what to expect when the new president of the United States is sworn in

Donald Trump will become president of the United States for a second term on Monday in a day of pomp and circumstance that marks the peaceful transfer of power following his extraordinary political comeback.

About 250,000 people are expected to brave the freezing weather and descend on downtown Washington to watch Trump become the 47th president of the United States. He will be only the second president in the country’s history to serve two non-consecutive terms, after Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s.

How will the day be?

The extravaganza will begin in the morning with a service at St. John’s Church. Trump will then go to the White House for tea with outgoing President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden before heading to the US Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony. With a parade on the way, the day will be capped by lavish black-tie inaugural balls across Washington.

Key Inauguration Day Events

Service at St. John’s Church

Tea at the White House with Joe Biden and Jill Biden

11 a.m. Eastern

Swearing in ceremony

With the event now at home, Capitol One Arena will host a live viewing

Goodbye to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris

President’s Signing Room Ceremony

3:30 p.m

Presidential Parade at Capital One Arena

Trump said he would “join the crowd” after the swearing-in ceremony

Oval Office signing ceremony at the White House

What happens during the swearing-in ceremony?

The main event will take place in the rotunda of the US Capitol after the ceremony was moved indoors due to very cold temperatures, expected to be around -5C during the ceremony. It’s the first inauguration to be held indoors since 1985, when a severe cold snap hit Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration. Typically, the ceremony is held on a marble terrace on the west side of the Capitol, facing the National Mall.

After some music and an invocation, Vice President-elect JD Vance will take his oath of office, placing his hand on a family bible that belonged to his maternal great-grandmother, administered by the Associate Justice of the Court Supreme of the United States Brett Kavanaugh.

US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the presidential oath of office, written into the constitution, to Trump. The president-elect will rest his hand on the same two bibles he used during his first inauguration: one given to him by his mother in 1955, and one used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861.

Trump will officially become president when he takes the oath of office, at approximately 12pm EST.

The presidential oath of office

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and that to the best of my ability I will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Trump will then deliver his inaugural address, setting out his vision for the next four years. In 2016, his 1,434-word speech struck a dark tone as he declared that “the American carnage stops there.”

Former presidents and first ladies, lawmakers, Trump, Vance and their families and friends filled the Capitol to attend the ceremony, along with tech leaders and billionaire allies including X owner Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg . TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to attend the unveiling as he fights to take his viral app back to the US.

Although foreign leaders do not usually attend inaugurations, Beijing confirmed that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng would attend after Trump extended an invitation to President Xi Jinping.

Will Trump enact any policy on the day?

Trump is expected to sign about 100 executive actions after being sworn in. He promised to be a “dictator on the first day” and in the campaign, Trump made a lot of promises to be realized on his first day in office. They range from the launch of a mass deportation program to the imposition of huge tariffs on imports, the pardon of those accused of the riots of the Capitol of January 6, 2021, and the revolution of the related regulations to energy and climate.

On Sunday, he also promised an executive order to delay it ban against TikTok.

There are two opportunities during his Inauguration Day commitment for him to make good on those commitments. While in the Capitol, he will go to the president’s signing room, outside the Senate chamber, for a signing ceremony that could involve executive orders or proclamations. Later, he will have a chance during the signing ceremony in the Oval Office.

It is also possible for him to explain politics during his inaugural speech.

How tight is the security for the event?

Security is still tight for presidential inaugurations, but will be more robust than in the past because of “a heightened threat environment,” according to the Secret Service. There were two attempts on Trump’s life during the election campaign last year, including a shooting that injured his ear.

About 25,000 law enforcement officers and military personnel will secure the event, including from the Secret Service, the Metropolitan Police Department and the National Guard.

More than 30 kilometers of anti-escalation fencing has been increased, more than for any previous national special security event. Law enforcement agencies will also patrol from the air with drones.

Officials said there had been no specific threat to the inauguration, but US Capitol Police warned that “a lone actor” was the biggest potential danger during the event.

Who is coming out at the ceremony?

Country music star Carrie Underwood, who rose to fame after competing on American Idol, is headlining the inauguration. She will perform “America the Beautiful” between Vance and Trump’s swearing-in. Country singer Lee Greenwood will also perform, and the swearing-in ceremony will end with a rendition of the US national anthem by opera singer Christopher Macchio.

Later in the evening, rapper Nelly, country group Rascal Flatts and disco group The Village People will be among the performers at the inaugural balls. Trump made the last “YMCA” and “Macho Man” anthems on the campaign trail.

The high-profile musical line-up is in stark contrast to Trump’s first inauguration, when his team struggled to attract stars. In a sign of America’s deep political divisions, there was a backlash against Underwood and The Village People. The disco group said in a Facebook post that “we know this will not make some of you happy to listen to, however, we believe that music should be performed without regard to politics.”