Washington: Donald Trump is set to begin his second term as the president of the United States on Monday, January 20. The day will kick off with an official swearing-in ceremony, accompanied by musical performances, a celebratory parade and several formal engagements. Apart from Trump, Vice-President-elect JD Vance will take the oath of office, marking the start of their new administration together, Reuters reported.
Here’s what to expect on inauguration day:
Swearing-in ceremony
Trump’s inauguration will begin at 12 pm EST with him taking the oath of office after a hopeful inaugural address. Biden will attend for a peaceful transition. Over 220,000 tickets are available, with Carrie Underwood performing at the ceremony.
Who will attend?
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at Trump’s swearing-in, with meetings planned with the upcoming administration. Key international figures attending include Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Australia’s Penny Wong, Argentina’s President Javier Milei, and Hungary’s Viktor Orban. Notable absences include Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Former US presidents, including Biden, Clinton and Obama, will attend, along with tech leaders like Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.
Parade to the White House
After a formal lunch, Trump will participate in a historic parade along Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House. The procession will feature military units, marching bands, and decorative floats. Trump and his guests will have a prime view of the parade from a special viewing platform near the White House.
Policy announcements
Trump’s first day back in office will include signing executive orders on border security, energy and resuming the border wall. He plans to grant pardons for January 6 insurrection participants. His inauguration weekend will feature 18 galas, with fundraising reaching USD 170 million, supported by major tech figures.
