Jennifer Lopez will join Lady Gaga in performing live at the ceremony
Credit: Pool/Reuters
What will Joe Biden say?
Every president since George Washington has delivered the Inaugural Address. Mr Trump spoke for 16 minutes during his vow to break the “established order” and “make America great again”.
For Mr Biden, the focus is likely to be on the cornerstones of his policies: the pandemic, the economy, climate change and health care.
It also seems likely he will touch upon the issue of uniting Americans again — whether they voted for him or not. Unity has already been a key theme of his commentary so far.
"With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation,” Mr Biden said in a statement. “It’s time for America to unite.”
Mr Biden has also unveiled a $1.9 trillion plan to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, boosting financial aid for Americans and businesses.
Read more: Joe Biden unveils $1.9 trillion Covid plan to end America’s ‘crisis of deep human suffering’
Covid context for the US election
When will Trump leave the White House and when will the Bidens move in?
Mr Biden and his wife, Dr Jill Biden, will move into the White House on Jan 20, following the inauguration ceremony.
Mr Trump acknowledged his defeat for the first time on Jan 7, confirming that he would leave the White House before Inauguration Day.
Mr Trump has confirmed he will not attend the ceremony and is expected to fly to his Florida property of Mar-a-Lago on the morning of Jan 20.
He tweeted on Jan 8: "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the inauguration on January 20th."
As a result, Mr Trump will be breaking a decades-long tradition. He will be the first president in more than 150 years — and just the fourth in US history — to miss the event. Usually, the person departing the White House would welcome their predecessor to the Oval Office and attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Read more: What will Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office look like?
What time is Joe Biden’s virtual inaugural parade?
Joe Biden’s inaugural parade is projected to take place around 2-3pm (7-8pm GMT).
With strict measures in place to comply with Covid safety procedures, the event will take place largely online. In-person attendance of the event will be limited.
How can I watch live in the UK?
The inauguration ceremony will begin at around 4pm GMT and can be watched live in the UK via The Telegraph’s livestream which will appear at the top of this liveblog. Live coverage can also be viewed on Sky and BBC broadcast news channels. Additionally, the ceremony will be available to stream online via CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS News, and Fox News.
Members of the US National Guard are seen near their gear at the US Capitol in Washington, DC
Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS /AFP
What else is happening on Inauguration Day?
Traditional inaugural events have been largely scaled back this year due to the pandemic and security concerns, following the recent riots.
Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute TV special, Celebrating America, which will air right after the swearing-in ceremony.
What time is Celebrating America on, and how can I watch live?
The TV special will air at 8.30-10pm (1am GMT) on all major US networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and MSNBC, and will also be live streamed on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Twitch and Amazon Prime.
Mr Biden’s team have asked Americans to stay away from the capital, and have urged them to watch the inauguration virtually amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Why is there a gap between the election and presidential inauguration?
The election was held on Nov 3, 2020, but Mr Biden does not officially become president until over two months later.
Until 1933, the new president was inaugurated on March 4, four months after election day. This was then shortened to around two months with the ratification of the 20th Amendment.
The time between US election and inauguration allows for the incumbent to tie up any loose ends, and for the incoming president to prepare for his tenure by working on policy and appointing his cabinet.
Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris
Credit: AFP
And what about Kamala Harris?
Vice president-elect Kamala Harris will take the inaugural oath, but before Mr Biden. Ms Harris will be the nation’s first female vice president.
She will swear to “support and defend the Constitution” and “faithfully discharge the duties of the office”.
Свежие комментарии