WATCH LIVE: Trump becomes 47th president
(NEXSTAR) – On a frigid holiday Monday in Washington, D.C., Donald Trump took the oath of office for a second time to become the 47th president of the United States.
Just before 11 a.m., Trump walked into the Capitol alongside President Joe Biden. They were followed by former presidents, Trump’s cabinet nominees, senators, Supreme Court justices, and tech CEOs.
The cold weather forecast Monday prompted the main ceremony to be moved inside the Capitol Rotunda. The last time the swearing-in was moved indoors was in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan began his second term. Monday’s forecast called for the lowest Inauguration Day temperatures since that day.
The swearing-in of Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and two assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, took place at noon ET on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The ceremony is being streamed in the live player at the top of this story.
The celebration kicked off with opera singer Christopher Macchio singing “Oh, America!” After Trump entered the Rotunda, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who is chair of the inaugural committee, gave a welcome speech.
Vice President JD Vance and Donald Trump then took their oaths of office. Trump took the oath on a family Bible given to him by his mother as well as the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration in 1861. JD Vance was sworn in on a family Bible given to him by his maternal great-grandmother.
In his inauguration address, Trump laid out an optimistic vision for the next four years. He promised a hard line on immigration and international drug cartels, to drill more oil, bring down inflation and impose tariffs on other countries. He also referenced some recent challenges, including destructive hurricanes, wildfires, and the attempt on Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July.
Carrie Underwood sang “America the Beautiful” a cappella, religious leaders of different faiths offered prayers, and Macchio returned to sing the national anthem to close out the program.
President Joe Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were all in attendance. Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined their husbands, but former first lady Michelle Obama did not. Former Vice President Mike Pence also attended, but his wife Karen did not.
The swearing-in ceremony is only part of the days-long festivities welcoming a new president to the White House. The day before the inauguration, there was a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Trump also held a “MAGA Victory” rally at the Capitol One Arena.
On Monday morning, Trump attended a special service at St. John’s Episcopal Church with his family, after which Donald and Melania Trump joined Joe and Jill Biden at the White House for tea.
They met the Bidens on a gold-trimmed red carpet, exchanging greetings and posing for photos ahead of a private meeting over tea and coffee.
“Welcome home,” Biden said to Trump after the president-elect stepped out of the car.
The private meeting is another presidential transition tradition. It was a stark departure from four years ago when Trump refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory or attend his inauguration.
Outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris also greeted Vance when he arrived. Usually, only the president-elect comes to the White House on Inauguration Day before the swearing-in.
Harris and Vance have not yet had a formal one-on-one meeting after the outgoing vice president did not invite him to visit the official residence on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Harris and Vance were accompanied by their spouses, and all shook hands and posed for a picture.
Biden and Trump left the White House after spending about 35 minutes in a private meeting. They got into a limo for the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony. The outgoing and incoming president taking the same vehicle to the inauguration ceremony keeps with political traditions.
Klobuchar joined them in the vehicle.
After the swearing-in ceremony and inaugural address, the president typically signs nominations and urgent executive orders. Then there’s a luncheon, parade and three inaugural balls.
Things wrap up Tuesday morning with the final inaugural event: the National Prayer Service.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Author: Alix Martichoux