On Jan. 20, 2017, President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address, after being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. (Patrick Semansky/AP)
Now that Congress has officially certified President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, the countdown to Inauguration Day has begun.
In less than two weeks, Trump will return to the White House with Vice President-elect JD Vance by his side, after they take an oath to uphold the Constitution and are sworn into their respective offices.
When is Inauguration Day?
Inauguration Day happens every four years on Jan. 20 — which falls on a Monday this year. (If it is on a Sunday, the ceremony moves to Jan. 21.)
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The inauguration also coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is always celebrated on the third Monday in January. This will be the third time that a president has taken the oath of office on that federal holiday.
What will take place, and where?
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) — led by Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota — is responsible for planning and carrying out the inaugural ceremonies.
By tradition on Inauguration Day, the president-elect and outgoing president, along with their spouses, leave the White House and head to the U.S. Capitol for the swearing-in ceremonies. They are followed by the vice president and vice-president elect, family members, Cabinet members and members of the JCCIC.
The swearing-in ceremonies will take place on the inaugural platform constructed by the Architect of the Capitol on the western front of the U.S. Capitol. The platform overlooks the National Mall, leading to the Washington Monument.
Vance will be sworn in first as he takes an oath to uphold the Constitution.
Then around 12 p.m. ET, as mandated by the Constitution, Trump will be sworn in as President Biden’s term officially ends. “The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January,” according to the 20th Amendment.
Trump will then give an inaugural address as the 47th president of the United States.
Following the swearing-in ceremonies, Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, will leave the Capitol in an honorary departure.
Trump will then go to the president’s room off of the Senate Chamber of the Capitol building to gather with aides and members of Congress, where his first official actions as president will take place: signing nominations, possibly memorandums, proclamations or executive orders.
Other inaugural events include a luncheon, followed by a procession of ceremonial military regiments, marching bands and parade floats down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
The theme for this year’s inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” The JCCIC explained last month: “When we gather for the 60th Presidential Inauguration, we will honor the Constitution’s promise to preserve liberty through a stable, enduring democracy for generations to come.”
Who is attending?
Biden said in December that “of course” he would attend Trump’s inauguration. The White House confirmed that the first lady would be attending, too.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates said that Biden “views that as an important demonstration of commitment to our democratic values and to honoring the will of the people, as we continue to provide an orderly and effective transition.”
In 2021, Trump refused to concede his defeat to Biden in the 2020 presidential election and did not attend his inauguration. Trump became the first president in 150 years not to attend an incoming president’s swearing-in, which is considered to be an act affirming a peaceful transfer of power.
In addition to the president, vice president and their families, the inaugural platform will hold about 1,400 guests, including members of Congress, Supreme Court justices and former presidents, according to the JCCIC.
Trump has invited foreign leaders like China’s President Xi Jinping. But the Associated Press notes that “no head of state has previously made an official visit to the U.S. for the inauguration.”
Why flags will be flown at half-staff for Trump’s inauguration
As a sign of respect for the late former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, Biden ordered that all flags be flown at half-staff at federal and state government agencies nationwide for 30 days.
Trump’s inauguration falls within the window of those 30 days. Trump took issue with the lowered flags, saying on social media: “Nobody wants to see this.”
“Because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out.”
Can you get tickets to the inauguration?
The JCCIC makes a limited number of free tickets available to members of Congress to share with their constituents to watch the inauguration on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Search for your senators and representatives here to contact them about ticket requests.
“Non-ticketed viewing areas on the National Mall west of 4th Street NW will also be open to the public,” according to the JCCIC’s website.
