LIVE: All Day Coverage of President Donald J. Trump’s 2025 Inauguration – 1/20/25 Starting at 8am ET

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Posted on 01/20/2025 3:14:42 AM PST by Lakeside Granny

President George Washington took the very first oath of office as the nation’s Commander-in-Chief on April 27, 1789, and since then, America’s inaugural ceremonies have grown, evolved, and rolled with the punches.

On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that his inaugural ceremony on January 20, 2025, would be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, due to harsh Arctic weather and parallel concerns about the safety of all attending the celebration. He wrote, “The various Dignitaries and Guests will be brought into the Capitol. This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!”

While some may be surprised about this turn of events, the historic reality is that an inauguration for any incoming president has varied over the years. Washington’s inauguration was held on a balcony at the Federal Hall in New York City, for example. At that time, it was the temporary capital of the very young nation.

President Thomas Jefferson was the first Commander-in-Chief in 1801 to take the oath of office in Washington, D.C., which is now recognized around the world. However, according to the Library of Congress, the ceremony was held in the Senate Chamber, not outdoors.

According to the White House, in 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes was inaugurated on a Sunday during a private ceremony in the Red Room at the White House. His public swearing-in ceremony took place afterward. And in 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn into office for a fourth term on the White House’s South Portico, per the White House Historical Association.

President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office in 1963 aboard Air Force One following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration was held, for the first time, on the west side of the Capitol, which has become the traditional spot for presidents ever since. However, in 1985, Reagan’s second-term inaugural ceremony was held inside the Capitol Rotunda, as Trump’s will be.

Inaugurations come in many shapes and sizes, and often, the ceremony itself is a reflection of the personality and priorities of the president himself. While Monday’s upcoming inauguration will be different than the past few outdoor ceremonies, it will still be a great celebration for those who are eager to see the next administration take the reins.

President Trump said in his statement that the Capital One Arena would be opened for audiences to watch the ceremony live. And at this time, the presidential parade will proceed as scheduled, although that could change depending on weather conditions. Trump has also promised to join the crowd at the Capital One Arena following the ceremony.

Perhaps most poignant of all is the impactful tradition of being sworn into office while putting one’s hand on the Holy Bible. This year, the Trump Vance Inaugural Committee’s announced that the 47th president-elect will be sworn in on two Bibles: a Bible given to him by his mother in 1955 and the famous Lincoln Bible, used to swear in the iconic 16th President of the United States in 1861.

The inaugural parade and traditional balls

The presidential – or inaugural – parade has been a unique tradition dating back to 1805, when President Thomas Jefferson was escorted to the White House for a second term. It has become a longstanding tradition ever since. And perhaps most whimsically, the inaugural balls associated with the ceremony have stood the test of time, providing a venue for a type of elegant celebration not often seen in modern culture.

According to the White House, the very first inaugural ball was held in 1809 when President James Madison took office, and between 1825 to 1857, a popular location for the celebration was at a music hall in Washington called Carusi’s Saloon. It’s safe to say that the inaugural tradition has grown robustly over the years as American wealth and pride have blossomed over the past two and a half centuries.

On Monday, there will be three inaugural balls to celebrate the transition of power: the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball, and the Starlight Ball. And while there is much speculation and curiosity surrounding the details of the event – like what First Lady Melania Trump will be wearing – the tradition serves as a reminder of how many presidents have come before and how many Americans have joined in this same celebration over the centuries.

Monday will undoubtedly be a joyful and uplifting moment for everyone who embraces perhaps the most important hallmark of this rare constitutional republic: a peaceful transition of power.

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President Donald J. Trump's Official Portrait

Vice President JD Vance's Official Portrait

Monday Schedule, January 20, 2025:

St. John’s Church Service: The President-elect and First Lady will attend a traditional morning service at St. John’s Episcopal Church at 8am ET.

Tea at the White House: A meeting between the incoming and outgoing Presidents and First Ladies at the White House.

Swearing-In Ceremony: The official oath-taking ceremony for President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance at the Capitol Rotunda, beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies Luncheon: A luncheon in the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, attended by government officials and dignitaries. Presidential Procession and Parade: A procession featuring military and civilian participants.

Inaugural Balls: Three official balls in the evening, with performances by artists including Carrie Underwood, Gavin DeGraw, Jason Aldean, Nelly, and Rascal Flatts.

Swearing-in ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda

Musical Prelude by The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Combined Choirs

Prelude: “The President's Own,” by the United States Marine Band

Call to order by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota

Invocation by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, and the Rev. Franklin Graham of Samaritan's Purse and The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

“Oh, America!” by opera singer Christopher D. Macchio

The vice presidential oath of office administered by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh

“America the Beautiful,” by Carrie Underwood, the Armed Forced Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club

The presidential oath of office administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” performed by the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club

Trump's inaugural address

Benediction from Yeshiva University's President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, Imam Husham Al-Husainy of the Karbalaa Islamic Center, Senior Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of 180 Church Detroit and the Rev. Fr. Frank Mann of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

“The Star-Spangled Banner,” by Christopher Macchio

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