The ceremony will take place at the US Capitol on Jan 20 in Washington DC
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On November 5, Donald Trump persuasively defeated Kamala Harris in the presidential election. He will return to the White House in January when he is inaugurated. Here is what to expect.
Donald Trump will be sworn in on January 20 2025 at about midday, after vice-president JD Vance takes the oath of office.
At the US Capitol building in Washington DC which is about 1.2 miles from the White House.
Every four years, thousands of people fill up the National Mall in Washington DC to watch the elected president and vice-president be sworn into office.
The ceremony at the US Capitol will get under way at midday ET, after which point the transfer of power from the old administration to the new one will be complete.
The oath of office repeated by the vice-president dates back to 1884 and involves swearing to defend the Constitution of the United States and to faithfully discharge their duties as president.
The president is normally sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with John Roberts expected to administer the oath for a fifth time on Jan 20.
After being sworn in, the president will issue their inaugural address in which they set forth their goals for the nation.
This is followed at 3pm by a military parade called the pass in review, when the new commander-in-chief inspects their troops for the first time.
During the parade, the president and vice-president lead a procession of regiments, marching bands and floats down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
The traditional parade, which is watched by millions of Americans, dates back to the first inauguration, when local militias joined George Washington’s procession as he made his way from Mount Vernon, Virginia, to New York City to be sworn into office in 1789.
Owing to a calendar quirk, the 2025 inauguration also falls on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr Day.
It is just the second time that the state holiday honouring the civil rights leader has fallen on the same day as the inauguration.
Turnout proved to be a bone of contention last time Mr Trump won the presidency. Aides claimed at the time that he had drawn the “largest audience ever” despite aerial photographs appearing to show significantly fewer numbers lining the national mall than had turned out for Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
The National Parks Service, which manages the flow of people into Washington’s central thoroughfare, does not take attendance numbers.
However, reports suggest tens of thousands of people are expected to file into the capital over the weekend preceding the event, both for the inauguration itself and to take part in protests opposing Mr Trump’s election victory.
Tickets to watch the inauguration from the grounds of the US Capitol are free, but are in high demand and must be applied for through local congressional district websites.
Those who are unsuccessful can still view the ceremony on large video screens on the National Mall, alongside thousands of other spectators.
The inauguration will also be streamed for those wanting to watch from home.
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