There is a chance of disturbances in Washington, but at the end of this Wednesday the Trump era has come to an end and Joe Biden can call himself the 46th president of the United States. What exactly does the day look like?
Is Joe Biden al in Washington?
Yes. He traveled from his home in Delaware to Washington on Tuesday. The near-president and his wife Jill will stay in a presidential guesthouse until the inauguration. Traditionally, the outgoing president invites his successor to the White House, but Donald Trump has not contacted Biden.
Will Trump be at the inauguration?
No, the current president will not be at the swearing-in either. It is the first time in 150 years that a outgoing president is not at the inauguration of his successor. Trump is expected to travel to his Florida resort on Wednesday morning.
Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence will attend the swearing-in.
What time does the ceremony start?
The ceremonies begin at 5:30 p.m. (Dutch time) and take place at the Capitol, which was stormed two weeks ago by more than a thousand Trump supporters. After an opening speech, Kamala Harris will be the first woman to take the oath that makes her officially the US Vice President. After that, Biden takes his oath and is officially the 46th president of the country.
The oath is taken by Chief Justice John Roberts. Then Biden will address the country and call for unity. Subsequently, performances by a large number of stars take place. Lady Gaga sings the national anthem, Jennifer Lopez performs a few songs and military musicians perform.
What will President Biden do first?
Following the inauguration, Biden and Harris, along with former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and their husbands, leave for Arlington Military Cemetery for their first official act of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Delegates from all branches of the armed forces then escort Biden to the White House. Meanwhile, actor Tom Hanks presents a one and a half hour virtual ‘parade’ across the US. Many superstars participate in this spectacle, such as Justin Timberlake and Jon Bon Jovi.
Will all of Donald Trump’s belongings still be in the White House?
No. Trump and all of his advisers and associates must have left the White House by the time Harris and Biden are sworn in, which is Wednesday at noon (US time). Five hours later, the Bidens are expected. In that short period of time, the staff must prepare the complex for the new residents.
Nearly 100 people are cleaning the White House and removing anything that reminds of Trump. Because of the corona pandemic, this time will be cleaned even more thoroughly than usual. Carpets, curtains, beds and desks are thoroughly cleaned. Biden’s personal items are also brought to the White House during that short period.
The permanent employees of Biden then have to find their own way in the White House. Trump did not invite them in advance, as is usual.
Is there an audience at the swearing-in?
No. Interested parties will be banned from Washington in every possible way on Wednesday. Due to the corona crisis, the inauguration would already take place in austere form, but the siege of the Capitol two weeks ago has put the city completely in lockdown.
A special emergency ordinance applies in Washington, and the mayor can impose a restraining order at any time. There is a huge fence around the parliament building and more than 20,000 National Guard reservists guard the center.
On the National Mall, the area near the Capitol where spectators would otherwise have gathered, are 56 huge columns of light representing the 50 states and six territories. There are also about 200,000 flags on the Mall, the minimum number of people present at an inauguration. When Obama was sworn in in 2009, there were one million people, Trump’s in 2017 had roughly 300,000.
Are disturbances to be expected?
Given the unusually heavy security, you would think little can happen. But several extremist groups are talking in private groups on social media and in encrypted messaging apps about armed demonstrations across the country. They see the events of January 6 as a huge victory and feel they got away with it despite the later arrests. They would like to repeat that trick.
To prevent disturbances, public transport around the city is largely shut down, Airbnb tries to ward off rioters, no permits for demonstrations have been granted and parking garages remain closed.
What will Biden do first in the White House?
Biden will issue a host of presidential orders in the early days of his tenure, reversing controversial Trump decisions. For example, the new president wants his country to participate in the Paris climate treaty again. The restrictions imposed by Trump on travelers from Islamic countries are also expected to die.
The upcoming president also wants to quickly change the immigration law drastically. More than eleven million people who are currently illegally residing in the US will then receive a residence permit. In addition, migrant children separated from their parents at the border with Mexico must be reunited with their relatives.
He also wants to take stricter measures by decree to tackle the spread of the corona virus. The wearing of masks in federal buildings and on public transportation between states will be mandatory. Biden also wants schools and companies to be able to reopen as soon as possible.
Earlier this week, Biden already announced a corona support package from more than $ 1,900 billion (nearly 1,600 billion euros). He plans to vaccinate more than 100 million Americans (nearly a third of the population) in his first 100 days.
What will happen to Trump after Wednesday?
Trump’s political future is uncertain. Rumor has it that he wants to start a new party, but chances are that he will soon have his hands full with various lawsuits.
There is also an impeachment procedure against him due to the storming of the parliament building by his supporters. Critics blame Trump for inciting his supporters. The Senate could decide that he should no longer be president in the future.
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