Inauguration of Donald Trump

The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Donald Trump as President and Mike Pence as Vice President. A public ceremony will be held on Friday, January 20, 2017, on the West Front of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The inauguration theme is "Uniquely American", a phrase that highlights the inaugural ceremony as "a uniquely American expression of our Constitutional system". The theme also stresses the peaceful transition of power, and that the American people are "united behind an enduring republic". The inaugural ceremonies held in Washington, D.C., from January 17 to 21, 2017, will include concerts, the swearing-in ceremony, luncheon and parade, inaugural balls, and the interfaith inaugural prayer service. The presidential oath will be administered to Trump during his swearing-in ceremony on January 20, 2017, by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, and the vice presidential oath of office will be administered to Pence by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas. Trump will be sworn in on the Lincoln Bible, the same used at the inauguration of Barack Obama, and on Trump's personal childhood Bible. Planning: The inauguration is being planned primarily by two committees: the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee. Although the election was scheduled for November 8, 2016, the congressional committee began construction of the inaugural platform on September 21, 2016. Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, were formally elected by the Electoral College when it met on December 19, 2016. The win was officially certified by an electoral vote tally by a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2017. The inauguration theme is "Uniquely American", a phrase that highlights the inaugural ceremony as "a uniquely American expression of our Constitutional system." The theme also stresses the peaceful transition of power, and that the American people are "united behind an enduring republic." Joint Congressional Committee: The swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural luncheon for President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Pence are being planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, a committee composed of United States Senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, committee chair Roy Blunt of Missouri and Chuck Schumer of New York, and United States Representatives Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Kevin McCarthy of California and Nancy Pelosi of California. The committee is overseen by the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Military support to the 58th inauguration was coordinated by Joint Task Force National Capital Region, providing musical military units, marching bands, color guards, ushers, firing details, and salute batteries. The national anthem of the United States is set to be sung by teenage American recording artist Jackie Evancho. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Missouri State University Chorale will also perform. The Rockettes will also perform, although three of the dance group have opted not to. Presidential Inaugural Committee: The 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee will organize several other inauguration‑related events at the direction of the President‑elect and Vice President‑elect of the United States, such as the train ride, concerts, parade, balls and prayer service. The chairman of the committee is Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a real estate investor and the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Colony Capital. The committee is expecting to raise $70 million. The co-chairs of the committee are Lewis M. Eisenberg and Roy Bailey. Committee members include casino magnates Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, Steve Wynn and Phil Ruffin, oil entrepreneur Harold Hamm, businesswoman Diane Hendricks, coal businessman Joe Craft, Gail Icahn, wife of Carl Icahn, and Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets. Committee members- Performers: Jackie Evancho, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Rockettes, 3 Doors Down, Sam Moore, Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood, The Piano Guys, DJ Ravidrums, Big & Rich, the Talladega College Tornado Marching Band, and The Frontmen of Country have all been confirmed as performers for various inaugural celebrations. Schedule of events: The schedule of events commenced on January 19 with a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery attended by the President-elect and Vice President-elect. A concert titled “Make America Great! Welcome Celebration” was held at the Lincoln Memorial afterwards. The following day will be the inauguration ceremony at the United States Capitol, followed by the parade on Pennsylvania Avenue and the inaugural balls later on. A National Prayer Service will be held on January 21 at the Washington National Cathedral. Donald Trump's inaugural address was written by Stephen Miller, who was the speechwriter of most of his campaign speeches. The new President and Vice President will also attend several dinners honoring them, and there will be a ball honoring the Armed Forces and first responders. Clergy invocations: On December 28, 2016, it was announced that six clergy members would give invocations at the inauguration, including: - Reverend Franklin Graham, president of the Samaritan's Purse - Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York - Reverend Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference - Pastor Paula White, New Destiny Christian Center - Rabbi Marvin Hier, Dean and Founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center - Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Great Faith Ministries International Former Presidents attending: Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, along with their respective wives, the First Ladies, have all confirmed their attendance at Trump's inauguration, including Hillary Clinton, Trump's main opponent in the election. George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush will not attend the inauguration due to health reasons. Planned demonstrations and boycotts: As of mid-December, there were 20 requests for demonstration permits for Donald J. Trump's inauguration, including Bikers for Trump, and the Women's March on Washington, scheduled for the day after inauguration day. Supported by nearly 200 activist groups and organizations, the Women's March is to demonstrate on issues which they perceive to be under threat from a Trump presidency, including racial and gender equality, affordable healthcare, abortion rights and voting rights. A member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir resigned in protest because of the LDS Church decision to perform at Donald Trump's inauguration. The singer, Jan Chamberlin, stated that she felt "betrayed" and that she "simply cannot continue with the recent turn of events." She stated that the Choir is "endorsing tyranny and fascism by singing for this man". More than 35,000 people have signed an online petition disagreeing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's decision to perform at the inauguration. According to the organizer of the campaign, most of the signatures are from members of the LDS church. A number of artists who were approached to perform at the inauguration refused; these include Celine Dion, Charlotte Church, Elton John, Moby, Rebecca Ferguson, Garth Brooks, Andrea Bocelli, and Kiss declined offers to perform at the inauguration. On January 15, Jennifer Holliday pulled out of the ceremony due to gay rights issues with the incoming administration, and apologized to the LGBT community for initially accepting an invitation to perform. Lawmakers boycotting: A total of 65 Democratic U.S. Representatives have publicly stated that they will not attend the inauguration of Trump, citing "what they described as his alarming and divisive policies, foreign interference in his election and his criticism of civil rights icon John Lewis, a congressman from Georgia." Members who have said that they will skip the ceremonies are: - Alma Adams of North Carolina - Karen Bass of California - Don Beyer of Virginia - Earl Blumenauer of Oregon - Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania - Anthony G. Brown of Maryland - G. K. Butterfield of North Carolina - Mike Capuano of Massachusetts - Tony Cárdenas of California - Joaquín Castro of Texas - Judy Chu of California - Katherine Clark of Massachusetts - Yvette Clarke of New York - Lacy Clay of Missouri - Steve Cohen of Tennessee - John Conyers of Michigan - Peter DeFazio of Oregon - Mark DeSaulnier of California - Lloyd Doggett of Texas - Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania - Keith Ellison of Minnesota - Adriano Espaillat of New York - Dwight Evans of Pennsylvania - Marcia Fudge of Ohio - Ruben Gallego of Arizona - Al Green of Texas - Raúl Grijalva of Arizona - Luis Gutiérrez of Illinois - Alcee Hastings of Florida - Jared Huffman of California - Pramila Jayapal of Washington - Barbara Lee of California - John Lewis of Georgia - Ted Lieu of California - Dan Lipinski of Illinois - Zoe Lofgren of California - Grace Meng of New York - Donald McEachin of Virginia - Jerry McNerney of California - Jerrold Nadler of New York - Grace Napolitano of California - Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey - Chellie Pingree of Maine - Mark Pocan of Wisconsin - Mike Quigley of Illinois - Jamie Raskin of Maryland - Lucille Roybal-Allard of California - Raul Ruiz of California - Jan Schakowsky of Illinois - Kurt Schrader of Oregon - José E. Serrano of New York - Terri Sewell of Alabama - Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire - Louise Slaughter of New York - Adam Smith of Washington - Darren Soto of Florida - Mark Takano of California - Bennie Thompson of Mississippi - Juan Vargas of Califoria - Nydia Velázquez of New York - Maxine Waters of California - Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey - Frederica Wilson of Florida - John Yarmuth of Kentucky