- Donald Trump will take the oath of office Monday, becoming the nation’s 47th president. Here’s how to watch it, the schedule of events, as well as who is, and isn’t, going to be in attendance.
After a convincing victory in November, Donald Trump will once again be sworn in as president on Jan. 20. It promises to be a different sort of event than his first inauguration.
Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office at noon on Jan. 20 – and while the ceremonies will be widely broadcast, not everyone who wants to watch will be able to be in front of their television. (And many people to traveled to Washington, D.C. for the events won't be able to attend due to some last-minute changes Friday.)
Here’s a look at how to watch the transfer of power as well as what to expect during the ceremonies.
When will Donald Trump be sworn in as president?
The swearing in ceremony is slated to being at 12:00 p.m. ET, though coverage will begin several hours before that from most networks. Musical performances will start at 9:30 a.m. ET and opening remarks are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET.
How can I watch the inauguration for free?
The inauguration will be covered by all of the major broadcast networks, meaning it will be easy to watch. ABC will begin its coverage at 7:00 a.m. ET with Good Morning America, followed by a daylong special report starting at 9:00 a.m. ET. Fox broadcast will have special coverage from 11:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. ET.
NBC’s coverage will start with Today at 7:00 a.m., with anchor Lester Holt and Savannah Guthrie taking over at 10:00 a.m. ET through the day. And PBS will begin its live coverage at 10:30 a.m. ET.
The best way to watch any sort of network programming for free on a big screen is with a good HD antenna. To ensure you're getting the most reliable signal, be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home.
How will cable news channels cover the inauguration?
Hours will vary by channel:
Fox News
Fox will run its normal lineup of Fox & Friends, America’s Newsroom and The Faulkner Focus until 11:30 a.m., when special coverage anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will take over through 5:00 p.m.
At 7:00 p.m., the channel’s usual nighttime lineup will broadcast from Washington. The Ingraham Angle and Jesse Watters Primetime will originate from the Commander in Chief Ball and Sean Hannity will broadcast from the Liberty Inaugural Ball.
CNN
CNN will launch live coverage at 7 a.m. ET with Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper leading things. Joining them will be Dana Bash, Kaitlan Collins, John King, Abby Phillip, Jamie Gangel and Audie Cornish. Erin Burnett takes over at 2 p.m., covering the parade route until 4 p.m., when Tapper and Bash, tag back in.
Burnett is back at 7:00 p.m., with Collins and John Berman reporting from one of the inaugural balls. Cooper rejoins at 8 p.m.
MSNBC
Rachel Maddow will kick off MSNBC’s live coverage of the inauguration at 10:00 a.m. She’ll hand it over to Chris Hayes and Alex Wagner at 2:00 p.m.
Can I watch the Trump inauguration online?
Unquestionably! All of the broadcast and cable news networks will stream the inauguration on their websites, apps, social media and YouTube channels.
Failing that, you can also watch through one of several streaming services.
Paramount+
CBS’s streaming service will give you a one-week free trial, followed by a $8 or $13 monthly charge. (An annual plan is as low as $30 right now.)
Peacock
NBC’s streaming service will give you access to that network’s coverage. It carries a $8 or $14 monthly charge—and the service has recently done away with its free trial.
Disney+
Disney's bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $17 per month for all three combined (or $30 per month for no ads on Hulu).
Including Live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $77 per month ($90 with no ads).
Hulu with Live TV
The free trial on this service lasts three days. Afterward, it will cost you $77 per month.
YouTubeTV
After a free trial, you can expect monthly charges of $73.
Sling TV
Dish Network's Sling lower-tiered "Orange" plan will run you $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive "Blue" plan bumps the cost to $55 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, unfortunately.
DirecTV Stream
Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service will run you $80 per month and up after the free trial option.
Fubo TV
This sports-focused cord-cutting service carries broadcast networks in most markets as well as news channels. There's a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $80 and up, depending on the channels you choose.
Will Joe Biden attend Donald Trump’s inauguration?
Yes, Biden is expected to attend the inauguration.
Who will be performing on Inauguration Day?
Country music star Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” at the inauguration and Lee Greenwood, will reportedly perform as Trump walks out to take the oath. The Village People are also scheduled to perform at two inaugural events. Opera singer Christopher Macchio will perform the National Anthem.
What is the schedule for Donald Trump’s inauguration?
While today is the day Trump formally retakes the White House, activities began days ago.
Saturday, January 18, 2025
The President’s Reception and Fireworks at Trump Sterling
Cabinet Reception and Vice President’s Dinner
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Arlington National Cemetery Ceremony - Wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Make America Great Again Victory Rally
Candlelight Dinner
Monday, January 20, 2025
St. John’s Church Service
Tea at the White House
Swearing-In Ceremony - US Capitol
Farewell to President Biden and Vice President Harris
US Capitol Departure Ceremony
The President’s Signing Room Ceremony
JCCIC Congressional Luncheon
Presidential Review of the Troops
Presidential Parade - Pennsylvania Avenue
Oval Office Signing Ceremony at The White House
Commander in Chief Ball
Liberty Inaugural Ball
Starlight Ball
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
National Prayer Service
Who is scheduled to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration?
There will be a who’s who of tech CEOs attending Inauguration Day. Elon Musk, of course, will be on hand. Also scheduled to be there are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (who Trump threatened to jail last year, but has maneuvered back onto Trump’s good side) and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Also expected is TikTok CEO Shou Chew, whose company’s fate may well be in the hands of Trump. And, for the first time, China will send an official to the event. The country’s Vice President Han Zheng is expected to be in attendance as a special representative for Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whom Trump invited.
Other foreign dignitaries expected to attend include Argentine President Javier Milei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the foreign ministers from Japan and India. All former U.S. presidents will be in attendance.
Who is skipping Donald Trump’s inauguration?
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had a contentious relationship during his first term, will not attend the ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama has signaled she will not be in attendance as well.
What will the weather be like on Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day?
It’s going to be cold—so cold, in fact, that Trump has decided to move the inauguration inside the Capitol Rotunda. The temperature is expected be in the lower 20s and the wind chill will make it feel much colder than that. The low is forecast at 11. There’s also a 30% chance of snow.
That’s quite a chance from Trump’s first inauguration, when temperatures reached 48 degrees and there was a light rain.
When is the last time an inauguration was held indoors?
The last president to opt to take the oath of office indoors was Ronald Reagan in 1985. At the time, the temperature was just 7 degrees.
The change of venue will mean, once again, that Trump will not be sworn in with the big crowd he was hoping for. In a post on Truth Social Friday, he did announce, however, that supporters would be able to watch the ceremony at Capitol One Arena—and that he would join the crowd after he was sworn in.
Will flags fly at full staff on Inauguration Day?
The nation is still officially mourning the death of former President Jimmy Carter, meaning flags should remain at half-mast. That has irked Trump, who has complained about them being half-mast during his inauguration, saying it was a sign of Democratic disrespect.
Flags at the U.S. Capitol, however, will be flown at full-staff when Trump is sworn in, according to Speaker Mike Johnson, then returned to half-mast the following day. And several states, including Alabama, California, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, will fly the flag at full mast as well.
Flags have been flown at half-mast during an inauguration before. In January 1973, during President Nixon’s second inauguration, they were lowered following the death of former President Truman, who died Dec. 26, 1972.
