
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States is scheduled for Monday, January 20, in Washington, D.C., as part of Inauguration Day: a ceremony that will last the entire day, marked by numerous institutional moments, and will culminate in the swearing-in ceremony at noon local time (6:00 PM in Italy) at the Rotunda inside the Capitol, moved there due to the expected extreme cold in the capital.
The institutional program will start with a religious service, which Donald Trump, still the president-elect at that time, will attend at St. John’s Church in Washington, beginning at 8:15 AM local time. This will be followed by tea at the White House, from where the president-elect’s convoy will leave to head to Capitol Hill. At the same time, citizens who want to witness the swearing-in will be hosted at the Capital One Arena, a large convention center halfway between the White House and the Capitol, set up to host the crowd as an alternative to the outdoor event at the foot of the Capitol dome. From there, they will be able to watch at a distance the moment when Trump takes the oath at noon, followed by the signing ceremony in the President’s Signing Room at the Capitol, in the presence of legislators and close collaborators of the now-installed president. The inaugural lunch will follow at the National Statuary Hall, where the president will dine with the vice president, Senate leaders, and members of the joint congressional committee responsible for the inauguration ceremony. At that point, Trump will likely head to the Capital One Arena for the presidential parade, and then proceed to the White House in a motorcade along Pennsylvania Avenue. At the White House, Trump will participate in the traditional signing ceremony in the Oval Office for executive orders or appointments. Later in the evening, as per tradition, the president will attend three inaugural balls: the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Inaugural Freedom Ball, and the Starlight Ball. It is also expected that he will speak at all three events. The speech at the Commander-in-Chief Ball will be dedicated to members of the U.S. armed forces, the speech at the Inaugural Freedom Ball will address Trump’s supporters, while at the Starlight Ball, the president will deliver a message to his main donors.
The institutional program also includes the president reviewing the military troops on the Capitol steps, but since the ceremony has been moved indoors, it is unclear whether this will take place outside the Capitol or be moved inside.