Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th US President today in a star-studded event attended by a galaxy of foreign dignitaries, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and a host of business magnates.
Donald Trump will take the oath as the 47th US President today, marking one of the most stunning comebacks in American history for a leader who refused to concede his 2020 election loss and faced several criminal cases, including a felony conviction.
US Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the 78-year-old Republican leader the oath of office at noon (EST) (10:30 pm IST) at the United States Capitol Rotunda. The event will be star-studded and attended by several high-profile dignitaries.
The inauguration was supposed to occur in front of the Capitol but was shifted indoors due to freezing weather conditions following an Arctic blast. Along with Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance will also take the oath of office. Following that, the former will deliver his inaugural address, outlining his vision for the country for the next four years.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S INSULATION:
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Trump, who is set to become the oldest elected president when he takes office, defeated Kamala Harris by 312-226 electoral votes in November, flipping key battleground states and holding onto all the states he won in 2020. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016, became the second US President to win non-consecutive terms after Grover Cleveland, who was elected in 1884 and 1892.
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Trump will also create history as he becomes the first felon US President after his conviction was upheld in a hush-money case involving porn star Stormy Daniels. On January 10, Trump was spared from any punishment and hit out at the Democrats over the “scam” case.
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The inauguration will begin with musical performances and opening remarks at 9:30 a.m. EST (8 p.m. IST). This will follow Trump and Vance’s swearing-in at the Capitol Rotunda. Four years ago, the rotunda was overrun by Trump’s supporters after the Republican leader refused to concede to Joe Biden. Trump has vowed to pardon the rioters on the first day of his office.
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Following his swearing-in, Trump plans to sign a record 100 executive orders, which could also include a mass deportation program for undocumented migrants and his tariff threats to countries like Canada, Mexico, India, and China.
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The biting cold has forced organisers to scale back a parade of military regiments, school marching bands, floats, and citizens’ groups on Pennsylvania Avenue. The parade will now take place at the 20,000-seat Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, and Trump has said he will attend.
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This will be only the second time in 40 years that a president’s inauguration will be held indoors. The last instance occurred during Republican leader Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985. On Trump’s inauguration, temperatures are expected to hit a low of minus 12 degrees Celsius and a high of minus 5 degrees Celsius.
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In the evening, Trump will attend several inaugural balls, including the Commander-in-Chief Ball, Liberty Inaugural Ball and Starlight Ball. The Republican leader will also address the attendees. The inauguration events will officially conclude on Tuesday with a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.
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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will attend the event from India. Foreign dignitaries, including Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Argentina’s President Javier Milei, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieck, and the leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, are expected to attend.
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Senior Democratic and Republican leaders and former US Presidents, including outgoing leader Biden, will attend the inauguration. Other top business magnates, including Elon Musk (who will be part of the Trump administration), Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, will also attend.
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Before the inauguration, business tycoons Mukesh and Nita Ambani, who will also attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, attended a private reception on January 18 and posed for photographs with the President-elect and his family.
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