Inauguration Day 2021: Obama, Bush and Clinton give message to Biden as Oval Office gets a revamp
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Your support makes all the difference.Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton spoke in a taped message during the Celebrating America concert.
“Joe, I'm proud of you,” said Mr Biden’s former boss, Barack Obama.
Mr Biden called for American unity as he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial during a celebration concert.
“It is humbling to stand here in this place in front of these sacred words. Humbling out of respect to President Lincoln and the office we now share and humbling because of you, the American people," he said at the Celebrating America event.
“As I said earlier today, we have learned again that democracy is precious and because of you democracy has prevailed."
His speech came after the Senate confirmed his first cabinet nomination of Avril Haines for director of national intelligence.
Earlier he got to work at the Oval Office of the White House by signing several executive orders after being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
The first order he signed was a federal mask mandate, which would require the face shield on federal property and during interstate travel. His other two executive orders involved revoking Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban and rejoining the Paris Climate Accords.
Vice President Kamala Harris also got straight to work on Wednesday after she was sworn in. She went to the Senate for the swearing in of three Democratic senators.
This all comes after a day filled with inauguration-related events, including Mr Biden and Ms Harris traveling to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama were all in attendance for the events.
Mr Trump, in comparison, broke precedent and left the White House for Mar-a-Lago in Florida without attending the inauguration. The one tradition Mr Trump did participate in was writing a letter to his successor, which was left in a drawer of the Resolute Desk. Mr Biden did not reveal the contents of the letter, but he did say it was "very generous”.
Good morning
Hello and welcome to our live blog today where we will be following all the events surrounding Joe Biden becoming the 46th President of the United States.
Stay tuned for all the latest news and analysis…
Biden in tearful goodbye to Delaware
President-elect Joe Biden made a tearful speech before departing to Washington and made a touching tribute to his late son Beau.
“I only have one regret, that he’s not here, because we should be introducing him as president.”
After the speech Biden boarded a plane and presided over a national memorial honouring the 400,000 Americans who have died due to the coronavirus pandemic, alongside Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Biden cries in emotional speech before heading to Washington DC
President-elect celebrates his hometown: ‘You were with me my whole career, through the good times and the bad’
Everything you need to know about today’s Biden inauguration
Amid the ongoing pandemic and following the insurrection at the US Capitol, this year's celebrations will look starkly different from previous inaugurations.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) has announced a flurry of events set to be broadcast on Inauguration Day that Americans can watch virtually after urging people to refrain from attending in person. Check out the schedule compiled by The Independent below
Inauguration Day schedule: Full list of timings by hour
National Mall and Washington Monument both closed to public on Inauguration Day following safety concerns
What is Donald Trump doing today?
Breaking with convention Donald Trump will not be attending the inauguration today but instead will be flying to Florida.
He is expected to leave the White House at 8am and head straight to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where there will be a brief sending-off ceremony.
Very few details have been released about the rally, but CNN reported that Trump was keen on a 21 gun salute and the red carpet being rolled out before he boards a plane to Mar-a-Lago.
Air Force One will then head back to Maryland where it will sit waiting for Biden’s first trip after his inauguration later today.
Washington locked down for inauguration after Capitol riots
The inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden will take place in a Washington today on edge, after the deadly riot at the Capitol unleashed a wave of fear and security concerns.
There have been no specific threats made against Mr Biden, but more than 25,000 troops and police have been called in and concrete barriers are blocking the streets.
The National Mall has been closed and fencing lines the perimeter of the Capitol complex. Federal authorities have been busy vetting members of the National Guard and 12 members have been removed from duty.
Two service members were identified for posting “inappropriate comments or texts" about the event, Army General Daniel Hokanson told reporters on Tuesday afternoon. At least 10 others were identified by the FBI “as having ties to fringe right-wing groups or had posted extremist views”, according to the Associated Press.
12 National Guard members with ties to militia groups or ‘extremist views’ removed from inauguration
Pentagon and FBI screening troops following deadly insurrection at US Capitol
Trump’s final act as he pardons former adviser Bannon
As expected Donald Trump used his final act in power to grant a pardon to ex-aide Steve Bannon, amid a flurry of other commutations.
Among the 143 people who were pardoned or had their sentences commuted by Trump early on Wednesday was, Elliott Broidy, a former Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty in October to a charge that he illegally lobbied the president to drop an investigation into a Malaysian embezzlement scandal.
Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who were prosecuted on federal weapons offences, were granted clemency as well.
Report by Rituparna Chatterjee
Trump pardons former aide Steve Bannon and Lil Wayne, as Assange misses out
Mr Trump granted pardons to 73 individuals and commuted the sentences of an additional 70 individuals, according to a statement from the White House
Biden’s team taking “extraordinary” precautions to protect President-elect from Covid, reports say
President-elect Joe Biden’s team are taking a number of precautions to try and keep him safe in the White House amid the coronavirus pandemic that has now killed more than 400,000 Americans.
Employees are expected to take daily Covid tests and wear N95 masks at all times in “extraordinary” steps to prevent transmission, as reported by Axios.
The new rules are in place for all advisers and staff “in high proximity to principals" and have been put in place to ensure the safety of the 78-year-old, who is in a high risk group, and prevent outbreaks.
An email detailing the new rules to staff sent out on Tuesday also said they would soon to eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine.
Watch Joe Biden’s inauguration live
We are just hours away from Joe Biden being sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Alongside him will be Kamala Harris who will become the 49th vice president of the US.
When the momentous event kicks off later today you can watch it all in the link below:
Trump discussing starting new political party, reports claim
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering starting a new political party as he adjusts to life as a private citizen later today.
Mr Trump has discussed the possibility of such a party with several aides and other people close to him, with indications it could be called the ‘Patriot Party’, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
A new party by Mr Trump could help him continue exercising influence once he leaves the office of the president, writes The Independent’s Mayank Aggarwal
Trump discussing forming new political outfit called the Patriot Party, report says
Trump, in his farewell speech, claimed it is just the beginning and the best is yet to come
Europe looks forward to ‘once again’ having a ‘friend in the White House’
The European Union’s top officials are looking to forward to “once again” having a “friend in the White House” as Joe Biden will be taking over as president of the United States.
“This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been awaiting for so long,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, hailing Biden’s arrival as “resounding proof that, once again after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House.”
“The United States are back, and Europe stands ready to reconnect with an old and trusted partner to breathe new life into our cherished alliance,” she told EU lawmakers, hours before Biden was to due to be sworn in at his inauguration ceremony in Washington.
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