Donald Trump's Inauguration Celebrations Kick Off: Venue, Guest List And More

Donald Trump, who is set to take charge as the 47th President of the United States of America, reached Washington on Sunday morning, ahead of his inauguration ceremony marking his return to the White House. The incoming President's inaugural weekend began with a star-studded 500-member reception at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, which included his cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth and Lee Zeldin.

The incoming commander-in-chief posted a nearly 15-minute video from the event showcasing him and First Lady Melania standing beside each other on a balcony at his golf club and applauding the massive pyrotechnic display. Towards the end of the video, the soon-to-be President can be seen shaking his leg and performing one of his signature dance moves in front of the crowd.

Trump Inauguration Gala Details 

Celebrations Start -Mr Trump's inaugural ceremony includes 18 galas, with three official events that the Present-elect is expected to attend. The celebrations kicked off with a gala at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia on Sunday. Following this, the President-elect arrived in Washington DC, where he's expected to participate in a rally and a candlelit dinner with supporters today. 

On Sunday alone, Mr Trump is scheduled to hold a major "Make America Great Again Victory Rally" at Capital One Arena for his supporters. This will be the first such event in the US capital that Mr Trump will address since his speech at the Ellipse on January 6, 2021, which led to the Capital riots. Later in the evening, he is also scheduled to attend a candlelight dinner with his supporters.

The Inauguration Ceremony-  Mr Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States at 12 pm EST (10:30 pm IST) on Monday as the US Constitution mandates that each new president's term begins at noon on January 20 (or the day after if it falls on a Sunday). The oath is most often administered by the Supreme Court chief justice, and Monday would mark John Roberts's second time officiating for Trump.

The First Address- The new president is then expected to deliver an inaugural address, laying out his plans for the next four years. The Republican rang in his first term in 2017 by evoking "American carnage." Incoming vice president JD Vance will also be sworn in during the event.

Inaugural Luncheon- Following the ceremony, the President, along with their spouse, Vice President, Senate leaders, and distinguished guests, would be escorted to Statuary Hall in the US Capitol for a celebratory luncheon hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). 

Oval Office Signings- In the first act as the President after taking the oath, Mr Trump is likely to participate in a traditional signing of executive orders, officially beginning his second administration. The incoming President has pledged to fulfil a number of his poll promises on Day 1 by signing executive orders, but it is not clear what issues will be first up. Mr Trump is likely to reinstate some executive orders from his first term that President Biden had revoked.

Inaugural Balls- The signing in the Oval Office will be followed by three official inaugural balls on Monday evening. Mr Trump is expected to attend all three galas -- the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Ball and the Starlight Ball. More than a dozen other events are also planned.

National Prayer Service- Mr Trump will be hosted by the Washington National Cathedral, the sexy day after his inauguration at 11 am (9:30 pm IST) on Tuesday for an interfaith prayer service. The service will mark the official conclusion of the inauguration celebrations.

Change In Swearing-In Venue

While US presidents traditionally assume their powers outdoors in front of the Capitol building, with a large crowd of spectators witnessing the ceremony, Mr Trump on Friday said he would move the event inside the Capitol Rotunda amid forecasts of extreme cold.

Crowd size is a preoccupation of  Mr Trump's, but the last-minute switch to an indoor event may dent his bragging rights. More than 220,000 tickets were being distributed to the public before the incoming President's announcement of shifting the venue to the Capitol Rotunda, which can accommodate only about 600 people.

Trump said supporters could watch a live feed from Washington's Capital One sports arena, which holds up to 20,000 -- and he promised to drop in later. "This will be a very beautiful experience for all," the president-elect said.

Presidential Parade 

The president's inaugural parade will be held inside for the first since 1985. The parade, which has followed the presidential entourage down Pennsylvania Avenue as far back as 1805, will march on inside Capital One Arena on Monday.

The move comes after Mr Trump on Friday announced that he would take oath and deliver his inaugural address inside the US Capitol Rotunda and promoted Capital One Arena as essentially a massive watch party venue for his oath of office and inaugural address

Musical Affair

Mr Trump's inauguration 2.0 will be a star-studded affair, with country star Carrie Underwood singing "America the Beautiful" during the swearing-in ceremony.

Also performing will be country singer Lee Greenwood, whose patriotic anthem "God Bless the USA" is standard at Trump rallies.

A pre-inauguration rally on Sunday will include a performance by the Village People, whose 1970s-era "Y.M.C.A." is another Trump event staple, in addition to Kid Rock and Billy Ray Cyrus. Country musicians including Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts and Gavin DeGraw plus the Village People will perform across Trump's three official inaugural balls.

Inaugural Lunch

The event became an integral part of the day's events in 1897, when the Senate Committee on Arrangements arranged a meal for President William McKinley, symbolizing the transition of power and the beginning of a new administration.

The menu for Donald Trump's 2025 Inaugural Luncheon has not been revealed yet, but it is likely to follow patterns of previous occasions and may include the great American classic cuisines. As Mr Trump reportedly enjoys simple, savoury meals, he might include steak with some lobster, together with exquisite sweets. The Gulf shrimp and regional American flavours were part of his inauguration in 2017.

Guest List

The Republican has invited a number of tech titans to attend the inauguration, joining more traditional guests such as his cabinet nominees. Billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg will attend as will Shou Chew, the head of Chinese social media giant TikTok, according to US media.

Mr Trump has courted closer ties with the tech moguls, and his campaign benefited from disinformation spread on social media platforms such as TikTok, Musk's X and Zuckerberg's Facebook and Instagram.

Outgoing President Joe Biden will also attend the ceremony -- despite Trump's refusal to appear at Biden's swearing-in when he beat Trump in 2020. All living former presidents -- Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama -- will attend, as will their wives, except for Michelle Obama.

That means Hillary Clinton, whom Trump beat in the 2016 presidential election, in addition to Vice President Kamala Harris, whom he beat in November, will be there. 

Heads of state are not traditionally invited, but Trump has sent invitations to a handful of foreign leaders, including some who share his right-wing politics. Far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will attend, her office confirmed Saturday.

Hungary's Viktor Orban, Argentine President Javier Milei and China's Xi Jinping have also been invited, but not all will attend. 

Executive Orders

Mr Trump said he is preparing to sign multiple executive orders as early as his first day in office, aimed at undoing many of the Biden administration's policies.

Among other promises, he has pledged to launch a mass deportation program and increase oil drilling. He has also said he might immediately begin pardoning January 6 rioters, his followers who ransacked the Capitol in 2021. Immediately after the inauguration a meeting is planned between US officials and foreign ministers from Japan, India and Australia, the so-called "Quad" which the Biden administration saw as a counterweight to an assertive China.