Washington DC: Donald Trump, the real estate mogul and reality television star who upended American politics and energized voters angry with Washington, sworn in Friday as the 45th president of the United States, putting Republicans in control of the White House for the first time in eight years.
Here are the live updates from the event:
- Donald Trump arrived back at the White House after attending three inaugural balls celebrating his election.
- Vice President Mike Pence paid tribute to veterans with a stop at another inaugural celebration.Pence pledged that the Trump administration would take better care of the nation's veterans and give the military "every tool" it needs.
- After the inaugural balls, Trump and Melania participated in a traditional dance and cake-cutting with members of the US military.
- "Thank you all for your service. I'm honored to be your first lady," said First Lady Melania Trump as she thanked the members of the armed services at the third and final inaugural ball. The first couple then danced to "I Will Always Love You."
- Donald Trump addresses the crowd before the third ball.
- Trumps on their way to the Armed Services Ball.
- "There has never been a movement like this anywhere in the world; will Make America Great Again," Trump said at the second Inaugural Ball.
- Trumps on their way to the second Inaugural Ball.
- The first couple - Donald and Melania Trump dance to "My Way," and are joined by Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Susan, as well as Trump family members.
- Donald Trump addresses the crowd. "People that weren't so nice to me were saying that we did a really good job today," he said.
- US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump enter the Liberty Ball.
- Trumps arrive at the Inaugural Ball.
- Pelican 212 rock out to the James Brown classic "I Feel Good" at Inaugural ball for President Trump
- The Rockettes show off their signature leg kicks during an inaugural ball for President Donald Trump
- US President Donald Trump signs executive decree against Obamacare health law
- US Secretary of defense James Mattis has issues his first statement to the Pentagon, says "It’s good to be back"
- US VP Mike Pence swears in General John Kelly as Secretary of Homeland Security
- Color guard performs at one of the inaugural balls for President Trump
- White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweets a photo of the president signing his first executive orders in the Oval Office
- President Donald Trump makes interior design changes to the Oval Office, adding gold couches and curtains
- US President Trump and family return to the White House after inaugural parade
- US President Donald Trump arrives at the White House, Melania and Barron at his sides
- President Trump waves to supporters during Inaugural Parade
- US President Donald Trump, Frist Lady Melania Trump and First family walks along the Inaugural Parade route.
- President Trump looks out the window of his Presidential limo during the inauguration parade
- "Yankee Doodle" is played ahead of President Trump's inaugural parade
- President Trump's twitter account @POTUS gets more than five million followers, hours after he was sworn-in
- US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife head to Inaugural Parade.
- Donald Trump asks the crowd at congressional luncheon to stand for Hillary Clinton
- Speaking at Inaugural Luncheon, President Trump says, "I have a lot of respect for Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton"
- Planes, trains and buses full of women are headed to Washington DC ahead of tomorrow’s Women’s March in Washington.
- US President Donald Trump presented with official photo of his inauguration
- Trump International Hotel staff/employees bring out a giant "Thank You" banner covered in signatures and messages
- Police standoff with protesters continues in DC, where nearly 100 arrests have been made
- Former VP Biden took the train from Washington to Wilmington, Delaware, after the inauguration
- Violent clashes by protesters resume with police in downtown Washington blocks from Trump inauguration parade route
- President Donald Trump thanks Hillary Clinton for attending the Congressional luncheon after his inauguration
- President Trump signs his first documents as 45th President of the United States
- “This isn’t a period, it’s a comma, in the continuing story that is America,” says Obama
- Former US President Barack Obama says, "You proved the power of hope."
- Washington, President Trump and VP Pence wave goodbye
- Obamas and Trumps and Bidens and Pences walk out of the Capitol
- President Donald Trump takes over @POTUS Twitter feed from former President Barack Obama
- Jackie Evancho​ performs the national anthem after Donald Trump​ is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.
- US President Donald Trump's Inauguration speech as prepared was of 1,432 words.
- President Trump, in closing at Inauguration Day speech says, "Together, we will make America great again."
- The peaceful transfer of power happens on Twitter. First Lady @MELANIATRUMP has officially taken over "@FLOTUS."
- It’s raining. The umbrellas come out on the platform. Trump ignores it.
President Trump: "The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans" - President Donald Trump tells American people in his inaugural address, 'This moment is your moment. It belongs to you'
- The United States of America's 45th President Donald Trump's nuclear launch codes have now been activated
- Donald J Trump takes oath of office as the 45th President of the United States
- Mike Pence takes oath of office as the 48th Vice President of the United States
- The Missouri State University Chorale performs at US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration
- Pastor Paula White-Cain delivers invocation at Donald Trump's inaugural swearing-in ceremony
- US President-elect Donal Trump and VP-elect Mike Pence arrive at the Capitol Hill platform
- President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden arrive at the platform of Capitol Hill for swearing-in ceremony
- Obamas, Trumps arrive at Capitol Hill for the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump.
- A motorcade of the outgoing and incoming Presidents and Vice Presidents is now on its way to Capitol Hill.
- Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump leave White House to go to Capitol Hill.
- Hillary and Bill Clinton arrive at US Capitol. Hillary lost the election to Trump, winning just 232 electoral votes to Trump's 306.
