All of the years of campaigning will once again culminate with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies - or the JCCIC - shared how inauguration day is steeped in history.
The JCCIC said, “While the peaceful transfer of power has occurred on every inauguration day, the events surrounding this notable occasion have grown and changed.”
The committee oversees eight events: the procession to the Capitol, the vice president’s swearing-in, the president’s swearing-in, the inaugural address, the honorary departure of the outgoing president, the signing ceremony, the inaugural luncheon and finally the pass-in review.
Before those events there are other milestones that the president-elect participates in, and ones he does not such as a morning church service and the move out/move in of the first families respectively.
The inaugural events actually will start on Saturday with a reception and fireworks display at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. There will also be a Cabinet reception and a vice president’s dinner, Politico reported.
On Sunday, there will be a wreath-laying of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Trump will hold a MAGA “Victory Rally” at Capital One Arena. Finally, there will be a candlelight dinner.
Monday is the big day. It will start with a church service at St. John’s church near the White House. There will then be a tea held at the Executive mansion, according to Politico.
The JCCIC’s role starts with escorting the president- and vice president-elect and their spouses to the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony. The escort will start at the White House where Trump and President Joe Biden will meet and then proceed together to the Capitol. They will be followed by Vice President-elect JD Vance, family members and members of the Cabinet, the committee said.
While the Biden, Trump and their families are out of the White House, typically crews move in and pack out and pack in the first families. In 2021, it started around 10:30 a.m., moving the Trump family out and the Biden family in. In about five hours it was scheduled to be done, The Hill reported four years ago. Minor repairs may be done, colors may be changed and the manion will be cleaned from top to bottom.
While all that is going on to prepare for the returning first family, Trump and Vance will get to the Capitol, they will take an oath of office.
First, it will be Vance. Typically the vice president repeats the following words:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
CNN reported Vance will take the oath from Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Then Trump will be sworn in for the second time as president by Chief Justice John Roberts, CNN reported.
The oath a president takes is listed in Article II, Section 1, Clause 8 of the Constitution and says:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The newly sworn-in president then makes his inaugural address. George Washington gave the first one on April 30, 1789, after he took the oath on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City. Instead of addressing those in attendance, he went back inside to the Senate chamber and gave a speech to lawmakers and other dignitaries, the JCCIC said. Washington’s second inaugural address was the shortest of all 46 presidents at only 135 words, given before he took the oath for a second time. The longest speech was William Henry Harrison whose speech was 8,445 words. He ended up getting pneumonia believed to have been caused by being in the cold, wet weather so long and died a month later, the JCCIC said.
When the speech is done, and the ceremony is finished, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, if following custom, will leave the Capitol with little fanfare, escorted by Trump and Vance from the building through a military cordon, the JCCIC said. Typically they leave the area via helicopter if the weather cooperates. Then Trump and Vance will return inside the Capitol for a ceremony and luncheon.
The signing ceremony will take part in the President’s Room near the Senate Chamber. Trump will sign nominations and potentially, memorandums, proclamations and executive orders in a tradition started by President Ronald Reagan.
They will then proceed to the Inaugural Luncheon held in Statuary Hall hosted by the JCCIC, a tradition that dates back to 1897. The current form started in 1953 when President Dwight Eisenhower took office. Typically the menu will reflect the home states of the new president and vice president. There will be speeches, gifts and toasts.
Once the luncheon is done, Trump and Vance will review the military troops from the East Front steps of the Capitol as part of the Pass in Review portion of the day before leading the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, accompanied by their families and leading military regiments, citizens’ organizations, bands and floats, the JCCIC said. Trump and Vance and their family and guests will watch the parade from a grandstand erected in front of the White House.
By this time the movers should be done, and the mansion will be ready to welcome the 47th president.
The parade will have about 7,500 participants, including first responders from Butler County, Pennsylvania, the site of an assassination attempt on Trump last year, Time reported.
When the parade is done, it is time to party. Trump, according to Politico, will attend three inaugural balls on Monday night -- the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball. He will speak at all three events.
Time reported that the Commander in Chief Ball will be “focused on military service members.” The Liberty Inaugural Ball will be for Trump supporters and will feature a performance by the Village People. The Starlight Ball will be for “high-dollar donors.”
The final event of Inauguration Day actually occurs on Tuesday with the National Prayer Service, Politico reported.
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