Topline

President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration events begin Saturday at his golf club in Virginia and include four days of celebration and pageantry surrounding Monday’s official swearing-in ceremony, with a guest list that includes billionaires and three former presidents.

Important facts

What day is Trump’s inauguration and what time does it start?

The swearing-in ceremony for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance is scheduled for Monday at noon EST, but the inauguration events officially begin on Saturday.

What is the inauguration plan?

Here is a complete list of events for the inauguration weekend:

Saturday

• Reception and fireworks at Trump’s golf club in Virginia
• Vice President’s Cabinet Reception and Dinner

Sunday

• Wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery
• Trump delivers his speech at a “victory rally” at Capitol One Arena in Washington
• Trump gives his speech at a candlelight dinner

Monday

• Morning service at St. John’s
• Morning tea at the White House with the Bidens and Trumps
• Main Event: Swearing-in Ceremony at the Capitol
• Farewell for Biden and Harris
• Signing ceremony in the Presidential Room at the Capitol, where Trump will sign nominations and other documents in his first acts in office
• Trump attends a luncheon hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
• Presidential Review of Troops and Presidential Parade along Pennsylvania Avenue
• Oval Office Signing Ceremony at the White House
• Trump speaks at the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball

Tuesday

• A national prayer service rounds off the official opening activities

How can I follow the inauguration?

Major networks will broadcast the inauguration on live television and the White House will broadcast the events on its website.

Will Biden attend the inauguration?

Yes. Biden said in December he would “of course” attend Trump’s inauguration, although Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration in 2021 after Trump refused to concede his election defeat.

Will Kamala Harris attend Trump’s inauguration?

She is expected to do so, as is common for outgoing vice presidents and losing presidential candidates, according to the Associated Press.

Which former presidents will attend the inauguration?

According to multiple reports, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will be in attendance. In addition to their husbands, former First Lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will also attend the event.

Will Michelle Obama attend the inauguration?

No. Her office said in a statement released Tuesday, without giving a reason, that she would not be attending. Michelle Obama also did not attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, citing a scheduling conflict.

Who skipped past inaugurations?

According to the White House Historical Association, at least six outgoing presidents — John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson and Trump — did not attend their successors’ inauguration ceremonies. Most recently, Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration after denying the election results, but instead held a farewell event at Joint Base Andrews before flying to Florida while his Vice President Mike Pence was in attendance.

Which world leaders will be attending – and who has been invited?

Several politicians from other countries are expected to attend the inauguration or send envoys. No head of state has attended an inauguration since 1874, according to U.S. State Department records cited by CBS News. It was reported there that foreign ambassadors and their spouses typically represent their governments at the event. Thomas Balcerski, a presidential historian at Eastern Connecticut State University, told the Miami Herald it was unprecedented for foreign leaders to attend inaugurations. He noted that world leaders would not enjoy the pageantry typical of their visits to Washington, adding that their presence could be seen as “a prerequisite for gaining favor with the elected To show loyalty to President Trump.”

• Argentine President Javier Mileiwho became the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after his victory in November, is expected to attend, Bloomberg reported last month, citing a Milei spokesman.
• Trump also reportedly invited the Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloniaccording to NBC News. It is unclear whether Bukele will attend and Meloni said last week that she would attend if her schedule allows.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping will send one official envoy According to the Financial Times, he will attend the inauguration in his place.
• Indicted former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro also said on X that he was invited and is trying to get his passport back so he can attend.
• Far-right French politician Eric Zemmour and his partner, a member of the European Parliament Sarah Knafo, have also been invited, Politico reported earlier this month, citing unnamed sources close to the couple, although it is unclear whether they will attend.

Which billionaires will take part – apart from Elon Musk?

CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk (Net worth: $423 billion), CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg ($205 billion) and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($232 billion) will attend the swearing-in ceremony and sit together on the platform next to Trump’s Cabinet, NBC News reported. Musk is a key Trump ally and heads his administration’s Government Efficiency Department. Bezos and Zuckerberg have drawn Trump’s ire in the past, but both Meta and Amazon announced in December that they planned to donate $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, alongside several other major companies and founders.

Who will perform at the inauguration?

Country singer Carrie Underwood will perform at the official ceremony, and the villagers— whose song “YMCA” is a Trump rally staple — will perform at several inaugural events, including Sunday’s “Victory Rally.” Here is a complete list.

Will flags continue to fly at half-mast at the inauguration?

No. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced Tuesday that flags would be flown Monday, despite the president’s order that flags be lowered in honor of Carter, who died in December. Trump repeatedly complained that the flags for his inauguration would be lowered before Johnson’s announcement.

Are banks, post offices and stock exchanges closed on Inauguration Day?

In many cases yes. This year, the inauguration will take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, meaning banks, post offices, the New York Stock Exchange and other employers that are closed on the holiday will likely remain closed. Government employees also typically have time off on Inauguration Day.

What did George W. Bush say at Trump’s last inauguration?

Bush said “that was some weird shit” after Trump finished his speech in 2017, New York Magazine reported, citing three unnamed sources who said they heard the comment. Hillary Clinton later confirmed in an interview with Howard Stern that she had heard Bush’s statement, an apparent reference to tensions between the three after a bitter election campaign in which Trump threatened to throw Clinton in prison.

Further reading

All the major performers at Trump’s inauguration events: Carrie Underwood, Village People and more (Forbes)

Microsoft donates another $1 million to Trump’s record-high startup fund (Forbes)