Former United States (US) First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about how she felt on the day of then-President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017. She shared her experience on the "Michelle Obama Light Podcast" (by Audible) on Tuesday (March 7).

"That day was emotional for so many different reasons. We were leaving the home we had been in for eight years. The only home our kids really knew. They remembered Chicago, but they had spent more time in the White House than anywhere else," Obama said.&nbsp;

“There were tears, there was that emotion. But then to sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display – there was no diversity, there was no colour on that stage, there was no reflection of the broader sense of America," she added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ridiculous-us-first-lady-slams-nikki-haleys-proposal-for-mental-health-test-for-politicians-over-75-569841">'Ridiculous': US First Lady slams Nikki Haley's proposal for mental health test for politicians over 75</a>

"You walk through the Capitol, you wave goodbye, you get on Marine One and you take your last flight off flying over the Capitol, where there weren’t that many people there. We saw it," the former First Lady said, in an apparent jab at Trump over how many people attended his inauguration.&nbsp;

Obama said the family then went to the Andrews Air Force Base, said goodbye to the military, and got on Air Force One. "And when those doors (of Air Force One) shut, I cried for 30 minutes straight. Uncontrollable sobbing," Obama also said during the podcast.&nbsp;

Since leaving the White House, Michelle Obama has revealed details about her mood on the day of Trump's inauguration. According to a report by ABC news, Obama said in her book that she was unable to put on a happy face and smile during the inauguration.

In the audio of the book, Obama said, "Someone from Barack’s administration might have said that the optics there were bad, that what the public saw didn’t reflect the President’s reality or ideals, but in this case, maybe it did. Realising it, I made my own optic adjustment. I stopped even trying to smile," according to the report.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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Former United States (US) First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about how she felt on the day of then-President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017. She shared her experience on the "Michelle Obama Light Podcast" (by Audible) on Tuesday (March 7).

Former United States (US) First Lady Michelle Obama opened up about how she felt on the day of then-President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017. She shared her experience on the "Michelle Obama Light Podcast" (by Audible) on Tuesday (March 7). "That day was emotional for so many different reasons. We were leaving the home we had been in for eight years. The only home our kids really knew. They remembered Chicago, but they had spent more time in the White House than anywhere else," Obama said. “There were tears, there was that emotion. But then to sit on that stage and watch the opposite of what we represented on display – there was no diversity, there was no colour on that stage, there was no reflection of the broader sense of America," she added. ALSO READ | 'Ridiculous': US First Lady slams Nikki Haley's proposal for mental health test for politicians over 75 "You walk through the Capitol, you wave goodbye, you get on Marine One and you take your last flight off flying over the Capitol, where there weren’t that many people there. We saw it," the former First Lady said, in an apparent jab at Trump over how many people attended his inauguration. Obama said the family then went to the Andrews Air Force Base, said goodbye to the military, and got on Air Force One. "And when those doors (of Air Force One) shut, I cried for 30 minutes straight. Uncontrollable sobbing," Obama also said during the podcast. Since leaving the White House, Michelle Obama has revealed details about her mood on the day of Trump's inauguration. According to a report by ABC news, Obama said in her book that she was unable to put on a happy face and smile during the inauguration. In the audio of the book, Obama said, "Someone from Barack’s administration might have said that the optics there were bad, that what the public saw didn’t reflect the President’s reality or ideals, but in this case, maybe it did. Realising it, I made my own optic adjustment. I stopped even trying to smile," according to the report. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

I cried for 30 minutes straight: Michelle Obama on day of Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017

US President Donald Trump marked the first anniversary of his inauguration on Saturday with his <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-government-shuts-down-as-donald-trump-feuds-with-democrats-30183">government in shutdown</a>, lashing out at Democrats over the collapse of budget negotiations as Congress convened an emergency session to thrash out a deal.

Essential federal services and military activity will continue, but hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will be sent home without wages and even serving soldiers will not be paid until a deal is reached to reopen the US government.

Highlighting the deep political polarisation, people took to the streets of major US cities en masse to march against the president and his policies.

&quot;This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present,&quot; Trump, who is in Washington instead of celebrating the anniversary at his Mar-a-Lago resort, wrote on Twitter in reference to the shutdown.

&quot;Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border,&quot; he tweeted, later accusing the opposition party of &quot;holding our Military hostage.&quot;

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/what-happens-in-a-us-government-shutdown-30134">impact of the shutdown</a> will be felt more strongly if it lasts into the coming work week.

Signs that the government was not open for business were already appearing on Saturday.

&quot;The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island are closed due to a lapse in appropriations,&quot; a notice on the National Park Service&#39;s website said, while a sign at US military cemetery in France where 4,409 Americans are buried read: &quot;Due to the US Government shut down, this site is closed to the public.&quot;

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wrote in a memo that &quot;daily operations around the world&quot; will continue, but &quot;training for reservists must be curtailed&quot; and that &quot;active forces will stay at their posts adapting their training to achieve the least negative impact on our readiness to fight.&quot;

&#39;Holding pattern&#39;

There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave.

&quot;We&#39;re just in a holding pattern. We just have to wait and see. It&#39;s scary,&quot; Noell Joll, a 50-year-old furloughed US government employee, said in Washington.

Joll was also affected by the 2013 shutdown, but &quot;this one feels a lot more ominous,&quot; she said.

&quot;I think our members are frustrated, they&#39;re disappointed in the president and members of Congress that they&#39;re not funding the government - doing their job - as we do our jobs every day,&quot; J David Cox, the president of one of the largest unions representing government workers, said on CNN.

A deal had appeared likely on Friday afternoon, when Trump - who has touted himself as a master negotiator and dealmaker - seemed to be close to an agreement with Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer on a measure to prevent the expulsion of undocumented migrants who arrived in the country as children.

But no such compromise was in the language that reached Congress for a stop-gap motion to keep the government open for four more weeks while a final arrangement is discussed - and Republicans failed to win enough Democratic support to bring it to a vote.

Congress reconvened for a rare Saturday session, where leaders of both sides traded accusations of responsibility for the shutdown.

Schumer said that trying to negotiate with Trump &quot;was like negotiating with Jell-O.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s impossible to negotiate with a constantly-moving target,&quot; he said. &quot;President Trump is so mercurial it&#39;s been impossible to get him to agree to anything.

The Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said that Schumer &quot;took the extraordinary step&quot; of preventing the legislation from passing and thus &quot;plunging the country into this totally avoidable mess.&quot;

Anti-Trump protests

Democrats have accused Republicans of poisoning chances of a deal and pandering to Trump&#39;s populist base by refusing to fund a program that protects 700,000 &quot;Dreamers&quot; - undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children - from deportation.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Republicans have a tenuous one-seat majority in the Senate but would have needed to lure some Democrats to their side to get a 60 vote supermajority to bring the motion forward. They fell ten votes short.

The measure brought to Congress would have extended federal funding until February 16 and reauthorized for six years a health insurance program for poor children - a long-time Democratic objective.

But it would have cut the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, that affects Dreamers.

White House officials insisted there was no urgency to fix DACA, which expires March 5.

As US lawmakers wrangled over government funding, protesters turned out in cities including Washington, New York, Chicago and Denver to express their opposition to Trump and their support for women&#39;s rights.

Protestors hoisted signs with messages such as &quot;Fight like a girl&quot; and &quot;A woman&#39;s place is in the White House.&quot;

Another sign took aim at Trump&#39;s government: &quot;I&#39;ve seen smarter cabinets at IKEA,&quot; it said, referring to a furniture store with items requiring often-tedious and time-consuming assembly.

The impact of the shutdown will be felt more strongly if it lasts into the coming work week.

