Donald Trump inauguration: time, speeches, oath and protests
Everything you need to know about the day Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States | GUIDE
Donald Trump has promised a “beautiful” inauguration ceremony as he prepares to be sworn in as US president, amid plans for widespread protests and a boycott by dozens of politicians.
WHAT’S HAPPENING, WHEN?
The inauguration of Donald Trump as America’s 45th president is the highlight of several days of pomp and circumstance in the US capital. The exact schedule is yet to be finalised so treat these times (in AEDT) as a rough guide.
Saturday, January 21: 1am | Trump, Pence and their families are expected to attend services at St. John’s Episcopal Church, just steps from the White House.
Afterward, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome Trump and his wife Melania to the White House for morning tea.
The two couples will then travel together to the Capitol by motorcade.
Saturday, January 21: 1.30am | Inauguration ceremony begins on the west front of the Capitol with musical performances.
Attendees will include members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and the public. Former presidents Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will attend, as will Trump’s election opponent Hillary Clinton.
Former president George H.W. Bush is in frail health and will not be present. Sixteen-year-old soprano Jackie Evancho will sing the national anthem. The Rockettes dance troupe will also be performing, at a time yet to be announced.
Saturday, January 21: 3 .30 am | Opening remarks
Religious leaders will offer the invocation and readings.
Pence will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Saturday, January 21: 4am | Trump will recite the oath of office, administered by US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. He will use president Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration Bible, as well as the Bible that Trump’s mother gave to him at his Sunday school graduation in 1955. Afterward, Trump will deliver his inaugural address.
Saturday, January 21: 4.30 am | Ceremony ends. Afterward, in keeping with tradition, Trump and Pence will attend the Congressional Lunch in the Capitol.
Saturday, January 21: 7-9am | Inaugural parade
The newly minted president and vice-president make their way 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, trailed by some 8,000 parade participants. They will include members of all US military branches, as well as high school and university marching bands, equestrian corps, first responders, veteran groups and even a tractor brigade.
Saturday, January 21: 11am-1pm | Trump, Pence and their wives will make appearances at three official inaugural balls, two of which will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the other at the National Building Museum. A number of semi-official and unofficial balls also will take place throughout the city.
HOW CAN I FOLLOW IT ALL?
We’ll have live online coverage at The Australian online from 3am, followed by reaction and analysis.
Make sure you follow Associate Editor Cameron Stewart, who will be front and centre with the press pack in Washington. We’ll also have analysis from Greg Sheridan, John Lyons and Robert Gottliebsen.
TRUMP HAS TO TAKE THE PRESIDENTIAL OATH
Donald Trump will claim a place in US history when he takes the oath to become the 45th president of the United States.
The former reality TV star will follow in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt and John F Kennedy when he delivers his inaugural address outside the US Capitol building in Washington DC.
The first inauguration took place in New York City when George Washington was sworn in as US president on April 30, 1789.
Taking the oath, Washington repeated the words inscribed in the US constitution: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the president of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States.” He then added the words; “So help me God,” a custom followed by every president since.
Thomas Jefferson - America’s third president - was the first to take the oath in Washington DC in 1801, while his decision to ride on horseback after his second inauguration grew into today’s inaugural parade.
James Madison, America’s fourth president, and his wife, Dolley, were guests of honour at the first official inaugural ball held at Long’s Hotel in Washington DC in 1809.
This year, Mr Trump will have three official balls, including an event honouring members of the military and emergency workers.
The inaugural speeches of US presidents have delivered a number of memorable quotes over the years.
During the American Civil War, Lincoln called on Americans to “finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds”.
In 1933 Roosevelt told citizens affected by the Great Depression: “This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper.” Meanwhile in 1961, JFK famously urged Americans “ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country”.
And while dozens of Democratic Congress members have said they will boycott Republican Mr Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, it is not the first time an opposition party has refused to attend an inauguration.
Some 80 congressmen missed the event in 1973 when Richard Nixon became US president, according to historian Brooks Simpson.
AND WHAT ABOUT HIS SPEECH?
Donald Trump is reportedly looking to former presidents Ronald Reagan and John F Kennedy for inspiration for his inauguration speech.
The tycoon-turned-politician has privately revealed that he was impressed by Mr Reagan’s style and Mr Kennedy’s discussion of grand national ambitions as he wrote his own inaugural address, according to the Washington Post.
