Donald Trump will be sworn in on Monday, making him the first convicted felon to serve as president and the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
President Joe Biden is expected to attend the inauguration and see his predecessor also become his successor.
When is the inauguration?
The ceremony takes place at noon in the Capitol rotunda. Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will take the oath of office around noon ET. The ceremony traditionally marks the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another.
The terms of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris end at noon, as mandated by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
However, the inauguration festivities will continue throughout the day.
The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place outside the Capitol, but was moved indoors due to the forecasted cold weather.
Where can I watch?
Tune in to watch live coverage on NBC News, MSNBC and NBC News Now. A special NBC News report will begin at 10 a.m. on NBC and NBC News Now.
You can read the latest coverage on the NBCNews.com live blog.
Who participates?
Former presidents, members of the Trump family and top technology executives will be in attendance at the inauguration.
So will Biden, as is customary, even though Trump broke tradition by not attending his 2021 inauguration.
Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will attend, according to their teams. First lady Jill Biden, former first lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – who lost the 2016 election to Trump – will also be in attendance. Former first lady Michelle Obama does not plan to attend, according to her office.
Several prominent tech moguls planned to attend the inauguration before it was moved indoors, including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk (a close Trump adviser), according to an official involved in the planning of the inauguration. It’s unclear how the move indoors will affect initially expected high-profile guests, including tech executives and foreign dignitaries.
Trump’s five children are also expected to attend.
Several musical guests will perform, including Carrie Underwood, the Village People, Kid Rock, Lee Greenwood and Nelly.
What happens?
On Monday morning, Trump will visit the White House for the usual tea with the Bidens.
Traditionally, members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies meet at the White House to escort the president-elect and vice president-elect, along with their spouses, to the Capitol, where the ceremony takes place, according to the site Committee Internet.
The outgoing president usually also attends the inauguration, although Trump broke tradition by not attending Biden’s in 2021.
Trump and Vance will take the oath of office inside the Capitol. Trump said Washington’s Capitol One Arena would be open for spectators to watch from afar, adding that he would join the crowd after taking the oath of office.
The new president then delivers an inaugural speech during the ceremony. In his 2017 speech, Trump recalled scenes of “American carnage,” saying “American carnage stops here and stops now.”
Trump told NBC News’ Kristen Welker in an interview Saturday that the theme of his inaugural address would be “unity and strength, and the word ‘fairness’.”
“Because you have to treat people fairly. You can’t just say, ‘Oh, everything’s going to be wonderful.’ You know, we went through hell for four years with these people and so, you know, something has to be done,” he said.
After the inauguration ceremony, the outgoing president typically leaves the area by helicopter, a tradition that began when Gerald Ford left the presidency in 1977, according to the joint committee’s website.
The committee will also host an inaugural luncheon, typically attended by the newly sworn-in president and vice president. This year, Obama, Clinton and Bush will not be present, according to their offices.
A parade usually goes from the Capitol to the White House during inaugurations, but due to the cold, there will instead be an indoor march at Capitol One Arena in downtown Washington.
Trump will hold a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, during which he can take executive action. Trump plans to sign more than 50 executive orders after he is sworn in, some of which he may sign publicly, a person working in his transition operation said.
Trump made a series of promises on the campaign trail about what he would do on day one, from launching a mass deportation program to pardoning defendants on Jan. 6.
In 2017, Trump ended the day by attending several balls. This year, he is scheduled to speak at three balls.
Who is planning the inauguration?
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has been responsible for planning inaugurations since 1901, when William McKinley was sworn in to begin his second term, according to the committee’s website.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., chairs the committee, which is made up of three members from each chamber of Congress, split evenly between the two parties.
Additionally, Trump has a Presidential Inaugural Committee, which manages inaugural events held outside the Capitol.