US President Donald Trump marked the first anniversary of his inauguration on Saturday with his government in shutdown, lashing out at Democrats over the collapse of budget negotiations as Congress convened an emergency session to thrash out a deal. Essential federal services and military activity will continue, but hundreds of thousands of public sector workers will be sent home without wages and even serving soldiers will not be paid until a deal is reached to reopen the US government. Highlighting the deep political polarisation, people took to the streets of major US cities en masse to march against the president and his policies. "This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present," Trump, who is in Washington instead of celebrating the anniversary at his Mar-a-Lago resort, wrote on Twitter in reference to the shutdown. "Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border," he tweeted, later accusing the opposition party of "holding our Military hostage." The impact of the shutdown will be felt more strongly if it lasts into the coming work week. Signs that the government was not open for business were already appearing on Saturday. "The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island are closed due to a lapse in appropriations," a notice on the National Park Service's website said, while a sign at US military cemetery in France where 4,409 Americans are buried read: "Due to the US Government shut down, this site is closed to the public." Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wrote in a memo that "daily operations around the world" will continue, but "training for reservists must be curtailed" and that "active forces will stay at their posts adapting their training to achieve the least negative impact on our readiness to fight." 'Holding pattern' There have been four government shutdowns since 1990. In the last one in 2013, more than 800,000 government workers were put on temporary leave. "We're just in a holding pattern. We just have to wait and see. It's scary," Noell Joll, a 50-year-old furloughed US government employee, said in Washington. Joll was also affected by the 2013 shutdown, but "this one feels a lot more ominous," she said. "I think our members are frustrated, they're disappointed in the president and members of Congress that they're not funding the government - doing their job - as we do our jobs every day," J David Cox, the president of one of the largest unions representing government workers, said on CNN. A deal had appeared likely on Friday afternoon, when Trump - who has touted himself as a master negotiator and dealmaker - seemed to be close to an agreement with Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer on a measure to prevent the expulsion of undocumented migrants who arrived in the country as children. But no such compromise was in the language that reached Congress for a stop-gap motion to keep the government open for four more weeks while a final arrangement is discussed - and Republicans failed to win enough Democratic support to bring it to a vote. Congress reconvened for a rare Saturday session, where leaders of both sides traded accusations of responsibility for the shutdown. Schumer said that trying to negotiate with Trump "was like negotiating with Jell-O." "It's impossible to negotiate with a constantly-moving target," he said. "President Trump is so mercurial it's been impossible to get him to agree to anything. The Republican majority leader, Mitch McConnell, said that Schumer "took the extraordinary step" of preventing the legislation from passing and thus "plunging the country into this totally avoidable mess." Anti-Trump protests Democrats have accused Republicans of poisoning chances of a deal and pandering to Trump's populist base by refusing to fund a program that protects 700,000 "Dreamers" - undocumented immigrants who arrived in the US as children - from deportation. Republicans have a tenuous one-seat majority in the Senate but would have needed to lure some Democrats to their side to get a 60 vote supermajority to bring the motion forward. They fell ten votes short. The measure brought to Congress would have extended federal funding until February 16 and reauthorized for six years a health insurance program for poor children - a long-time Democratic objective. But it would have cut the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, that affects Dreamers. White House officials insisted there was no urgency to fix DACA, which expires March 5. As US lawmakers wrangled over government funding, protesters turned out in cities including Washington, New York, Chicago and Denver to express their opposition to Trump and their support for women's rights. Protestors hoisted signs with messages such as "Fight like a girl" and "A woman's place is in the White House." Another sign took aim at Trump's government: "I've seen smarter cabinets at IKEA," it said, referring to a furniture store with items requiring often-tedious and time-consuming assembly.

Trump laments 'nice present' of shutdown on inauguration anniversary

With grey clouds hanging over the famous white dome of the US&nbsp;Capitol building, Donald Trump made his inaugural address to the American people as their new president.

&quot;January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again,&quot; said Trump from his podium overlooking the crowds gathered on the National Mall.

&quot;The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,&quot; he added.

An estimated 800,000 people had crushed into the centre of Washington, DC&nbsp;for the 58th US&nbsp;Presidential Inauguration, sheltering from the drizzle under raincoats and ponchos.

A steel ring of security encircled the centre of the city, with roads blocked off and police on every corner.

But tight security and showers failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Trump&#39;s supporters.

&quot;Trump is going to &#39;Make America Great Again&#39; and undo the wreckage of Obama,&quot; said Joe Smith, 69, from Tampa, Florida.

&quot;I believe that the enemies of this country have been allowed to fester for too long, and Donald Trump is going to change that,&quot; said Nick Graham, 20, from Pasadena, Maryland.

Crammed in next to Trump&#39;s supporters, Clinton voters looked on solemnly while protestors chanted.

&quot;We came today to show that we are not giving our consent for this presidency,&quot; Erica West, 21, from Arlington, Virginia.

&quot;Donald Trump stands for hatred, racism and misogyny. That&#39;s against everything that I stand for as a citizen of this country,&quot; said Kevin Cannell, 31, from New Orleans.

At a Black Lives Matter demonstration in a small park just off the National Mall, impromptu arguments broke out between protesters and passing Trump supporters in &quot;Make America Great Again&quot; hats.

As the hour of the inauguration ceremony approached, demonstrators linked arms to block the route to the viewing area.

They chanted &quot;this checkpoint is closed, go home&quot; as police tried to break up the line to allow spectators through.

&quot;Criminal-in-Chief,&quot; read one protestor&#39;s placard.

&quot;The power of the people is stronger than the people in power,&quot; proclaimed another.

As news of Trump taking the oath at the US&nbsp;Capitol spread, cheers and booing broke out spontaneously in the streets.

With the traditional parade to the White House underway, protestors also clashed with police along the route.

8 years after Barack Obama swept into power riding a message of hope, Donald Trump is taking charge of a divided America.

The wounds from a bitter election were still fresh for many on his Inauguration Day.&nbsp;

But Trump says he can bring the country together again.

&quot;We are one nation...we share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny,&quot; said Trump in his inaugural address.

But just hours before the handover of power, a Fox News survey put Trump&#39;s approval ratings at 37 per cent.

54 per cent&nbsp;say they do not approve of the country&#39;s new president.

With historically low ratings for a first-time president, Trump&#39;s first 100 days could define his time in office.

The fractious atmosphere at his inauguration shows that the fervour of his supporters is matched by the anger of his opponents.

(WION)

As scattered protests erupted elsewhere in Washington,?Trump?raised his right hand and put his left on a Bible used by Abraham Lincoln

With grey clouds hanging over the famous white dome of the US Capitol building, Donald Trump made his inaugural address to the American people as their new president. "January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again," said Trump from his podium overlooking the crowds gathered on the National Mall. "The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," he added. An estimated 800,000 people had crushed into the centre of Washington, DC for the 58th US Presidential Inauguration, sheltering from the drizzle under raincoats and ponchos. A steel ring of security encircled the centre of the city, with roads blocked off and police on every corner. But tight security and showers failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Trump's supporters. "Trump is going to 'Make America Great Again' and undo the wreckage of Obama," said Joe Smith, 69, from Tampa, Florida. "I believe that the enemies of this country have been allowed to fester for too long, and Donald Trump is going to change that," said Nick Graham, 20, from Pasadena, Maryland. Crammed in next to Trump's supporters, Clinton voters looked on solemnly while protestors chanted. "We came today to show that we are not giving our consent for this presidency," Erica West, 21, from Arlington, Virginia. "Donald Trump stands for hatred, racism and misogyny. That's against everything that I stand for as a citizen of this country," said Kevin Cannell, 31, from New Orleans. At a Black Lives Matter demonstration in a small park just off the National Mall, impromptu arguments broke out between protesters and passing Trump supporters in "Make America Great Again" hats. As the hour of the inauguration ceremony approached, demonstrators linked arms to block the route to the viewing area. They chanted "this checkpoint is closed, go home" as police tried to break up the line to allow spectators through. "Criminal-in-Chief," read one protestor's placard. "The power of the people is stronger than the people in power," proclaimed another. As news of Trump taking the oath at the US Capitol spread, cheers and booing broke out spontaneously in the streets. With the traditional parade to the White House underway, protestors also clashed with police along the route. 8 years after Barack Obama swept into power riding a message of hope, Donald Trump is taking charge of a divided America. The wounds from a bitter election were still fresh for many on his Inauguration Day. But Trump says he can bring the country together again. "We are one nation...we share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny," said Trump in his inaugural address. But just hours before the handover of power, a Fox News survey put Trump's approval ratings at 37 per cent. 54 per cent say they do not approve of the country's new president. With historically low ratings for a first-time president, Trump's first 100 days could define his time in office. The fractious atmosphere at his inauguration shows that the fervour of his supporters is matched by the anger of his opponents. (WION)

