Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the US by Chief Justice John Roberts in a festive ceremony at the Capitol.
According to the Congressional Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, about 800 people attended the ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. An additional 1,300 viewd the event in the Emancipation Hall, and 500 more watched from the amphitheater in the Capitol Visitors Center. This arrangement means that tens of thousands hoping to attend will had to settle for a joint screening at the "One Capitol" arena downtown.
The 60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony https://t.co/kTB4w2VCdI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2025
Minute-by-minute updates
7:44 p.m.: Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman delivers a blessing for the President. He mentions American and Israeli hostages held by Hamas. "We are so thrilled to see the three hostages return home," he said.
7:40 p.m.: Trump concludes his speech.
7:38 p.m.: "In recent years, our country has endured much. We will bring a new spirit of unity to the world. America will be respected again, admired, and we will thrive, be strong, become wealthy, and win as never before. From this day forward, America will be stronger than ever."
7:35 p.m.: "I want the Stars and Stripes to be planted on Mars," Trump declares. Elon Musk applauds. President Biden also joins in applause for the second time during the speech - the first being when Trump spoke about freeing the hostages.
7:30 p.m.: "As in 2017, we will rebuild the strongest military in the world. Our strength will be measured not only by the wars we win but also by the wars we end and those we avoid. My most important legacy will be as a peacemaker and unifier. As I said, one day before taking office, hostages in the Middle East are returning to their families."
7:27 p.m.: "We will create a society blind to skin color and based on merit. From now on, the administration's policy will recognize only two genders: male and female. I will sign an order preventing our soldiers from being exposed to extreme gender ideology. Our forces will focus solely on their mission: defeating America's enemies."
7:26 p.m.: "The American Dream will soon return in an unprecedented way. I will establish an agency to evaluate government efficiency. After years of censorship, I will restore freedom of speech in America. I will ban the use of the judicial system for political persecution—something I know a thing or two about. We will restore law and order to our cities' streets."
7:25 p.m.: "I will direct the administration to use all its power to end gang crimes in our streets. We will have the highest oil and gas production in the world and utilize these resources. Prices will drop. We will be a rich nation again, and we will use the liquid gold beneath our feet. I will revoke the Green New Deal."
7:23 p.m.: Trump discusses the American economy and pledges to fully restore oil drilling operations.
7:22 p.m.: Trump elaborates on his orders, including declaring drug cartels as terrorist organizations, and adds, "I will direct the administration to use all its power to stop gang crime in our streets."
7:20 p.m.: "We will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget God," Trump says. "Today, I will sign a series of executive orders to launch the revolution of common sense. I will declare a state of emergency at our southern border; all illegal entries will end, and we will begin returning migrants to their home countries. We will restore the 'Remain in Mexico' policy. I will deploy forces to stop the invasion."
7:18 p.m.: "I hope the last election will be remembered as the most important and significant for our country. Our nation has united behind our agenda—including women, African Americans, Hispanics, and women… The seven swing states chose us."
7:16 p.m.: Trump refers to the assassination attempt against him in Pennsylvania: "Just a few months ago, an assassin's bullet missed me. I believe now more than ever that my life was spared for a reason—to make America great again."
7:16 p.m.: "From this moment on, American decline ends."
7:15 p.m.: Trump criticizes the healthcare system and adds, "We have an education system that, in many cases, teaches children to hate themselves. All of this changes starting today, and it will change very quickly."
7:14 p.m.: "Our administration has lost trust after years of destructive policies. We have a government unable to handle even simple crises." Trump criticizes Biden's immigration policies, claiming they allocated vast resources to protect foreign borders while neglecting US borders. He also faults the response to hurricanes in Florida and North Carolina and wildfires in Los Angeles.
7:12 p.m.: Trump: "America's golden age begins now. Throughout my term, I will prioritize America first." In his opening remarks, Trump promises to restore America's greatness, protect its sovereignty, and end the "weaponization of the judicial system for political persecution."
7:09 p.m.: President Trump begins his inaugural address.
