Donald Trump, leader of the Republican Party, will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on Monday (Jan 20). This marks a historic moment as he becomes the first convicted felon to assume the presidency and the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
What time is the Trump inauguration, and where is it happening?
The inauguration ceremony is scheduled to start at 12:00 pm ET (5:00 pm GMT). However, the day's events will commence earlier, with the Trumps attending morning services at St. John’s Church in Washington.
Also read: Donald Trump inauguration LIVE: Time, schedule, key performers and all you need to know
Due to the expected cold weather, the swearing-in will take place indoors, inside the Capitol Rotunda. This is the first time the ceremony has been held indoors since 1985, when Ronald Reagan’s second-term inauguration was moved for similar reasons.
"I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather," Trump shared in a post on Friday.
How to watch the Trump inauguration ceremony?
The event will be broadcast live across major news networks in the United States. Additionally, live streams will be available on YouTube through official channels.
In the UK, BBC One will air the inauguration from 3:30 pm GMT, with live streaming accessible on iPlayer.
Australian viewers can watch it on free-to-air networks such as ABC, Seven, Nine, Ten, and SBS, all of which will also offer live streaming options through their apps and YouTube channels.
The White House’s official website will also provide live coverage of the ceremony.
Who will attend the Trump inauguration ceremony?
The ceremony will feature an array of high-profile attendees from the business, technology, and political sectors. Notable business figures, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to be present. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also represent the tech industry.
While foreign leaders rarely attend US presidential inaugurations, the last instance being in 1874, Argentine President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be among the guests. India’s external affairs minister, S Jaishankar, is also confirmed to attend, along with China’s vice president and the foreign affairs ministers of Japan and Australia.
Several former US presidents, including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, are expected to be in attendance. However, former First Lady Michelle Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have opted not to attend.
(With inputs from agencies)