Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, January 20.
The ceremony will take place at noon ET, where Trump will take the presidential oath of office administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Prior to this, Vice President-elect JD Vance will also be sworn in during the official proceedings.
Last month, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) announced the theme for the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies: “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.”
According to the JCCIC, this theme pays tribute to the Founders’ commitment to ensuring the preservation of the democratic system of government for future generations of Americans.
Congress to certify Trump’s electoral victory
On Monday, the House and Senate will convene to certify Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election.
The session marks four years since Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying President Biden’s 2020 win. This time, however, there are no indications that Democrats plan to challenge the certification of Trump’s victory.
Senators and House members will gather for a joint session at 1 p.m. to count the electoral votes submitted by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Vice President Kamala Harris, serving as president of the Senate, will preside over the proceedings.
Harris, who secured 226 electoral votes, will announce the vote totals, after which Congress will certify Trump’s win. Trump received 312 Electoral College votes, well above the 270 needed to secure the presidency.
The joint session serves as the final opportunity for any objections to be raised. Harris has publicly acknowledged her loss and has not contested Trump’s victory.
Where to watch Trump’s inauguration
Trump’s Inauguration Day proceedings will be broadcast on ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, NBC, Fox News, and PBS.
Trump’s plan for inauguration
On the eve of his inauguration, Trump will host “a victory rally you’ll never forget” for 20,000 viewers in Washington, D.C.
The “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” will begin at 3 p.m. on January 19 at Capital One Arena. Gates will open at 11 a.m., and attendees can register for up to two rally tickets per phone number, according to the Trump Inauguration website.
During Trump’s inauguration, flags will be flown at half-staff in accordance with President Biden’s directive to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100. Biden’s declaration will remain in effect until sunset on January 28.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed his frustration about the flag being flown at half-staff on his special day, writing, “The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration.”
🚨 TRUMP: “FLAG AT HALF-MAST DURING MY INAUGURATION?”
“The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration. They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our… pic.twitter.com/Ewvq2h8Wm3
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 3, 2025