Donald Trump proclaims start of new era under grey skies

Black-clad activists angry about US&nbsp;President Donald Trump&#39;s inauguration smashed store and car windows in Washington on Friday and fought with police in riot gear who responded with pepper spray and stun grenades.

About 500 people, some wearing masks and kerchiefs over their faces, marched through the city&#39;s downtown, breaking the windows of a Bank of America branch, a McDonald&#39;s outlet and a Starbucks shop, all symbols of the American capitalist system.

The crowd chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried at least one sign reading &quot;Make Racists Afraid Again,&quot; a play on the New York businessman-turned-politician&#39;s &quot;Make America Great Again&quot; campaign slogan.

They also vandalized several cars and hurled trash cans and newspaper vending boxes into the streets before being largely dispersed by police about 90 minutes before Trump was sworn in at the Capitol a mile and a half (2.4 km) away.

&quot;The message I want to send is that Trump does not represent this country. He represents the corporate interests,&quot; said Jessica Reznicek, a 35-year-old Catholic aid worker from Des Moines, Iowa, who was part of the protest but did not participate in the violence.

Not far from the White House, protesters scuffled with police, at one point throwing aluminum chairs at an outdoor caf&eacute;. A member of the &quot;Bikers for Trump&quot; group in town to celebrate the inauguration was struck in the face when he tried to intervene.

&quot;I know, law and order and all that. We need more order. This ain&#39;t right,&quot; said Bob Hrifko, who was bleeding from a cut under his eye.

Two Washington DC&nbsp;police officers were injured in altercations with protesters, a local ABC television affiliate reported. Police detained about 50 people a few blocks away, as a crowd chanted &quot;Let them go.&quot;

The number of people who turned out to view the midday swearing-in, on a gray day threatened by rain, appeared to be significantly smaller than the estimated 2 million who turned out for President Barack Obama&#39;s first inauguration in 2009.

Overhead video of the National Mall showed sections of the white matting laid down to protect the grass were largely empty.

More people were expected to be on hand when Trump and his entourage travel along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House later Friday afternoon.

Earlier, liberal activists with a separate group called Disrupt J20 intermittently blocked multiple security checkpoints leading to the largest public viewing area for the inauguration. Several were led away by police.

Disrupt J20 protest organizer Alli McCracken, 28, of Washington, said the group was voicing its displeasure over Trump&#39;s controversial comments about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims.

&quot;We have a lot of people of diverse backgrounds who are against US&nbsp;imperialism and we feel Trump will continue that legacy,&quot; McCracken said.

Tensions were high on the streets of Washington ahead of the inauguration, with occasional scuffles breaking out.

Trump supporters Chris and Karen Korthaus, who carried a life-size cardboard cutout of the former reality TV star, crossed paths with an anti-Trump crowd.

&quot;A protester came over and ripped off the Don&#39;s head,&quot; Karen Korthaus said as she showed a reporter a video of the incident. &quot;We ran to a pizza shop and taped his head back on&quot;.

Carl Beams, 36, from Howell, New Jersey, stood in line with thousands of other Trump supporters waiting to enter the National Mall to view the inauguration.

&quot;This is a great moment in history. I wanted to be able to say I was here firsthand,&quot; said Beams, who runs a martial-arts school.

While Washington was the focal point of the anti-Trump protests, there were sympathy rallies around the nation and world.

Activists in London hung a banner reading &quot;Build bridges not walls&quot; on the city&#39;s iconic Tower Bridge, a reference to Trump&#39;s signature campaign promise of building a wall on the US-Mexican border.

By far the largest protest is expected to be Saturday&#39;s Women&#39;s March on Washington, which some 200,000 people from around the country are expected to attend.

The US&nbsp;Secret Service, Washington police and other law enforcement agencies had about 28,000 officers in place to secure a roughly three-square-mile area of downtown Washington.

(Reuters)

About 500 people marched through the city's downtown smashing stores and car windows

Black-clad activists angry about US President Donald Trump's inauguration smashed store and car windows in Washington on Friday and fought with police in riot gear who responded with pepper spray and stun grenades. About 500 people, some wearing masks and kerchiefs over their faces, marched through the city's downtown, breaking the windows of a Bank of America branch, a McDonald's outlet and a Starbucks shop, all symbols of the American capitalist system. The crowd chanted anti-Trump slogans and carried at least one sign reading "Make Racists Afraid Again," a play on the New York businessman-turned-politician's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. They also vandalized several cars and hurled trash cans and newspaper vending boxes into the streets before being largely dispersed by police about 90 minutes before Trump was sworn in at the Capitol a mile and a half (2.4 km) away. "The message I want to send is that Trump does not represent this country. He represents the corporate interests," said Jessica Reznicek, a 35-year-old Catholic aid worker from Des Moines, Iowa, who was part of the protest but did not participate in the violence. Not far from the White House, protesters scuffled with police, at one point throwing aluminum chairs at an outdoor café. A member of the "Bikers for Trump" group in town to celebrate the inauguration was struck in the face when he tried to intervene. "I know, law and order and all that. We need more order. This ain't right," said Bob Hrifko, who was bleeding from a cut under his eye. Two Washington DC police officers were injured in altercations with protesters, a local ABC television affiliate reported. Police detained about 50 people a few blocks away, as a crowd chanted "Let them go." The number of people who turned out to view the midday swearing-in, on a gray day threatened by rain, appeared to be significantly smaller than the estimated 2 million who turned out for President Barack Obama's first inauguration in 2009. Overhead video of the National Mall showed sections of the white matting laid down to protect the grass were largely empty. More people were expected to be on hand when Trump and his entourage travel along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House later Friday afternoon. Earlier, liberal activists with a separate group called Disrupt J20 intermittently blocked multiple security checkpoints leading to the largest public viewing area for the inauguration. Several were led away by police. Disrupt J20 protest organizer Alli McCracken, 28, of Washington, said the group was voicing its displeasure over Trump's controversial comments about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims. "We have a lot of people of diverse backgrounds who are against US imperialism and we feel Trump will continue that legacy," McCracken said. Tensions were high on the streets of Washington ahead of the inauguration, with occasional scuffles breaking out. Trump supporters Chris and Karen Korthaus, who carried a life-size cardboard cutout of the former reality TV star, crossed paths with an anti-Trump crowd. "A protester came over and ripped off the Don's head," Karen Korthaus said as she showed a reporter a video of the incident. "We ran to a pizza shop and taped his head back on". Carl Beams, 36, from Howell, New Jersey, stood in line with thousands of other Trump supporters waiting to enter the National Mall to view the inauguration. "This is a great moment in history. I wanted to be able to say I was here firsthand," said Beams, who runs a martial-arts school. While Washington was the focal point of the anti-Trump protests, there were sympathy rallies around the nation and world. Activists in London hung a banner reading "Build bridges not walls" on the city's iconic Tower Bridge, a reference to Trump's signature campaign promise of building a wall on the US-Mexican border. By far the largest protest is expected to be Saturday's Women's March on Washington, which some 200,000 people from around the country are expected to attend. The US Secret Service, Washington police and other law enforcement agencies had about 28,000 officers in place to secure a roughly three-square-mile area of downtown Washington. (Reuters)

Washington protests turn violent as Trump assumes presidency

America&#39;s new First Lady Melania Trump won rave reviews Friday for donning an elegant Ralph Lauren powder blue suit to her husband&#39;s inauguration in a look channeling Jacqueline Kennedy.

