When will Donald Trump take office? Inauguration date and what happens at ceremony

January heralds a new year and a new president for citizens of the United States of America.

Donald Trump won last November’s general election in the US and will now take office for his second term this month, becoming the 47th President of the United States.

His transition to power is expected to be less dramatic than that of the current president, Joe Biden.

His inauguration in 2021 was preceded by rioters storming the Capitol Building on 6 January in protest at Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election.

It was also held during the height of the Covid pandemic and so the actual event on 20 January was significantly curtailed for both security and health reasons.

Funding for Trump’s inauguration this month has already reached more than $170m of its target total of $200m, after donations from big business including Boeing, Google, Meta and Amazon.

And plans are in place now for an event which Trump has said will be all about “unity”.

We take a look at the detail.

When will Donald Trump take office?

On 6 January this year, Congress counted and certified Donald Trump’s electoral victory over Vice President Kamala Harris last November.

It means the the President-elect will now take office on Monday 20 January with an inauguration in the US capital Washington, DC.

The event traditionally begins a midday (local time), which will be 5pm GMT.

Presidential inauguration days take place every four years on 20 January, unless it falls on a Sunday and then they are held on 21 January.

The third Monday in January is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday to commemorate the civil rights activist.

Where does the inauguration take place?

The inauguration events for a new US pPresident take place both inside and outside the US Capitol building in Washington DC.

A platform is built on the US Capitol’s West Front to host the main part of the ceremony, where Trump and his vice-president JD vance will be sworn-in.

The new president’s inaugural address will also be delivered here.

Then Trump will head inside the Capitol to the President’s Room, just off the Senate Chamber, for the signing ceremony ahead of an inaugural luncheon at Statuary Hall.

Finally, the President will go to the East Front steps of the Capitol for a review of military troops and then a procession along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

What happens at the inauguration ceremony?

The president-elect, after a briefing at the White House, is accompanied by the outgoing president to the Capitol for the inauguration ceremony.

Swearing-in

Both Trump and JD Vance will take their oaths of office on the platform outside the Capitol, the vice-president elect first.

John Roberts, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, is expected to administer the oath to the incoming president.

Normally, the president-elect holds up his right hand and places his left on the bibel, held by their spouse, to make their oath.

They state: “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.”

Inaugural address

After the swearing in, Trump is expected to deliver his inaugural address to the audience gathered outside the Capitol. The event will also be televised worldwide.

The address normally presents the new president’s vision of America and their goals for the nation. 

During the ceremony, there is traditionally a prayer said for the new presidency, some have also incorporated poetry readings and performances from music artists.

At Joe Biden’s, Amanda Gorman read her poem “The Hill We Climb” and at Barack Obama’s first inauguration Aretha Franklin sang  “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”.

Signing Ceremony

After the outdoor event, outgoing president Joe Biden will leave and Trump will go inside the Capitol for the signing ceremony in the President’s Room.

Here he will sign nominations and sometimes memorandums, proclamations, or executive orders in front of aides and Members of Congress.

Inaugural Luncheon

After the signing ceremony, Trump will escorted to the Statuary Hall in the US Capitol for the traditional Inaugural Luncheon hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC).

This meal will often feature cuisine reflecting the home states of the new President and Vice President or the JCCIC Chairman, as well as the theme of the Inauguration.

During the meal, there are speeches, gift presentations from the JCCIC and toasts to the new administration.

Pass in Review and Procession

Finally after the lunch, the President and Vice President will make their way to the East Front steps of the Capitol where they will review military troops before leading a procession of ceremonial military regiments, citizens’ groups, marching bands, and floats down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House at around 3pm (local time), 8pm GMT.

Trump, JD Vance their spouses and special guests will then watch the parade as it passes in front of the Presidential Reviewing Stand. 

The day will end with a series of inaugural balls across the city.

Who is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration?

Outgoing president Joe Biden has confirmed that he will attend the inauguration, a courtesy Trump did not extend to the former when he took office.

It is traditional for all living former presidents to attend an inauguration, so it is likely George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama may also be there.

Trump’s new efficiency tsar Elon Musk is expected to be at the ceremony along with UK MP Nigel Farage.

A host of world leaders and former leaders have been invited by Trump including: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, President Xi Jinping of China, President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy.

It unknown whether invitations have been extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

There has been no confirmation yet as to which celebrities may attend or even perform at the event.

Although supporters include singer Kid Rock and rapper Kanye West.

At his previous inauguration, singer Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless The USA”, Jackie Evancho, a former America’s Got Talent contestant, sang the national anthem and the late country singer Toby Keith performed.

Can Trump run again in 2028?

Donald Trump is unable to run for US president for a third time in four years time.

The 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution prohibits a president from serving more than two terms in office.

It states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.”

As Trump has already served one term as US president, from January 2017 – January 2021, this second term will be his last.

At 78 and 220 days on 20 January 2025, Trump will already be the oldest person ever to assume the presidency.