Donald Trump inauguration: Key events, performers, and security details. All you need to know

US President-elect Donald Trump will move back into the White House within days, creating history as the first convicted felon to do so. On Monday (Jan 20), Trump will formally be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.

His inauguration day will be a grand affair, with a swearing-in ceremony, musical performances, a celebratory parade, and a number of formal balls schedules, as per reports.

Here's everything you need to know about the Trump inauguration:

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What is an inauguration?

In the US, the inauguration is a formal ceremony that marks the end of one president's time in office and the start of the next administration. The high-profile transition of power ceremony will see both Trump and his vice-president JD Vance, take the oath of office.

Once Trump says the words, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States," he will officially be the President of the United States (POTUS).

Key events on Inauguration Day

Inauguration day (Jan 20) will kick off with a service at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square. It will be followed by tea at the White House.

At 09:30 EST (14:30 GMT), musical performances and opening remarks will begin at the main event stage—located on the West Lawn of the US Capitol building.

Following this, Trump and Vance will be sworn in at 12 pm EST (1700 GMT). After he takes the oath, Trump will set out his goals for the next four years as the POTUS. With this, he will head to the President's Room, where he will sign key documents.

Next comes a lunch, hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, followed by a parade from the Capitol building down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

In the evening, he will attend three inaugural balls—the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball, and the Starlight Ball.

Security arrangements for Trump's inauguration

To oversee the high-profile event in Washington, security arrangements have been heightened.

Around 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel have been deployed, according to US Secret Service special agent Matt McCool. Tactical teams, snipers, and drones would keep an eye on the event.

Furthermore, a record 30 miles (48.28 kilometres) of anti-scale fencing is being erected around the security perimeter, reports AFP. Additionally, the White House, Capitol, and parts of the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route have been ringed by the eight-foot (2.4-metre) metal barriers.

Who will perform at Trump's inauguration?

The event will see some top-notch performers, including Carrie Underwood and Village People—the band whose hit Y.M.C.A Trump reportedly loves.

Additionally, country singers Lee Greenwood, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Kid Rock, and Billy Ray Cyrus will be performing at different events of the inauguration.

Opera singer Christopher Macchio and rapper Snoop Dogg are also part of the star-studded ensemble.

Who all will attend Trump's inauguration?

High-profile business figures, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, will attend the swearing-in. From the tech world, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also has plans to attend, suggest reports.

While no world leader has attended an inauguration of the US since 1874, Argentine President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to attend Trump's inauguration, as per reports.

Also invited are Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Far-right French politician Éric Zemmour, and his partner, European Parliament member Sarah Knafo.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was invited but said he would send an envoy.

Will Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Barack Obama attend?

The outgoing president and vice president traditionally attend the inauguration of the incoming leaders. Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, along with their respective spouses Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff, will attend.

Interestingly, Trump, when he lost to Biden in 2021, did not attend the inauguration ceremony.

Former presidents Barack Obama and George Bush (along with Laura Bush) are expected to be there. However, Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, will skip the ceremony, said her office.

In addition, local and federal officials are expecting 200,000 people to show up for the ceremony in Washington, DC.

Who can attend the ceremony?

Tickets for the ceremony are available to the public, and Americans can contact their congresspersons—who have a certain number of tickets for distribution purposes—directly for tickets. However, these tickets are highly sought after and get over soon.

For those who can't attend the ceremony in person, there are plenty of options to watch the inauguration online. It will be streamed live by major news networks and on the White House website. BBC and other international outlets will also provide live coverage.

(With inputs from agencies)