Her cashmere turtleneck dress fell to her knee, paired with a cross-over jacket cropped to the waist and matching suede gloves. In a break from the past, Melania wore her hair swept up with diamond stud earrings.

The look won gushing praise online and earned comparisons with Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of Democratic president John F. Kennedy and considered one of America&#39;s most stylish first ladies.

A Ralph Lauren spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that Trump was wearing a custom-made Ralph Lauren collection dress, jacket and gloves.

The 46-year-old former model originally from Slovenia, is America&#39;s only second foreign-born first lady since England&#39;s Louisa Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams, who was president from 1825 to 1829.

Ralph Lauren is perhaps America&#39;s most iconic living designer, a 77-year-old master inspired by European sensibilities but whose clothes define a uniquely American sense of elegance.

A string of designers have refused to work with Trump because of her husband&#39;s politics, making her sartorial debut as first lady -- hot on the heels of the much-loved Michelle Obama -- closely scrutinized.

Despite being criticized for previously favoring high-end European clothes and foregoing Obama&#39;s winning combination of US high street meets high fashion, Trump is proving herself an adroit dresser.

On Friday she picked a little-known New York designer of Hispanic descent and daughter of a wounded veteran to design her military-inspired, black coat to visit the National Arlington Cemetery.

While commentators griped about her heavy sunglasses and grumpy demeanor, in the evening she donned a stunning golden gown from Reem Acra, a Lebanese-born American designer, for a candlelight dinner.

Vogue said her choice &quot;went the route of classic glamour&quot; similar to former Republican first ladies Nancy Reagan and Laura Bush.

Her looks have not only been appropriate to the moment but given a nod toward inclusivity at a time when her husband is under attack for divisive rhetoric and threat to deport up to three million illegal immigrants.

But Trump will have to work hard to keep up with 35-year-old stepdaughter Ivanka, widely feted for her elegance and who unlike Melania is moving straight to Washington with her husband, an incoming White House advisor.

(AFP)

A Ralph Lauren spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that Trump was wearing a custom-made Ralph Lauren collection dress, jacket and gloves

America's new First Lady Melania Trump won rave reviews Friday for donning an elegant Ralph Lauren powder blue suit to her husband's inauguration in a look channeling Jacqueline Kennedy. Her cashmere turtleneck dress fell to her knee, paired with a cross-over jacket cropped to the waist and matching suede gloves. In a break from the past, Melania wore her hair swept up with diamond stud earrings. The look won gushing praise online and earned comparisons with Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of Democratic president John F. Kennedy and considered one of America's most stylish first ladies. A Ralph Lauren spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that Trump was wearing a custom-made Ralph Lauren collection dress, jacket and gloves. The 46-year-old former model originally from Slovenia, is America's only second foreign-born first lady since England's Louisa Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams, who was president from 1825 to 1829. Ralph Lauren is perhaps America's most iconic living designer, a 77-year-old master inspired by European sensibilities but whose clothes define a uniquely American sense of elegance. A string of designers have refused to work with Trump because of her husband's politics, making her sartorial debut as first lady -- hot on the heels of the much-loved Michelle Obama -- closely scrutinized. Despite being criticized for previously favoring high-end European clothes and foregoing Obama's winning combination of US high street meets high fashion, Trump is proving herself an adroit dresser. On Friday she picked a little-known New York designer of Hispanic descent and daughter of a wounded veteran to design her military-inspired, black coat to visit the National Arlington Cemetery. While commentators griped about her heavy sunglasses and grumpy demeanor, in the evening she donned a stunning golden gown from Reem Acra, a Lebanese-born American designer, for a candlelight dinner. Vogue said her choice "went the route of classic glamour" similar to former Republican first ladies Nancy Reagan and Laura Bush. Her looks have not only been appropriate to the moment but given a nod toward inclusivity at a time when her husband is under attack for divisive rhetoric and threat to deport up to three million illegal immigrants. But Trump will have to work hard to keep up with 35-year-old stepdaughter Ivanka, widely feted for her elegance and who unlike Melania is moving straight to Washington with her husband, an incoming White House advisor. (AFP)

Melania Trump channels Jackie Kennedy in Ralph Lauren

He has promised to &quot;Make America Great Again&quot;, but rain threatened to turn Donald Trump&#39;s big moment into a washout.

An estimated 800,000 people crushed into the centre of Washington, DC for the 58th US Presidential inauguration, sheltering from the drizzle under raincoats and ponchos.

A steel ring of security encircled the centre of the city, with roads blocked off and police on every corner.

But tight security and grey skies over the famous white dome of the Capitol building failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Trump&#39;s supporters.

&quot;Trump is going to &#39;Make America Great Again&#39; and undo the wreckage of Obama,&quot; said Joe Smith, 69, from Tampa, Florida.

&quot;I believe that the enemies of this country have been allowed to fester for too long, and Donald Trump is going to change that,&quot; said Nick Graham, 20, from Pasadena, Maryland.

Crammed in next to Trump&#39;s supporters, Clinton voters looked on solemnly while protestors chanted.

&quot;We came today to show that we are not giving our consent for this presidency,&quot; said Erica West, 21, from Arlington, Virginia.

&quot;Donald Trump stands for hatred, racism and misogyny. That&#39;s against everything that I stand for as a citizen of this country,&quot; said Kevin Cannell, 31, from New Orleans.

At a Black Lives Matter demonstration in a small park just off the National Mall, impromptu arguments broke out between protesters and passing Trump supporters in &quot;Make America Great Again&quot; hats.

As the hour of the inauguration ceremony approached, demonstrators linked arms to block the route to the viewing area.

They chanted &quot;this checkpoint is closed, go home&quot; as police tried to break up the line to allow spectators through.

&quot;Criminal-in-Chief,&quot; read one protestor&#39;s placard.

&quot;The power of the people is stronger than the people in power,&quot; proclaimed another.

Eight years after Barack Obama swept into power riding a message of hope, Donald Trump is taking charge of a divided America.

The wounds from a bitter election were still fresh for many on his inauguration day.&nbsp;

But the Trump administration say they can bring the country together again.

&quot;We&#39;re going to unify our country, and our phrase &nbsp;- you all know it &nbsp;- &#39;Make America Great Again!&#39;. But we&#39;re going to make America great for all of our people,&quot; said Trump at a welcome celebration at the Lincoln Memorial on the eve of his inauguration.

But just hours before the handover of power, a Fox News survey put Trump&#39;s approval ratings at 37 per cent.

Fifty-four per cent say they do not approve of the country&#39;s new president.

With historically low ratings for a first-time president, Trump&#39;s first 100 days could define his time in office.

The fractious atmosphere at his inauguration shows that the fervour of his supporters is matched by the anger of his opponents.

