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What day will Trump take office?

Trump and Vance will take the oath of office on January 20

Katie Hawkinson
in Washington D.C.
Sunday 19 January 2025 21:44 GMT
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Senator says there will be 'shock and awe' on day one of Trump presidency

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Donald Trump is set to take the oath of office later this month, kicking off his term as the 47th president of the United States.

Here’s what you need to know about when Trump’s second term begins:

What day will Trump take office?

Trump and Vance will take office on Monday, January 20 after the inauguration ceremony, which this year has been moved inside to the rotunda of the US Capitol due to freezing weather in Washington, D.C. Traditionally, inaugurations are held outside on the steps facing the National Mall.

The ceremony will begin at noon local time, and Trump will become president once he takes the oath of office.

The date and time of the ceremony are spelled out in the 20th Amendment to the US Constitution. The ceremony always takes place on January 20, unless it’s a Sunday — then it is moved to January 21.

Inauguration Day was originally on March 4 for much of US history before it was moved to January following the 1933 election.

Members of the military rehearse at the US Capitol for Trump’s second inauguration, set for January 20, 2025
Members of the military rehearse at the US Capitol for Trump’s second inauguration, set for January 20, 2025 (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

How do I watch the inauguration?

The White House will livestream the event, meaning anyone with a device can watch free of charge.

Most major news networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, CSPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, and PBS, will also carry inauguration coverage.

If you want to see it in person, there are tickets available to the public. These tickets are free of charge — but they’re limited, and you’ll have to contact your local congressperson to get one. To find your representative and senators, use Congress.gov.

Trump pictured taking the oath of office in 2017 as his wife Melania and his son Barron watch on
Trump pictured taking the oath of office in 2017 as his wife Melania and his son Barron watch on (Getty Images)

Who is performing at Trump’s inauguration?

Country music star Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” at the inauguration ceremony, just before the president-elect is sworn in.

Then, classical vocalist Christopher Macchio will close out the event with the National Anthem.

Macchio has performed at several right-wing events, including Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally in October and Mexico’s Conservative Political Action Conference.

Carrie Underwood will sing ‘America the Beautiful’ at the US Capitol for Trump’s inauguration
Carrie Underwood will sing ‘America the Beautiful’ at the US Capitol for Trump’s inauguration (Joy Malone/Getty Images)

What has Trump said about his first day in office?

Trump has made dozens of commitments for his first day in office.

These promises include launching the “largest deportation program in the history of America” and signing pardons for people convicted and jailed for their actions during the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

He also pledged to roll back the Biden-Harris administration’s climate change policies, which would include loosening regulations on fossil-fuel cars.

In all, the president-elect has made an estimated 59 promises for his first hours in the White House, Axios reports.

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