After more than a year of campaigning, press conferences, election debates and Twitter attacks, Donald J Trump will take oath as the 45th President of the United States of America on January 20, 2017, succeeding Barack Obama. The events scheduled to take place in Washington DC will commence on Thursday and will continue till Saturday.
Here’s a look at the timeline of events:
What is the ceremony about?
Donald Trump will take oath as the 45th President of the United States of America after defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in a close fight.
When will the event take place?
The event will commence on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 9 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) and will end on Saturday, January 21, 2017.
What time can Indians watch the inauguration?
The inauguration will start on Friday noon (10:30 pm IST).
The line up of the events is as follows:
January 19, 2017 (Thursday)
Day-long concerts
The inauguration ceremony comprising of two concerts will begin with performances at the Lincoln Memorial. The day-long concerts will feature groups such as the DC Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, the Republican Hindu Coalition, high school marching bands, choirs and baton twirlers.
Singer-songwriter Toby Keith and artist Lee Greenwood will be among the performers at the event.
Make America Great Again!
Dubbed “Make America Great Again”, Trump will deliver a speech at the Lincoln Memorial after the second concert.
Wreath-laying ceremony
After the concert, Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in the honour of the country’s war veterans.
January 20, 2017 (Friday)
Trump’s swearing-in ceremony
Donald Trump will take oath as the President of the United States of America on the west front of the United States Capitol, followed by Mike Pence who will take oath as the Vice-President.
Dr. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and Pastor Paula White of New Destiny Christian Center will be among the religious leaders present during the oath-taking ceremony.
The attendees will also include US Congress members, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and the public. Moreover, the ceremony will also be attended by some of the former presidents including George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
The national anthem will be sung by 16-year-old American classical crossover singer Jackie Evancho.
Inaugural Parade
After the swearing-in, Trump and Pence will lead an inaugural parade starting from the Capitol to White House covering a distance of 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers), which will witness the participation of approximately 8,000 people.
Inaugural Ball
Trump along with his wife and the new First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump will attend three inaugural balls. So will Mike Pence and his wife.
The first two balls will be the official presidential ones while the third one -- The Salute to Our Armed Services Ball – will also be attended by the armed forces.
January 21, 2017 (Saturday)
Prayer Service
A national prayer service will be held at the Washington National Cathedral attended by Trump, Pence and their families.