(WION)

With historically low ratings for a first-time president, Trump's first 100 days could define his time in office

He has promised to "Make America Great Again", but rain threatened to turn Donald Trump's big moment into a washout. An estimated 800,000 people crushed into the centre of Washington, DC for the 58th US Presidential inauguration, sheltering from the drizzle under raincoats and ponchos. A steel ring of security encircled the centre of the city, with roads blocked off and police on every corner. But tight security and grey skies over the famous white dome of the Capitol building failed to dampen the enthusiasm of Trump's supporters. "Trump is going to 'Make America Great Again' and undo the wreckage of Obama," said Joe Smith, 69, from Tampa, Florida. "I believe that the enemies of this country have been allowed to fester for too long, and Donald Trump is going to change that," said Nick Graham, 20, from Pasadena, Maryland. Crammed in next to Trump's supporters, Clinton voters looked on solemnly while protestors chanted. "We came today to show that we are not giving our consent for this presidency," said Erica West, 21, from Arlington, Virginia. "Donald Trump stands for hatred, racism and misogyny. That's against everything that I stand for as a citizen of this country," said Kevin Cannell, 31, from New Orleans. At a Black Lives Matter demonstration in a small park just off the National Mall, impromptu arguments broke out between protesters and passing Trump supporters in "Make America Great Again" hats. As the hour of the inauguration ceremony approached, demonstrators linked arms to block the route to the viewing area. They chanted "this checkpoint is closed, go home" as police tried to break up the line to allow spectators through. "Criminal-in-Chief," read one protestor's placard. "The power of the people is stronger than the people in power," proclaimed another. Eight years after Barack Obama swept into power riding a message of hope, Donald Trump is taking charge of a divided America. The wounds from a bitter election were still fresh for many on his inauguration day. But the Trump administration say they can bring the country together again. "We're going to unify our country, and our phrase - you all know it - 'Make America Great Again!'. But we're going to make America great for all of our people," said Trump at a welcome celebration at the Lincoln Memorial on the eve of his inauguration. But just hours before the handover of power, a Fox News survey put Trump's approval ratings at 37 per cent. Fifty-four per cent say they do not approve of the country's new president. With historically low ratings for a first-time president, Trump's first 100 days could define his time in office. The fractious atmosphere at his inauguration shows that the fervour of his supporters is matched by the anger of his opponents. (WION)

Damp start to Trump era

Barack Obama and Donald Trump arrived at the US Capitol on Friday where the president-elect will be sworn in as the United States&#39; 45th head of state.

Obama and his wife Michelle left the White House for the last time after hosting Trump and the incoming first lady Melania for a traditional tea and coffee.

The two couples travelled in a joint motorcade for the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. 
 
&quot;The movement continues, the work begins,&quot; tweeted the Republican billionaire tweeted before tracing his predecessors&#39; steps to St. John&#39;s Church and the White House.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
It all begins today! I will see you at 11:00 A.M. for the swearing-in. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES - THE WORK BEGINS!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/822421390125043713">January 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

There he was greeted warmly by Obama, capping a transfer of power that has been peaceful yet rancorous.

&quot;Mr President-elect, how are you?&quot; Obama asked, after having deposited a letter in the Resolute desk and departed the Oval Office for the last time.

Hundreds of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall in the center of the nation&#39;s capital to celebrate a man whose short 19-month political career has defied all predictions, and many norms.

In the cool Washington dawn, his most ardent supporters ignored intermittent light rain and began to make their way by metro, car and on foot to take part in history.

&quot;I&#39;ve been waiting for this for a long time,&quot; said Thomas Mendenhall, 68, a retired banker from Missouri. &quot;We just want change.&quot;

When Trump descended the escalators of his glitzy New York tower in June 2015, his run for office and his supporters were dismissed and even mocked.

But shortly before midday Friday, Trump will place his hand on Abraham Lincoln&#39;s bible, recite the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol and become the most powerful man on earth.

His staff, many shunned by friends for supporting a man who has been labeled a racist and bigot by his critics, will become power players in the White House.

In the primaries, Trump dominated a crowded Republican presidential field with smash-mouth rhetoric and star power. He rode that same wave of anti-elite sentiment to victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.

At 70 years of age, he is the oldest man ever to begin work in the Oval Office.

But the real estate mogul and one-time television reality star is also a political neophyte -- he will be the first president never to have held elected office, served in the government or the armed forces.

For Trump&#39;s supporters, that is a central part of his appeal.

&quot;He&#39;s somebody that&#39;s not a politician&quot; said 59-year-old Sandra Jackson-Carter, a salon owner from Bakersville, California.

&quot;He&#39;s going to unite the country and make America great again,&quot; she said. &quot;This is history. There&#39;s nothing better.&quot;

Big changes

For his critics, Trump&#39;s arrival in Washington on Thursday onboard an Air Force jet was more like a hostile takeover than a traditional changing of the guard.

Small demonstrations popped up across the city center on Friday, with shouts of &nbsp;&quot;not my president&quot; and &quot;No Trump, No KKK, no fascist USA.&quot; Some tried to prevent Trump supporters from passing, but police intervened.

A much larger rally is planned for Saturday.

On Thursday evening, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside a pro-Trump event, heckling and shouting at departing guests and lighting protest signs on fire before police used chemical spray on the crowd.

Trump enters office with a 37 percent approval rating, the lowest on record, according to a CBS News poll.

Most of Obama&#39;s White House staff have cleaned out their desks and the normally busy corridors of the West Wing were unusually quiet Friday. Staffers expressed relief at the prospect of rest, but foreboding about the road ahead.

That sentiment is echoed across many of the world&#39;s capitals. Trump has vowed to tear up Obama&#39;s policies and re-examine decades-old alliances with Europe and in Asia.

One of Obama&#39;s last acts in office was to speak to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and declare trans-Atlantic ties vital for the world order -- a statement that would have been a banal platitude before this rocky transition.

After the Obamas and Trumps had morning tea at the White House, they will travel the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol.

Addressing the nation&nbsp;

After promising to &quot;faithfully execute the office of president of the United States&quot; and &quot;preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,&quot; Trump will deliver the most important speech of his life.

Inaugural addresses -- from Lincoln to John F. Kennedy -- echo across American history. Phrases like &quot;malice towards none&quot; and &quot;ask not what your country can do for you&quot; have been carved into the vernacular.

The most noted inaugural addresses had sought to lift Americans&#39; gaze up from the rancor and troubles of the day toward the horizon and a better tomorrow.

Trump aides are promising an address that is at once short -- at around 20 minutes -- and philosophical.

&quot;It&#39;s going to be a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country,&quot; said incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

&quot;He will discuss what it means to be an American, the challenges that we face, as members of the middle class, that they face,&quot; he said.

&quot;I think it&#39;s going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens.&quot;

After his speech, Trump will attend a luncheon inside the Capitol, before heading back to the White House to begin the business of governing.

