Donald Trump inauguration: Everything to know about the swearing in ceremony
Washington DC - On Monday, January 20, President-elect Donald Trump will officially be sworn in as the 47th President of the US. Here's how the day will unfold.
After leading a chaotic presidential campaign, filled with tons of legal cases and bad press, Trump managed to win re-election in November, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris.
He will now return to the White House, completing a stunning comeback after his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Trump's Inaugural Committee had originally planned a number of huge events scheduled from January 18 to 20 to celebrate his victory, but weather forecasts have thrown a spanner in the works.
This Inauguration Day is set to be the coldest in 40 years, forcing the ceremony to be moved indoors.
So what will Trump's big swearing-in ceremony look like now? TAG24 NEWS has the breakdown so you can witness the big event, no matter where you are.
How Donald Trump's team originally planned the inauguration
Trump's Inaugural Committee had originally planned to have a three-day celebration.
This coming Saturday was scheduled to have a Make America Great Again Victory Rally, a Cabinet Reception to honor the event's donors, and a Vice President's Dinner hosted by JD Vance and his wife Usha.
On Sunday, Trump and incoming first lady Melania Trump will be hosting an interfaith event titled "One America, One Light Sunday Service," followed by a candlelit dinner.
Monday was planned as the big day, with the swearing-in ceremony, inaugural parade, and "starlight ball."
The original plans have since seen some revisions. Earlier this month, Trump announced that the Victory Rally was changed to Sunday, and will be hosted by the local Capitol One Arena.
There has also been some concern about protests and disruptive activity.
According to a recent report from Politico, US national security agencies have warned the event may be seen as "an attractive potential target" for violent extremists, but so far, no credible threats have been uncovered.
What the inauguration will look like now
Due to the poor weather conditions, Trump announced on Friday that his inauguration will now be held in the US Capitol rotunda.
While "dignitaries and guests" will be "brought into the Capitol" for the event, MAGA fans will have to view a livestream of his swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol One Arena, where Trump has promised to make an appearance afterward.
The parade has also been moved to the venue.
The situation is similar to former President Ronald Reagan, whose inauguration in 1985 was also moved to the rotunda because of the cold.
Who will be attending and performing at the inauguration?
In recent weeks, the heads of major corporations – particularly from the tech industry – and wealthy donors have held meetings with Trump in an attempt to curry his favor ahead of the election.
Many of those oligarchs will attend the inauguration, including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and, of course, his advisor Elon Musk.
A number of Democrats have opted out of attending the event, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
The original ceremony was slated to have a slew of musicians performing at the event, including The Village People, Carrie Underwood, Kid Rock, and Lee Greenwood, but Trump has not delivered an update on when they will play due to the venue changes.
How to watch the inauguration
Donald Trump's inauguration will be livestreamed by a most major networks and news media outlets, but can also be viewed on the official website for the White House.
Cover photo: Collage: Kevin Dietsch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP & MANDEL NGAN / AFP