After winning the 2024 presidential election against Kamala Harris, President-elect Donald Trump will soon enter into his second term in the country’s highest office.
When will Trump be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, and what is on the schedule of events? Here’s what we know.
What is Inauguration Day?
Inauguration Day occurs every four years after the U.S. presidential election when the president-elect and vice president-elect are sworn into office.
The vice president-elect is sworn in first and repeats the same oath of office, which has been in use since 1884, as senators, representatives, and other federal employees. The oath is as follows:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
When is Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day? See time, schedule of events for 2025 ceremony
Inauguration Day is Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. The swearing-in ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. CT, according to the National Park Service.
The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee, National Park Service, Washington D.C. tourism department and the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies have laid out a general schedule of the weekend, though not every event has a specific start time or location. All times provided are in ET.
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5 a.m.: Security screening opens at the National Mall
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Before the day’s ceremonies, an open, non-partisan service will be held at the St. John’s Episcopal Church in downtown D.C. After that, Donald and Melania Trump are set to head to the White House for tea with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Traditionally, the sitting president then escorts the incoming president to the Capitol.
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Around 9:30 a.m.: Live music, including Carrie Underwood’s performance of “America the Beautiful,” and opening remarkswill begin on the West Lawn of the Capitol building.
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Those with tickets should arrive by 11:30 a.m.
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The swearing-in ceremony is traditionally when the new president also delivers their inaugural address.
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A little after 12 p.m.: The official farewell and ceremonial departure of the former president and vice president. Typically, they leave in a helicopter.
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Then comes the president’s signing room ceremony, during which the president, accompanied by aides and members of Congress, heads to the president’s room off of the Senate chamber and signs nominations, memorandums, proclamations, or executive orders.
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Next is the JCCIC congressional luncheon at the Capitol’s Statuary Hall, which is attended by the president and vice president and their guests, Senate leaders and members of JCCIC.
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After lunch, the new president and vice president head to the east front steps of the Capitol for the president’s review of the military troops.
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3 p.m.: The presidential parade will kick off on Pennsylvania Avenue and proceed to the White House. The procession includes ceremonial military regiments, citizens’ groups, marching bands and floats.
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After this, Trump returns to to the White House for the Oval Office signing ceremony where performs an inaugural singing.
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Finally, Trump will attend and deliver remarks at three separate balls: the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball.
The National Prayer Service at Washington National Cathedral will be held at 10 a.m. the following day (Tuesday, Jan. 21).
Where is the presidential inauguration held?
The inauguration will take place on the U.S. Capitol’s West Front in Washington, D.C.
Did Trump attend Biden’s inauguration?
No, Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration in 2021. According to the White House Historical Association, only four other presidents have been absent for their successors’ inaugurations: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and Andrew Johnson. Trump was the first to do so in over 150 years.
When is MLK Day 2025? Is Inauguration Day a federal holiday?
In 2025, Inauguration Day falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Inauguration Day is typically a federal holiday only for federal employees in Washington, D.C., and certain federal offices. However, many Americans will have the day off this year because Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday.
Is Inauguration Day a federal holiday? Why the US has the day off
Facial expressions and hand gestures reflect the tone as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speaks to the audience at Monmouth College in West Long Branch, N.J., on October 6, 1966.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Inauguration Day 2025 schedule: When will Trump become president?