(AFP)

'Mr President-elect, how are you?' Obama asked as he and First Lady Michelle greeted the Republican leader-in-waiting and his wife Melania

Barack Obama and Donald Trump arrived at the US Capitol on Friday where the president-elect will be sworn in as the United States' 45th head of state. Obama and his wife Michelle left the White House for the last time after hosting Trump and the incoming first lady Melania for a traditional tea and coffee. The two couples travelled in a joint motorcade for the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. "The movement continues, the work begins," tweeted the Republican billionaire tweeted before tracing his predecessors' steps to St. John's Church and the White House. It all begins today! I will see you at 11:00 A.M. for the swearing-in. THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES - THE WORK BEGINS! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2017 × There he was greeted warmly by Obama, capping a transfer of power that has been peaceful yet rancorous. "Mr President-elect, how are you?" Obama asked, after having deposited a letter in the Resolute desk and departed the Oval Office for the last time. Hundreds of thousands of people will gather on the National Mall in the center of the nation's capital to celebrate a man whose short 19-month political career has defied all predictions, and many norms. In the cool Washington dawn, his most ardent supporters ignored intermittent light rain and began to make their way by metro, car and on foot to take part in history. "I've been waiting for this for a long time," said Thomas Mendenhall, 68, a retired banker from Missouri. "We just want change." When Trump descended the escalators of his glitzy New York tower in June 2015, his run for office and his supporters were dismissed and even mocked. But shortly before midday Friday, Trump will place his hand on Abraham Lincoln's bible, recite the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol and become the most powerful man on earth. His staff, many shunned by friends for supporting a man who has been labeled a racist and bigot by his critics, will become power players in the White House. In the primaries, Trump dominated a crowded Republican presidential field with smash-mouth rhetoric and star power. He rode that same wave of anti-elite sentiment to victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election. At 70 years of age, he is the oldest man ever to begin work in the Oval Office. But the real estate mogul and one-time television reality star is also a political neophyte -- he will be the first president never to have held elected office, served in the government or the armed forces. For Trump's supporters, that is a central part of his appeal. "He's somebody that's not a politician" said 59-year-old Sandra Jackson-Carter, a salon owner from Bakersville, California. "He's going to unite the country and make America great again," she said. "This is history. There's nothing better." Big changes For his critics, Trump's arrival in Washington on Thursday onboard an Air Force jet was more like a hostile takeover than a traditional changing of the guard. Small demonstrations popped up across the city center on Friday, with shouts of "not my president" and "No Trump, No KKK, no fascist USA." Some tried to prevent Trump supporters from passing, but police intervened. A much larger rally is planned for Saturday. On Thursday evening, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside a pro-Trump event, heckling and shouting at departing guests and lighting protest signs on fire before police used chemical spray on the crowd. Trump enters office with a 37 percent approval rating, the lowest on record, according to a CBS News poll. Most of Obama's White House staff have cleaned out their desks and the normally busy corridors of the West Wing were unusually quiet Friday. Staffers expressed relief at the prospect of rest, but foreboding about the road ahead. That sentiment is echoed across many of the world's capitals. Trump has vowed to tear up Obama's policies and re-examine decades-old alliances with Europe and in Asia. One of Obama's last acts in office was to speak to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and declare trans-Atlantic ties vital for the world order -- a statement that would have been a banal platitude before this rocky transition. After the Obamas and Trumps had morning tea at the White House, they will travel the 2.5 miles (four kilometers) down Pennsylvania Avenue to the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol. Addressing the nation After promising to "faithfully execute the office of president of the United States" and "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," Trump will deliver the most important speech of his life. Inaugural addresses -- from Lincoln to John F. Kennedy -- echo across American history. Phrases like "malice towards none" and "ask not what your country can do for you" have been carved into the vernacular. The most noted inaugural addresses had sought to lift Americans' gaze up from the rancor and troubles of the day toward the horizon and a better tomorrow. Trump aides are promising an address that is at once short -- at around 20 minutes -- and philosophical. "It's going to be a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country," said incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer. "He will discuss what it means to be an American, the challenges that we face, as members of the middle class, that they face," he said. "I think it's going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens." After his speech, Trump will attend a luncheon inside the Capitol, before heading back to the White House to begin the business of governing. (AFP)

Obama, Trump arrive at Capitol for swearing-in ceremony

Washington has turned into a virtual fortress ahead of Donald Trump&#39;s presidential inauguration, with&nbsp;thousands of people set to take&nbsp;to the streets of New York to express their displeasure with his coming administration.

Some 900,000 people, both Trump backers and opponents, are expected to flood Washington for Friday&#39;s inauguration ceremony, according to organizers&#39; estimates. Events include the swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol and a parade to the White House along streets thronged with spectators.

The number of planned protests and rallies this year is far above what has been typical at recent presidential inaugurations, with some 30 permits granted in Washington for anti-Trump rallies and sympathy protests planned in cities from Boston to Los Angeles, and abroad in cities including London and Sydney. The night before the inauguration, thousands of people turned out in New York for a rally at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, and then marched a few blocks from the Trump Tower where the businessman lives.

About 28,000 security personnel, miles of fencing, roadblocks, street barricades and dump trucks laden with sand are part of the security cordon around 8 square km of central Washington. A protest group known as Disrupt J20 has vowed to stage demonstrations at each of 12 security checkpoints and block access to the festivities on the grassy National Mall. Police and security officials have pledged repeatedly to guarantee protesters&#39; constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.

The rally featured a lineup of politicians, activists and celebrities including Mayor Bill de Blasio and actor Alec Baldwin, who trotted out the Trump parody he performs on &quot;Saturday Night Live.&quot; &quot;Donald Trump may control Washington, but we control our destiny as Americans,&quot; de Blasio said. &quot;We don&#39;t fear the future. We think the future is bright, if the people&#39;s voices are heard.&quot;

In Washington, police cars lined much of Pennsylvania Avenue, the parade route, as workers unloaded crowd control fences from flatbed trucks, erected barricades and marked off pavement with tape. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said police aimed to keep groups separate, using tactics similar to those employed during last year&#39;s political conventions.

&quot;The concern is some of these groups are pro-Trump, some of them are con-Trump, and they may not play well together in the same space,&quot; Johnson said on MSNBC. Trump opponents have been angered by his comments during the campaign about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims and his pledges to scrap the Obamacare health reform and build a wall on the Mexican border.

The Republican&#39;s supporters admire his experience in business, including as a real estate developer and reality television star, and view him as an outsider who will take a fresh approach to politics. Bikers for Trump, a group that designated itself as security backup during last summer&#39;s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, is ready to step in if protesters block access to the inauguration, said Dennis Egbert, one of the group&#39;s organizers.

&quot;We&#39;re going to be backing up law enforcement. We&#39;re on the same page,&quot; Egbert, 63, a retired electrician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Aaron Hyman, fellow at the National Gallery of Art, said he could feel tension in the streets ahead of Trump&#39;s swearing-in and the heightened security was part of it. &quot;People are watching each other like, &#39;You must be a Trump supporter,&#39; and &#39;You must be one of those liberals&#39;,&quot; said Hyman, 32, who supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.

Friday&#39;s crowds are expected to fall well short of the 2 million people who attended Obama&#39;s first inauguration in 2009, and be in line with the 1 million who were at his second in 2013. Forecast rain may also dampen the turnout, though security officials lifted an earlier ban on umbrellas, saying small umbrellas would be permitted.

(Reuters)

About 28,000 security personnel and miles of roadblocks are part of the measures to be taken during Trump's presidential inauguration

