also appear and perform Trump’s favorite disco song, “YMCA.”
What was the controversy over the American flag?
On December 29, former President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100, and as per tradition, American flags were lowered on federal buildings during a 30-day period of mourning.
But those 30 days coincided with the inauguration, and President Trump objected to flags being flown at half-staff at the ceremony.
“Democrats are all ‘blindsided’ about the possibility of the grand American flag being flown at half-staff at my inauguration,” Trump wrote on social media earlier this month. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American is going to be happy about this.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson ultimately sided with Trump and called for the flag to be raised to its maximum height on Monday. However, he made it clear that the rate would be lowered again the next day.
This represents a break with presidential tradition. In the past, the flag has been lowered throughout periods of mourning, as was the case in 1973, when President Richard Nixon took the oath of office for the second time in memory of one of his predecessors, Harry Truman. There was also.
Will there be protests?
President Trump’s inauguration in 2017 sparked widespread protests across the United States, with demonstrators taking to the streets to protest his far-right policies.
More than 200 protesters were arrested on President Trump’s first inauguration day, but charges against nearly all of them were dropped.
And the next day, nearly half a million people attended the Women’s March on Washington, one of the largest single-day protests the city has ever seen. Nearly 4 million people across the country participated in local versions of the Women’s March.
But this time, the reaction seems to be more benign. Protests are expected, but few expect them to be on the same scale as in 2017.
What about security?
Tight security is expected, especially after an attempt on Trump’s life last July, when he was shot in the ear while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Around 48 kilometers (30 miles) of fencing has been erected around the parliament building, the largest fence ever erected. The 2-meter (7-foot) high fence is designed to deter people who try to scale it.
An estimated 25,000 law enforcement officers, including 7,800 National Guard members, are also expected to patrol the capital.
D.C. city officials announced that roads will be closed near the inauguration and ticket holders will be required to go through security screening before entering related events.
What is the expected audience size?
Crowd size is something of an obsession for Donald Trump, and his Inauguration Day crowd was no exception.
In 2017, President Trump spent weeks claiming that his inauguration had drawn the largest crowd in history, which was not true.
Approximately 220,000 tickets will be sold for this year’s inauguration, with space available for approximately 250,000 tickets.
However, the change of venue could pose an obstacle. The original venue, the grassy National Mall, has space to accommodate hundreds of thousands of attendees. Capitol One Arena, where the live broadcast will take place, has space to hold more than 20,000 people.