When the clock strikes noon Monday, the office of the presidency will be transferred from the 46th president to the 47th, as President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as commander-in-chief. That moment will cap a historic day of events set in motion when Trump won the 2024 presidential election in November.
Late last week, plans for the inauguration events were changed because of freezing weather. The inauguration ceremony will take place indoors at the Capitol. The Capitol One arena in downtown Washington, D.C., will be open for supporters to watch the ceremony live, and after his swearing-in, Trump plans to come by the arena, which will also host the presidential parade. But Capitol One seats 20,000, a fraction of those who were expected to travel to Washington for the inauguration.
How to watch the inauguration with cable
CBS News will carry the day’s festivities and ceremony live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, and continuing through 5 p.m., across broadcast and streaming platforms.
CBS News will also air an inauguration primetime special at 10 p.m. ET. Find your local CBS station here.
Where to stream the inauguration without cable
Access CBS News’ coverage for free on CBS News 24/7, available on CBSNews.com, the CBS News app and Paramount Plus.
What time will the inauguration start?
Opening remarks for the ceremony at the Capitol typically begin at about 11:30 a.m. ET. There will be musical preludes performed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s combined choirs and the United States Marine Band. Those performances will be followed by a call to order and invocations, before the president-elect and vice president-elect take the oaths of office.
Under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the incoming president’s term officially begins at noon on Jan. 20, regardless of whether he has taken the oath of office or not.
When will Donald Trump and JD Vance be sworn in?
At 12 p.m. ET, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath of office to Trump, and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh will administer the oath of office to Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Trump will be sworn in using a Bible given to him by his mother when he was a child, as well as the Lincoln Bible, which was used to swear in Abraham Lincoln in 1861. Trump also used the Lincoln Bible in 2017. Vance will use a family Bible that belonged to his maternal great grandmother.
Who will be performing at Trump’s inauguration?
Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” and Christopher Macchio will sing the National Anthem during the inaugural ceremony. Singer Lee Greenwood is also slated to appear, he told Fox News that he’ll sing “God Bless the USA.”
Other artists will be performing at inaugural balls in the evening. Rapper Nelly is set to perform at the Liberty Ball, which is one of the three official inaugural balls, sources familiar with inauguration planning told CBS News. The Grammy Award-winning artist is known for his global 2002 smash hit, “Hot In Herre.” The Village People, whose hit song “Y.M.C.A.” is on the Trump rally play list, also said they’ll be performing at inaugural events.
Who will be speaking at the inauguration?
Trump will deliver his second inaugural address after being sworn in. Earlier in the ceremony, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar will deliver the call to order, followed by invocations by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Reverend Franklin Graham. After the address, there will be benedictions by Rabbi Ari Berman, Imam Husham al Husainy, Senior Pastor Lorenzo Sewell and Reverend Father Frank Mann.
What other events are planned for Inauguration Day?
Trump’s day begins with a service at St. John’s Church, followed by tea at the White House. After the swearing-in ceremony, there will be a farewell to outgoing President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
After the inaugural ceremony and luncheon at the Capitol, Trump and Vance will go to the East Front steps of the Capitol, where they will conduct a review of troops.
Trump and Vance will then review the troops at the presidential parade, a procession that includes ceremonial military regiments, marching bands and floats. The parade usually proceeds down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, but it has been moved to Capital One arena due to the cold. Trump said he will attend.
The day will conclude with an Oval Office signing ceremony and three inaugural balls, each of which will include remarks by the new president.