Washington has turned into a virtual fortress ahead of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration, with thousands of people set to take to the streets of New York to express their displeasure with his coming administration. Some 900,000 people, both Trump backers and opponents, are expected to flood Washington for Friday's inauguration ceremony, according to organizers' estimates. Events include the swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the US Capitol and a parade to the White House along streets thronged with spectators. The number of planned protests and rallies this year is far above what has been typical at recent presidential inaugurations, with some 30 permits granted in Washington for anti-Trump rallies and sympathy protests planned in cities from Boston to Los Angeles, and abroad in cities including London and Sydney. The night before the inauguration, thousands of people turned out in New York for a rally at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, and then marched a few blocks from the Trump Tower where the businessman lives. About 28,000 security personnel, miles of fencing, roadblocks, street barricades and dump trucks laden with sand are part of the security cordon around 8 square km of central Washington. A protest group known as Disrupt J20 has vowed to stage demonstrations at each of 12 security checkpoints and block access to the festivities on the grassy National Mall. Police and security officials have pledged repeatedly to guarantee protesters' constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The rally featured a lineup of politicians, activists and celebrities including Mayor Bill de Blasio and actor Alec Baldwin, who trotted out the Trump parody he performs on "Saturday Night Live." "Donald Trump may control Washington, but we control our destiny as Americans," de Blasio said. "We don't fear the future. We think the future is bright, if the people's voices are heard." In Washington, police cars lined much of Pennsylvania Avenue, the parade route, as workers unloaded crowd control fences from flatbed trucks, erected barricades and marked off pavement with tape. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said police aimed to keep groups separate, using tactics similar to those employed during last year's political conventions. "The concern is some of these groups are pro-Trump, some of them are con-Trump, and they may not play well together in the same space," Johnson said on MSNBC. Trump opponents have been angered by his comments during the campaign about women, illegal immigrants and Muslims and his pledges to scrap the Obamacare health reform and build a wall on the Mexican border. The Republican's supporters admire his experience in business, including as a real estate developer and reality television star, and view him as an outsider who will take a fresh approach to politics. Bikers for Trump, a group that designated itself as security backup during last summer's Republican National Convention in Cleveland, is ready to step in if protesters block access to the inauguration, said Dennis Egbert, one of the group's organizers. "We're going to be backing up law enforcement. We're on the same page," Egbert, 63, a retired electrician from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Aaron Hyman, fellow at the National Gallery of Art, said he could feel tension in the streets ahead of Trump's swearing-in and the heightened security was part of it. "People are watching each other like, 'You must be a Trump supporter,' and 'You must be one of those liberals'," said Hyman, 32, who supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election. Friday's crowds are expected to fall well short of the 2 million people who attended Obama's first inauguration in 2009, and be in line with the 1 million who were at his second in 2013. Forecast rain may also dampen the turnout, though security officials lifted an earlier ban on umbrellas, saying small umbrellas would be permitted. (Reuters)

Ahead of Trump's inauguration, US braces for anti-Trump protests

Donald Trump will be sworn in on Friday as the 45th president of the United States, taking power over a divided country after a savage campaign and setting the country on a new, uncertain path at home and abroad.

In a ceremony likely to draw 900,000 people, including protesters, Trump and his vice president, Mike Pence, will take the oath of office at midday (1700 GMT) outside the domed US Capitol, with US Chief Justice John Roberts presiding.

Security was tight around the White House and Capitol Streets near the president`s home were blocked to traffic by empty buses and dump trucks or temporary pedestrian security checkpoints where law enforcement officers and National Guard troops checked people`s bags.

Some 28,000 officers were in place to secure the roughly 3-square-mile (8-square-kilometer) area of downtown Washington. The National Mall in front of the Capitol opened early to begin admitting guests, who were barred from bringing selfie sticks, coolers for beverages, and long umbrellas despite the rainy weather.

Trump, 70, enters the White House with work to do to bolster his image. During a testy transition period since his stunning November election win, the wealthy New York businessman and former reality TV star has repeatedly engaged in Twitter attacks against his critics, so much so that one fellow Republican, Senator John McCain, told CNN that Trump seemed to want to &quot;engage with every windmill that he can find.&quot;

An ABC News/Washington Post poll this week found only 40 percent of Americans viewed Trump favourably, the lowest rating for an incoming president since Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1977, and the same percentage approved of how he has handled the transition.&nbsp;

His ascension to the White House, while welcomed by Republicans tired of Democrat Barack Obama`s eight years, raises a host of questions for the United States.

Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist path and has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods on imports from U.S. companies that went abroad.

Trump`s desire for warmer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and threats to cut funding for North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations has allies from Britain to the Baltics worried that the traditional U.S. security umbrella will be diminished.

In the Middle East, Trump has said he wants to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, at the risk of angering Arabs. He has yet to sketch out how he plans to carry out a campaign pledge to &quot;knock the hell out of&quot; Islamic State militants.

Democrats&#39; boycott

The inaugural festivities may have a more partisan edge than usual, given Trump`s scorching campaign and continuing confrontations between him and Democrats over his take-no-prisoners Twitter attacks and pledge to roll back many of Obama`s policies.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers plan to stay away from the proceedings to protest Trump, spurred on after he derided U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia, a hero of the civil rights movement, for calling him an illegitimate president.

Thousands of anti-Trump protesters were expected among an inauguration crowd that organisers estimated will be upwards of 900,000. Many demonstrators will participate in the &quot;Women`s March on Washington&quot; on Saturday. protests are also planned in other cities in the United States and abroad.

Trump, whose November 8 victory stunned the world, will start his presidency with a 20-minute inaugural address that he has been writing himself with the help of top aides. It will be &quot;a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country,&quot; said his spokesman, Sean Spicer.

&quot;He`ll talk about infrastructure and education, our manufacturing base,&quot; Spicer told reporters. &quot;I think it`s going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens.&quot;

Quick action

Trump`s to-do list has given Republicans hope that, since they also control the U.S. Congress, they can quickly repeal and replace Obama`s signature health care law, approve sweeping tax reform and roll back many federal regulations they say are stifling the U.S. economy.

Democrats, in search of firm political footing after the unexpected defeat of their presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, are planning to fight him at every turn. They deeply oppose Trump`s anti-immigrant rhetoric from the campaign trail and plans to build a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico.&nbsp;

Trump`s critics have been emboldened to attack his legitimacy because his win came in the Electoral College, which gives smaller states more clout in the outcome. He lost the popular vote to Clinton by about 2.9 million.

&quot;Any time you don&rsquo;t win the popular vote but you win by the Electoral College it makes people come unglued,&quot; said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. &quot;It angers people that somebody can win the popular vote but you`re not president.&quot;

Trump`s critics also point to the conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia used hacking and other methods during the campaign to try to tilt the election in the Republican`s favour. The president-elect has acknowledged the finding - denied by Moscow - that Russia was behind the hacking but said it did not affect the outcome of the election.

To his supporters, many of them working-class whites, Trump is a refreshingly anti-establishment figure who eschews political correctness. To critics - including Obama who during the campaign called Trump temperamentally unfit for the White House - his talk can be jarring, especially when expressed in tweets.

But while a Wall Street Journal opinion poll showed a majority of Americans would like Trump to give up on Twitter, the new president said he would continue because the US news media does not treat him fairly. 
 
(Reuters)

In a ceremony likely to draw 900,000 people, including protesters, Trump will take the oath of office outside the domed US Capitol

