WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office, officially beginning his second term as the 45th President of the United States. The ceremony will mark the formal transfer of presidential power from the Biden administration to the Trump administration.
According to the 20th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, a president’s four-year term ends precisely at noon today. The president-elect will be sworn in shortly thereafter. The inauguration ceremony will commence at approximately 11:30 a.m. ET, with Trump’s swearing-in scheduled for noon.
The inauguration will take place inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, a change from the initial plan of holding the event on the West Front of the Capitol. Due to expected cold temperatures in Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day, President-elect Trump opted to move the ceremony indoors.
The inaugural festivities are coordinated by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which is led this year by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). The committee will oversee a series of key events, including:
- The procession to the Capitol
- The Vice President’s swearing-in ceremony
- The President’s swearing-in ceremony
- The inaugural address
- The honorary departure of the outgoing president and vice president
- The signing ceremony, where the new president will sign nominations, memorandums, proclamations, or executive orders
- The inaugural luncheon
- The pass in review, where the president and vice president review military troops before leading the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House
This year’s inaugural theme, “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise,” reflects a commitment to the nation’s foundational principles.
Security for the event will be tight. Approximately 8,000 National Guard soldiers from 40 states and territories were deployed to support the inauguration.
The Indiana National Guard, consisting of around 140 soldiers, arrived in Washington, D.C. on Friday to assist with crowd management, traffic control, and response to civil disturbances. This marks the third time the Indiana National Guard will support a presidential inauguration, having previously aided in the inaugurations of Trump in 2017 and President Joe Biden in 2021
As the United States prepares to usher in a new presidential term, the nation’s eyes will be on Washington, D.C. on Monday for a ceremony steeped in tradition and national significance.
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