Schedule, guests, security Trump moves into the White House today - what you need to know

On Monday, Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. How the ceremony will go and who will attend.

On Monday, January 20, 2025, the ceremonial inauguration of Donald Trump will take place in Washington, D.C. After a hard-fought election campaign, Trump returns to the White House to begin a second term as President of the United States.

Inauguration Day promises to be a spectacular program of festive events, musical performances and traditional ceremonies.

blue News gives you all the details about the day and explains what you need to know.

Schedule for Inauguration Day

9:30 a.m. EST (3:30 p.m. CET): The day begins with inaugural speeches and musical performances on the West Steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Renowned artists such as Carrie Underwood, who will sing "America the Beautiful," as well as the Village People, Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio will perform.

Morning: President Trump and Vice President JD Vance attend a service at St. John's Church, also known as the "Church of the Presidents". Afterward, Trump and his wife Melania are expected to have tea at the White House with outgoing President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

12.00 p.m. EST (6.00 p.m. CET): The highlight of the ceremony is the official swearing-in. JD Vance will be sworn in as Vice President, followed by the swearing in of Donald Trump by Chief Justice John Roberts.

The ceremony will take place on the west steps of the Capitol and conclude with Trump's inaugural address, in which he will lay out his vision for the next four years.

Afternoon: The swearing-in ceremony will be followed by an inaugural dinner in the Capitol's National Statuary Hall, attended by leading members of Congress and prominent guests.

Afterwards, Trump will inspect the military honor formations at the traditional pass-in-review ceremony. Afterward, a procession will lead the President and his entourage along Pennsylvania Avenue back to the White House.

3:00 p.m. EST (9:00 p.m. CET): The festivities continue with a parade along Pennsylvania Avenue. Military and civilian marching formations and performance units from every state will parade past the honorees in front of the White House.

Evening: The day ends with several inauguration balls where President Trump and First Lady Melania will celebrate together with guests from all over the world. The events will take place at various prestigious locations in Washington, D.C.

Guest list and security measures

Invited guests include high-profile figures such as former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, as well as international leaders such as Argentine President Javier Milei and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Michelle Obama will not be attending.

Security will be exceptionally tight on Inauguration Day. Around 8,000 National Guardsmen and numerous security forces will be deployed to secure the event.

According to Reuters, the Inauguration Committee has raised over 170 million US dollars for the events. The main donors include celebrities such as Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook and Dara Khosrowshahi.