Donald Trump will be sworn in on Friday as the 45th president of the United States, taking power over a divided country after a savage campaign and setting the country on a new, uncertain path at home and abroad. In a ceremony likely to draw 900,000 people, including protesters, Trump and his vice president, Mike Pence, will take the oath of office at midday (1700 GMT) outside the domed US Capitol, with US Chief Justice John Roberts presiding. Security was tight around the White House and Capitol Streets near the president`s home were blocked to traffic by empty buses and dump trucks or temporary pedestrian security checkpoints where law enforcement officers and National Guard troops checked people`s bags. Some 28,000 officers were in place to secure the roughly 3-square-mile (8-square-kilometer) area of downtown Washington. The National Mall in front of the Capitol opened early to begin admitting guests, who were barred from bringing selfie sticks, coolers for beverages, and long umbrellas despite the rainy weather. Trump, 70, enters the White House with work to do to bolster his image. During a testy transition period since his stunning November election win, the wealthy New York businessman and former reality TV star has repeatedly engaged in Twitter attacks against his critics, so much so that one fellow Republican, Senator John McCain, told CNN that Trump seemed to want to "engage with every windmill that he can find." An ABC News/Washington Post poll this week found only 40 percent of Americans viewed Trump favourably, the lowest rating for an incoming president since Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1977, and the same percentage approved of how he has handled the transition. His ascension to the White House, while welcomed by Republicans tired of Democrat Barack Obama`s eight years, raises a host of questions for the United States. Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist path and has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods on imports from U.S. companies that went abroad. Trump`s desire for warmer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and threats to cut funding for North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations has allies from Britain to the Baltics worried that the traditional U.S. security umbrella will be diminished. In the Middle East, Trump has said he wants to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, at the risk of angering Arabs. He has yet to sketch out how he plans to carry out a campaign pledge to "knock the hell out of" Islamic State militants. Democrats' boycott The inaugural festivities may have a more partisan edge than usual, given Trump`s scorching campaign and continuing confrontations between him and Democrats over his take-no-prisoners Twitter attacks and pledge to roll back many of Obama`s policies. More than 50 Democratic lawmakers plan to stay away from the proceedings to protest Trump, spurred on after he derided U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia, a hero of the civil rights movement, for calling him an illegitimate president. Thousands of anti-Trump protesters were expected among an inauguration crowd that organisers estimated will be upwards of 900,000. Many demonstrators will participate in the "Women`s March on Washington" on Saturday. protests are also planned in other cities in the United States and abroad. Trump, whose November 8 victory stunned the world, will start his presidency with a 20-minute inaugural address that he has been writing himself with the help of top aides. It will be "a very personal and sincere statement about his vision for the country," said his spokesman, Sean Spicer. "He`ll talk about infrastructure and education, our manufacturing base," Spicer told reporters. "I think it`s going to be less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document, a vision of where he sees the country, the proper role of government, the role of citizens." Quick action Trump`s to-do list has given Republicans hope that, since they also control the U.S. Congress, they can quickly repeal and replace Obama`s signature health care law, approve sweeping tax reform and roll back many federal regulations they say are stifling the U.S. economy. Democrats, in search of firm political footing after the unexpected defeat of their presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, are planning to fight him at every turn. They deeply oppose Trump`s anti-immigrant rhetoric from the campaign trail and plans to build a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico. Trump`s critics have been emboldened to attack his legitimacy because his win came in the Electoral College, which gives smaller states more clout in the outcome. He lost the popular vote to Clinton by about 2.9 million. "Any time you don’t win the popular vote but you win by the Electoral College it makes people come unglued," said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. "It angers people that somebody can win the popular vote but you`re not president." Trump`s critics also point to the conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia used hacking and other methods during the campaign to try to tilt the election in the Republican`s favour. The president-elect has acknowledged the finding - denied by Moscow - that Russia was behind the hacking but said it did not affect the outcome of the election. To his supporters, many of them working-class whites, Trump is a refreshingly anti-establishment figure who eschews political correctness. To critics - including Obama who during the campaign called Trump temperamentally unfit for the White House - his talk can be jarring, especially when expressed in tweets. But while a Wall Street Journal opinion poll showed a majority of Americans would like Trump to give up on Twitter, the new president said he would continue because the US news media does not treat him fairly. (Reuters)

Pageantry, protests to mark the start of Trump's US presidency

The National Mall in Washington could become a sea of bright pink the day after Donald Trump is inaugurated as US&nbsp;president if the vision of a pair of Los Angeles women is realised.

For two months, Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman have called on people around the world to make 1.17 million pink &quot;pussyhats&quot; for those attending the Women&#39;s March, a rally on January 21 organised with hopes of bringing attention to civil and human rights issues.

The name of the hats comes partly from President-elect Trump&#39;s comments in an infamous 2005 tape that came to light during his campaign in which, discussing women, he said: &quot;Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.&quot;

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Marchers can get a hat by contacting a maker through an online distribution system, through social media or at sites in Washington. (Reuters)
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The project is meant to &quot;create a sea of pink hats which is going to be a strong collective visual statement,&quot; Zweiman said.

It is also meant to involve &quot;people across the country and the world who want to be a part of the march but can&#39;t physically be there and want to support the marchers,&quot; she said.

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The women have asked volunteers around the world to help sew, crochet or knit pink hats with ears by using simple patterns available on the project&#39;s website. (Reuters)
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The women have asked volunteers around the world to help sew, crochet or knit pink hats with ears by using simple patterns available on the project&#39;s website. They say it is easier than knitting a scarf, the typical starter project for novices.

&quot;It&#39;s a rectangle folded in half, stitched up the sides and when you put it on your round head, these ears come out,&quot; said Zweiman, surrounded by women stitching away at a knitting store on Friday night.

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For some knitters at Friday&#39;s &quot;pussyhat party,&quot; it was hard to put the needles down as the deadline nears. (Reuters)
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Marchers can get a hat by contacting a maker through an online distribution system, through social media or at sites in Washington.

&quot;So it&#39;s a distribution system that&#39;s very grassroots and our aim is to get a hat on every marcher&#39;s head who wants one,&quot; Zweiman said.

Organisers have said the protest could draw around 200,000 people, but Suh and Zweiman decided to aim for the 1.17 million people that could feasibly fit in the Mall.

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Knitters take part in the Pussyhat social media campaign to provide pink hats for protesters in the women&#39;s march in Washington. (Reuters)
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For some knitters at Friday&#39;s &quot;pussyhat party,&quot; it was hard to put the needles down as the deadline nears.

&quot;Doing this is taking my mind off things,&quot; said Marina Mont&#39;Ros.

&quot;This will be my 35th hat. Every time I think &#39;OK, that&#39;s enough. I&#39;ve made enough, I&#39;m going to stop,&#39; I read something in the news and, give me that yarn! I&#39;m making more.&quot;

(Reuters)

2 women have called on people around the world to make 1.17 million pink 'pussyhats' for those attending the Women's March on Jan 21

The National Mall in Washington could become a sea of bright pink the day after Donald Trump is inaugurated as US president if the vision of a pair of Los Angeles women is realised. For two months, Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman have called on people around the world to make 1.17 million pink "pussyhats" for those attending the Women's March, a rally on January 21 organised with hopes of bringing attention to civil and human rights issues. The name of the hats comes partly from President-elect Trump's comments in an infamous 2005 tape that came to light during his campaign in which, discussing women, he said: "Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything." Marchers can get a hat by contacting a maker through an online distribution system, through social media or at sites in Washington. (Reuters) × The project is meant to "create a sea of pink hats which is going to be a strong collective visual statement," Zweiman said. It is also meant to involve "people across the country and the world who want to be a part of the march but can't physically be there and want to support the marchers," she said. The women have asked volunteers around the world to help sew, crochet or knit pink hats with ears by using simple patterns available on the project's website. (Reuters) × The women have asked volunteers around the world to help sew, crochet or knit pink hats with ears by using simple patterns available on the project's website. They say it is easier than knitting a scarf, the typical starter project for novices. "It's a rectangle folded in half, stitched up the sides and when you put it on your round head, these ears come out," said Zweiman, surrounded by women stitching away at a knitting store on Friday night. For some knitters at Friday's "pussyhat party," it was hard to put the needles down as the deadline nears. (Reuters) × Marchers can get a hat by contacting a maker through an online distribution system, through social media or at sites in Washington. "So it's a distribution system that's very grassroots and our aim is to get a hat on every marcher's head who wants one," Zweiman said. Organisers have said the protest could draw around 200,000 people, but Suh and Zweiman decided to aim for the 1.17 million people that could feasibly fit in the Mall. Knitters take part in the Pussyhat social media campaign to provide pink hats for protesters in the women's march in Washington. (Reuters) × For some knitters at Friday's "pussyhat party," it was hard to put the needles down as the deadline nears. "Doing this is taking my mind off things," said Marina Mont'Ros. "This will be my 35th hat. Every time I think 'OK, that's enough. I've made enough, I'm going to stop,' I read something in the news and, give me that yarn! I'm making more." (Reuters)

Women knit pink 'pussyhats' for rally after Trump inauguration