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”.
‘What we’ve done has been amazing’
President Trump takes the podium back from his wife and claims his administration “rebuilt the United States military” and created “a new force called Space Force” that was a “major achievement.”
Mr Trump added we took care of our “beautiful" veterans who were badly treated before his administration came into power.
He added “I hope they don’t raise your taxes, but if they do, I told you so.”
How Democrats came to embrace George W Bush
Once derided as a buffoon responsible for launching the US into war in Iraq without having actually found the chemical weapons he accused Saddam Hussein of hording, Dubya has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years now that a far worse president has followed in his stead.
Justin Vallejo examines his rejuvenation.
Barack, Bill and Dubya: How Democrats came to embrace George W Bush
Keeping quiet on politics, combined with nostalgia viewed through Trump-coloured glasses, has reformed Mr Bush's image, writes Justin Vallejo
Donald Trump: ‘It’s not a long goodbye’
Trump just moments away from departing
Donald Trump has finished his speech and has boarded Air Force One, ready to take him to Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Trump has departed as Bidens take Mass
Trump has now departed in Air Force One, just as Joe and Jill Biden attend Mass prior to the inauguration later this afternoon.
Biden at church ahead of inauguration
President-elect Joe Biden is attending church ahead of his inauguration, a traditional step taken ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
Biden and incoming first lady Jill Biden are at Washington's Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. With them are incoming Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff.
At Biden's invitation, the first couple is joined by a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including all four top-ranking members of congressional leadership.
That includes both Senate leaders, Republican Mitch McConnell and Democrat Chuck Schumer, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Trump leaves note for Biden at White House
Donald Trump has reportedly left a note for President-elect Joe Biden at the White House. Mr Trump refused to call his successor before leaving the Oval Office or to give him a tour of the West Wing.
Report by Chris Riotta
Trump leaves note for Biden at White House
President Donald Trump declined to call his successor before departing from the White House on Wednesday, or give him the traditional tour of the West Wing — but he did leave a note for President-elect Joe Biden, according to reports.
Biden: ‘It’s a new day in America’
Just minutes after Donald Trump jetted off to Mar-a-Lago Joe Biden’s Twitter account shared a tweet saying: “It’s a new day in America.”
Mr Biden is currently in church with his wife Jill and the congressional leadership at Washington's Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.
Many presidents have chosen St. John's Episcopal Church, sometimes called "Church of the Presidents," for the inaugural day service. Biden is the second Catholic U.S. president (John F Kennedy was the first) and St. Matthew's is the seat of the Catholic archbishop of Washington.
Pence was not at White House when Trump left
Mike Pence did not arrive at the White House on inauguration morning on the last day or Mr Trump’s presidency, CNN reported.
This comes after multiple reports have suggested that the two men fell out after the riot at the Capitol.
Report by Gustaf Kilander
Pence not at the White House as Trump leaves for last time
Vice President and Mr Trump have reportedly suffered frayed relationship after Mr Pence refused to help him overturn his election loss to Joe Biden
US Surgeon General resigns
Current US Surgeon General Dr Jerome Adams has confirmed he has been asked to resign by incoming-President Joe Biden’s team.
He tweeted: “I've been asked by the Biden team to step down as Surgeon General. Its been the honor of my life to serve this Nation, and I will do all I can to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve and maintain health.”
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