- Hundreds of thousands, including dignitaries across political line, gather at the Capitol Hill to witness Trump's inauguration.
- The Obamas welcome Trump and his wife Melania to the White House with great candour.
- US Vice President Joe Biden receives his incoming successor Mike Pence at the White House
- Barack Obama left the Oval Office for the last time, and he and his family waited for Trump and Pence to arrive.
- Trump and Vice-President elect Mike Pence are enroute the White House to meet outgoing President Barack Obama.
- US President-elect Donald Trump, soon to be inaugurated as President, arrived to attend church service at St John's Church in Lafayette Square in Washington DC.
"It all begins today!" Trump tweeted at daybreak. "THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES - THE WORK BEGINS!"
Read: 'The work begins': Trump tweets on the day of Presidential inauguration
Ebullient Trump supporters flocked to the nation's capital for the inaugural festivities, some wearing red hats emblazoned with his "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. But in a sign of deep divisions Trump sowed during his combative campaign, dozens of Democratic lawmakers were boycotting the swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill.
Read: Presidential inauguration: Trump begins the day with traditional church visit
While Trump came to power bucking convention, he was wrapping himself in the traditional pomp and pageantry that accompanies the peaceful transfer of power. The President-in-waiting will attend church with his family Friday morning, then meet President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama for tea at the White House. The Trumps and the Obamas will travel together in the presidential limousine for the short trip to the Capitol for the noon swearing-in ceremony.
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Trump supporters started lining up at security checkpoints before dawn to take their places in the quadrennial rite of democracy.
Read: ‘Will bring our jobs back’: Trump vows to unify US on inauguration eve
"I'm here for history," said Kevin Puchalski, a 24-year-old construction worker who drove from Philadelphia to attend the swearing-in. "This is the first president that I voted for that won." His big hope: Trump builds that promised wall on the U.S.-Mexican border. "Keep the illegals out," he said.
Read: 10 promises Donald Trump made for his first day in office
Protesters, too, were out early, some wearing orange jumpsuits with black hoods over their faces.
Eleanor Goldfield, who helped organize the Disrupt J20 protest, said demonstrators hope to show they will not be silent throughout Trump's presidency. She called Trump supporters "misguided, misinformed or just plain dangerous."
Alos Read: Over 90 anti-Trump protesters arrested amid clashes with Washington DC police
Trump aides said the president-elect had been personally invested in crafting his inaugural address, a relatively brief 20-minute speech that is expected to center on his vision for what it means to be an American. Spokesman Sean Spicer said the address would be "less of an agenda and more of a philosophical document."
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Trump has pledged to upend Obama's major domestic and national security policies, including repealing his signature health care law and building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But he's offered few details of how he plans to accomplish his agenda, often sending contradictory signals.
Read: Washington braces for massive protests as Trump set to become new President
The three days of inaugural festivities kicked off Thursday. Trump left his Trump-branded jet in New York and flew to Washington in a government plane, saluting an Air Force officer as he descended the steps with his wife, Melania. He and the incoming vice president, Mike Pence, solemnly laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery before joining supporters for an evening concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
"We're going to unify our country," Trump said at the close of the two-hour concert featuring country star Toby Keith, soul's Sam Moore and The Piano Guys. But not singer Jennifer Holliday: She backed out after an outcry from Trump critics.
Also Read: We must speak our minds openly: US President Trump in his inaugural address
With rain a possibility, the National Park Service announced that it was easing its "no umbrella" policy for Friday, allowing collapsible umbrellas along the parade route and on the National Mall.
The nation's soon-to-be president joked about the chance of a downpour. "That's OK," Trump told campaign donors at an event Thursday night, "because people will realize it's my real hair."
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"Might be a mess, but they're going to see that it's my real hair," he said.
Whatever the weather, Trump supporters were looking ahead to the day.
Chris Lehmann, 55, a maintenance supervisor from Belmar, New Jersey, said: "I'm so excited, I'm like, on top of the world."
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Eleanor Haven, 83, of Alexander City, Alabama, was attending the festivities with her son, Scott Haven. The pair said they had never been to a political event before attending a Trump "thank you" tour rally in Alabama after the election and were looking forward to Friday's celebration.
"We're excited for changes in the country," Scott Haven said.
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All of the living American presidents were scheduled to attend the swearing in ceremony, except for 92-year-old George H.W. Bush, who was hospitalized this week with pneumonia. His wife, Barbara, was also admitted to the hospital after falling ill. Trump tweeted his well-wishes to the Bushes, saying he was "looking forward to a speedy recovery."
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Hillary Clinton, Trump's vanquished campaign rival, also planned to join dignitaries at Capitol Hill.
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While Trump revels in a celebratory lunch with lawmakers and parade down Pennsylvania Avenue - passing his newly opened Washington hotel - workers at the White House will set about the frantic process of moving out the Obamas and preparing the residence for its new occupants. Moving trucks were on standby Friday morning at the White House.
Also Read: Trump thanks Hillary Clinton for attending his inauguration
Obama, who will continue to live in Washington, was leaving town with his family after the inauguration for a vacation in Palm Springs, California. He planned to address a farewell gathering of staff at Joint Base Andrews before boarding his plane.
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