President-elect Donald Trump, who carried Michigan in the 2024 presidential election, will be inaugurated later this month in Washington, D.C., and preparations are well underway for the event.
The 60th presidential inauguration will take place Jan. 20 on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
The inauguration ceremony will mark the peaceful transfer of power from outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, to Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Trump defeated Harris in the November election after Biden chose to step aside and not seek a second term.
Trump, who was Biden’s predecessor, is only the second person to return to the White House — after Grover Cleveland — after losing an election for the office.
Here’s what to know about inauguration day.
What is Inauguration Day?
Inauguration Day is when a ceremony is conducted to swear in the incoming U.S. president and vice president. The ceremony takes place the January following a presidential election and occurs once every four years.
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Where does the inauguration take place?
The inauguration takes place at the west steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
When is Inauguration Day in 2025?
The inauguration is Jan. 20, 2025, beginning at noon with the swearing-in ceremony.
A formal schedule of events, list of speakers, musical artists or other guests has yet to be announced by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The inauguration will include the following events:
- President’s room signing ceremony.
- Inaugural luncheon.
- Review of the troops.
- Presidential parade and reception.
- Inaugural balls.
How can I watch Inauguration Day in Michigan?
Inauguration Day ceremonies air on major news networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, CSPAN and Fox News. You can also watch the day’s events via USA TODAY’s YouTube livestream.
Can I attend Inauguration Day events?
Tickets are free. But you can’t just sign up to go, a limited number are available and you have to request them from your local congressional representatives.
Allocations are decided by each representative, and you can request them through their Congressional offices. Tickets are limited, and lottery systems are often used to distribute tickets to constituencies. In addition, tickets may become available through secondary ticket sources.
Do I need tickets to watch the inaugural parade?
No. Tickets are not required to attend the incoming president’s Inaugural Parade. However, there will be several ticketed areas that will be restricted to ticket holders only.
Who is President-elect Donald Trump?
President-elect Donald Trump previously served as the 45th U.S. president from 2017-21.
Trump lost his re-election bid to Biden in the 2020 election, before winning re-election in the 2024 election.
The 2024 presidential election saw Biden drop out of the race in July 2024, with Harris replacing him as the Democratic candidate.
The 78-year-old president-elect, the second oldest to take office after Biden, has begun preparing for his second term, nominating candidates for most cabinet positions and some White House positions, as well as outlining his policy agenda in a news conference Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Trump is married to Melania Trump, a father of five and a grandfather of 10.
Who is Vice President-elect JD Vance?
Vance is a U.S. senator from Ohio, elected in 2022 and sworn into office Jan. 3, 2023. The Republican politician is also an Iraq War veteran and author of bestselling book “Hillbilly Elegy, A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis.” Vance is set to be the third-youngest vice president in U.S. history.
The 40-year-old vice president-elect is a Middletown, Ohio, native, married to Usha Vance and a father of three.
What are the origins of Inauguration Day?
Inauguration Day follows a timeline established following the ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1933, according to the Library of Congress.
Previously, presidential inaugurations were typically at noon on March 4, per the White House Historical Association. The tradition began with a 1788 resolution by the last Congress under the Articles of Confederation calling for the next Congress under the U.S. Constitution to begin on the first Wednesday in March, which fell on March 4, 1789. It was set to mark the start of the federal government under the U.S. Constitution.
However, the inauguration of President George Washington, the nation’s first president, did not happen until April 30, 1789. Delays were attributed to a lack of a quorum in Congress as congressmen faced difficulties traveling to New York City, then the U.S. capital, amid cold weather, the White House Historical Association said.
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What is the presidential oath of office?
The president-elect recites the following oath in accordance with Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The vice president-elect will be sworn before the president-elect and will repeat the same oath of office as U.S. senators, representatives and other federal employees:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
USA Today contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: [email protected].
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