Everything you need to know about Donald Trump’s inauguration

When is the inauguration?

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States on January 20. The ceremony is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m., with a musical prelude beforehand. Afterward, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are slated to participate in the traditional inaugural parade, which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Where can I watch the inauguration?

If you’re in Washington D.C., there is both ticketed and non-ticketed viewing locations for the ceremony. Security gates will open at 6 a.m. Tickets were distributed by members of Congress and the inaugural committee. If you’re not in Washington, major broadcast and cable networks will show the ceremony, and POLITICO will stream the ceremony.

The parade route will follow Pennsylvania Avenue between the Capitol to the White House, and much of it will be open to the public and unticketed. It will pass right past Donald Trump’s hotel in the Old Post Office.

Who is going to be at the inauguration?

Besides Trump, his family and the Obamas, several living ex-presidents will be in attendance. Jimmy Carter was the first to say he will attend, and so will George W. Bush. Former Vice President Dick Cheney also said he will be there. Both former President Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential election nominee Hillary Clinton are also slated to attend. A George H. W. Bush spokesman said he will not be there, citing health concerns.

Prominent faith leaders like Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the Reverend Franklin Graham will also be there.

Donald Trump encouraged his supporters to set an “all time record” for attendance, but planners are expecting about 800,000 people, well below President Obama’s first inaugural.

Who is going to perform at inauguration?

The list thus far lacks the star power of events past. Three Doors Down and Toby Keith have also been added to the lineup, joining some of the Rockettes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and “America’s Got Talent” runner-up Jackie Evancho, who will sing the national anthem.

For his part, Trump tweeted that he didn’t want any celebrities, writing: “the so-called ‘A’ list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!”

Tom Barrack, the chair of the inaugural committee also told reporters that there will be a “soft sensuality” for the inauguration with a “much more poetic cadence.”

What’s the order of the ceremony at inauguration?

The ceremony opens with the call to order from Sen. Roy Blunt, followed by readings and invocations and music from the Missouri State University chorale. Mike Pence will then take the Vice Presidential oath of office, administered by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs, and then Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office, administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Trump will give his inaugural address, followed by more readings and a benediction and close with the national anthem. The complete program is here.

What should we expect for Trump’s inauguration speech?

Donald Trump tapped Stephen Miller to pen his much-anticipated speech. Miller frequently served as the warm-up act on the campaign trail for Trump. Early discussions of the speech focused on structural problems within the country and setting an agenda for Trump’s first 100 days and beyond.

What about the parade?

The inaugural committee announced the parade lineup in late December, which includes high school bands, police troops and civic groups found across the country. The statement also said that all branches of the military will be represented.

A minor controversy broke out over the parade’s announcer. Charlie Brotman, an 89-year-old who has announced every inaugural parade since President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s second term, was replaced by Trump’s inaugural committee. Brotman is instead “Announcer Chairmen Emeritus.”

What is the rest of the inauguration weekend schedule?

The inauguration festivities are not confined to just the day-of events. Trump will attend a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony on January 19 and then host a “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” at the Lincoln Memorial that evening, which is open to the public. After his inauguration, Trump will attend inaugural balls that evening — but only three, a sharp decline when compared to President Obama in 2009.

“The balls are kind of a confusing quagmire because the states themselves have their own celebratory events,” Barrack told ABC News. “We’ll have basically three balls. Two in the [Washington] Convention Center, one called the Commander in Chief ball, which is a traditional military ball. And then we’ll have a series of private dinners.” The new president will also attend a national prayer service at Washington National Cathedral on January 21.

There’s also plenty of unofficial events taking place. Three separate pro-Trump biker groups are organizing rallies honoring the new president, and there’s a litany of unofficial inaugural balls.

The weekend is also expected to draw a lot of anti-Trump protests. The largest is expected to be the Women’s March on Washington. Organizers of the march predicted 200,000 people will attend in a permit application. Other rallies, both pro and anti-Trump, predict anywhere from 100 to 50,000 attendees.

What will President Obama do at inauguration?

President Obama and Donald Trump will meet at the White House prior to the latter’s inauguration, according to Barrack. The pair will ride with their wives to the inauguration from the White House. After the inauguration, Obama and his family will take one final flight on Air Force One to an as-of-yet-announced destination, which is customary.

I live in D.C. and want to avoid the crowds. What’s shut down during inauguration?

Much of downtown D.C. will be closed for inauguration events. Closures in the “red zone” start at noon on January 18 and won’t reopen until the January 23. Green zone streets become restricted to D.C. residents and businesses the morning of January 19. Additional streets around Capitol Hill, the Lincoln Memorial, Union Station, the convention center and the National Cathedral will be closed at various times during the weekend for inaugural events.

Five of the Metro’s stations – Archives, Mt. Vernon Square, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian and Pentagon, will be shut down on Inauguration Day. Metro says that there will be frequent service on all lines from opening until 9 p.m.

Courtesy: POLITICO