With the help of long-time speech-writer Stephen Miller, Mr Trump is expected to reference ideas from his campaign such as “America First” and the need to “Make America Great Again” during his speech outside the US Capitol building.
Topics are said to include education, infrastructure, border security, the military, the economy and the outsourcing of jobs, CNN reported.
Writing my inaugural address at the Winter White House, Mar-a-Lago, three weeks ago. Looking forward to Friday. #Inauguration pic.twitter.com/S701FdTCQu
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2017
Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley, who met Mr Trump in December, told CNN: “He wants to write the inaugural himself. He doesn’t want it to be long ... he doesn’t want people standing out in the cold.”
Despite pledging to deport “criminal illegal immigrants” within his “first hour” in office during the election campaign, Mr Trump has said he will not start attending to presidential duties until Monday, two days after his inauguration.
ADVERTISING
Donald Trump has been tweeting that his inauguration will bring record numbers of people to Washington - and he’s doing his utmost to make that happen. The Trump team is posting ads on Facebook and Twitter encouraging people to come to Washington for the inaugural festivities.
The ads say Trump “wants to personally invite” people to Thursday’s inaugural welcome concert and Friday’s swearing-in ceremony.
This is our day in history. On January 20 we will #MAGA with @realDonaldTrump and @mike_pence!
— Trump Inauguration (@TrumpInaugural) January 16, 2017
Join us → https://t.co/nNXbsJp2Yy pic.twitter.com/dHOKzVDzud
They include a video from Trump promising the concert will be “really fantastic.”
Christopher Geldart, the district’s director of homeland security, says officials are planning for inaugural turnout of 800,000 to 900,000 people.
That would be a sizable turnout but nowhere near the 1.8 million who attended Barack Obama’s first inauguration.
imagine being so disliked that 4 days before your inauguration you start paying to send desperate FB ad invites to "person, 27+" pic.twitter.com/UQ0m4D7vg4
— mah ree nah (@marinarachael) January 17, 2017
ALL OF WASHINGTON WILL BE THERE, RIGHT?
Around 50 Democratic Congress members have said they will boycott Trump’s inauguration following his row with congressman John Lewis.
Tens of thousands of people are also expected to join protests in Washington DC and beyond as Donald Trump becomes the new president of the United States.
Security officials say 99 groups - for and against Mr Trump - plan to demonstrate in the US capital over three days, including 63 on the day of the inauguration ceremony.
The largest demonstration will take place in Washington on Saturday - a day after Mr Trump is sworn in as president - when some 200,000 people are expected to join a women’s march.
Celebrities including Scarlett Johansson, Amy Schumer and Patricia Arquette have pledged they will attend the protest, while similar events are being planned in a number of US cities including Los Angeles and Park City, Utah.
Ugly Betty star America Ferrera, who is helping organise the Washington protest, said: “Since the election, so many fear that their voices will go unheard. “As artists, women, and most importantly dedicated Americans, it is critical that we stand together in solidarity for the protection, dignity and rights of our communities.”
Many of the women will be wearing pink knitted hats with cat ears - a reference to comments made by Mr Trump in a 2005 leaked video in which he bragged about grabbing women’s genitals.
Women’s marches are also planned in other cities around the world including London and Sydney.
Click here for a list of people who will be attending.
Other protests are being staged by Disrupt J20 which says it will try to shut down or cause delays at security checkpoints at the inauguration ceremony in Washington.
Anti-war group, the Answer Coalition, is planning demonstrations at the US Navy Memorial and Freedom Plaza near to the White House.
Meanwhile, a group calling itself Occupy Inauguration plans to rally on the morning of the inauguration ceremony at Meridian Hill Park, near the White House.
The group said speakers at the rally will include 2016 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has said 28,000 officials will be involved in the security operation in Washington, including more than 3,000 police officers and 5,000 members of the National Guard.
An estimated 700,000 to 900,000 people are expected in the city to watch Mr Trump become president on Friday, compared to a crowd of 1.8 million that watched President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
SO, WHEN DOES TRUMP ACTUALLY GET THE KEYS TO THE WHITE HOUSE?
According to Slate, the Inauguration Day move-in process usually takes about six hours and begins when the outgoing president and president-elect head out to Congress for the ceremony.
New Yorker magazine reports that the new president-elect is hoping to spend most of his time in his New York penthouse apartment, which features 18th century French detailing, 24 karat gold and marble accents.
WHERE WILL THE OBAMAS MOVE TO?
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