7:10 p.m.: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates President Donald Trump and stated: "Congratulations President Trump! Sara and I send our warmest wishes to you, Melania and the American people on your second inauguration as President of the United States. Your first term as President was filled with groundbreaking moments in the history of the great alliance between our two countries. You withdrew from the dangerous Iran nuclear deal, you recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, you moved the American embassy to Jerusalem and you recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. You brokered the historic Abraham Accords in which Israel made peace with four Arab countries. I believe that working together again we will raise the U.S.-Israel alliance to even greater heights. I'm confident that we will complete the defeat of Iran's terror axis and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for our region. On behalf of the people of Israel, I also want to thank you for your efforts in helping free Israeli hostages. I look forward to working with you to return the remaining hostages, to destroy Hamas' military capabilities and end its political rule in Gaza, and to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel. I am sure, Mr. President, that under your leadership, the best days of our alliance are yet to come״.
7:03 p.m.: Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the US by Chief Justice John Roberts.
7:00 p.m.: J.D. Vance was sworn in as Vice President of the US by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
6:44 p.m.: Democratic Senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar, is currently delivering her opening remarks: "The presence of former presidents here is a testament to the strength of our democracy."
6:38 p.m.: Donald Trump has just entered the Rotunda at the Capitol. In a few minutes, he will be sworn in as President of the US. Before him, current President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris entered the hall.
6:19 p.m.: Trump's family enters the hall and takes their seats. Earlier, the US Supreme Court justices have been seated.
6:14 p.m.: Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 election, have entered the Capitol hall.
6:01 p.m.: Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama arrive at the inauguration hall.
5:58 p.m.: President-elect Trump is expected to sign two executive orders today. The first will mandate that the federal government recognize only two genders, male and female, and the second will cancel diversity and equity programs in government agencies. These orders will ban public funding for gender transition surgeries and require biological sex documentation on official records. According to BBC reports, the orders will also bar transgender individuals from the military and prohibit their participation in women's sports. Trump plans to sign 200 orders on his first day in office.
5:49 p.m.: Trump and Biden arrive at the Capitol and enter the hall where the inauguration will take place.
5:45 p.m.: Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a close ally of the president, takes his seat in the inauguration hall.
5:40 p.m.: Biden leaves the White House for the last time as president. In keeping with tradition, he left a personal letter for his successor in the Oval Office. Biden and Trump are now traveling together in the same limousine to the Capitol.
5:34 p.m.: Guests for the significant event in the US begin to arrive one by one at the Capitol's Rotunda. Among those present are Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and his wife, alongside outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff. Soon, Trump and Melania, along with Biden and Jill Biden, will make their way to the Capitol.
5:15 p.m.: Report: Donald Trump will order the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Denali mountain during his first hours as the 47th President of the United States, according to the New York Post. The Gulf of Mexico will be renamed "America's Gulf," and Denali, North America's tallest mountain, will revert to its pre-2015 name, Mount McKinley, as it was known before President Barack Obama changed it.
4:55 p.m.: According to tradition, after the morning prayer, the president-elect, vice president-elect, and their spouses arrive at the White House, where the outgoing and incoming presidents hold a private meeting. This year, Biden and Trump, along with their spouses, are expected to participate in a tea ceremony at the White House. Following this meeting, the outgoing president traditionally accompanies the incoming president to the Capitol for the inauguration ceremony.
4:40 p.m.: Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, welcome Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, to the White House after the morning service at St. John's Church.
What's on the presidential menu?
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has revealed the menu for the inaugural luncheon.
Appetizer: Chesapeake crab cakes with tomato tartar sauce, bay seasoning, pickled vegetables, Romanesco cauliflower, and herb oil, accompanied by a reserve Chardonnay from Virginia's Veritas Vineyards.
Main Course: Angus ribeye steak from Omaha, served with Tambelina carrots, broccoli rabe, carrot-leaf herb sauce, truffle-scented red wine reduction, and potato gratin, paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Veeder Winery in Napa Valley, California.
Dessert: Minnesota apple terrine with sour cream ice cream and salted caramel, paired with natural sparkling wine from Korbel Winery in Sonoma County, California.
