The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States marked the commencement of the first term of Trump as president and the only term of Mike Pence as vice president. An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 people attended the public ceremony held on Friday, January 20, 2017, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The event was the 58th presidential inauguration. Held in Washington, D.C., from January 17 to 21, 2017, inaugural events included concerts, the swearing-in ceremony, a congressional luncheon, parade, inaugural balls, and the interfaith inaugural prayer service. The inauguration was protested worldwide.
Administered by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, the presidential oath was taken by Trump as his first task after becoming president, in keeping with Article Two, Section 1, Clause 8 and the 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, with the vice presidential oath taken by Pence and administered by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas immediately preceding it. Trump was sworn in with his left hand on a pair of Bibles: his personal copy and the Lincoln Bible.
At 70 years, 220 days of age on Inauguration Day, Trump was the oldest person to assume the presidency. Four years later, in 2021, he was surpassed by Joe Biden at 78 years, 61 days. Trump reclaimed the title with his second inauguration, exactly eight years later, on January 20, 2025, at 78 years, 220 days of age.
Context
The inauguration marked the formal culmination of Donald Trump's presidential transition that began with his election on November 9, 2016, him becoming the president-elect. Trump and his running mate Mike Pence were formally elected by the Electoral College on December 19, 2016. The victory was certified by an electoral vote tally by a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2017.
Planning
The inauguration was planned primarily by two committees: the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee. The election was scheduled for November 8, 2016, but the congressional committee began construction of the inaugural platform on September 21.
Several artists approached to perform refused, including Jennifer Holliday, who originally intended to perform, but withdrew herself from the program after further consideration.
Joint Congressional Committee
The swearing-in ceremony and the inaugural luncheon for President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Pence were planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, a committee composed of Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the committee chair, and Senate party leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell Kentucky and Chuck Schumer of New York, and House speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, and House party leaders Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. The committee was overseen by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.
The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies chose the inaugural theme "Uniquely American" to highlight the inaugural ceremony as "a uniquely American expression of our Constitutional system" and stress the peaceful transition of power.
The Inauguration Committee released the full January 20 inaugural events schedule on December 21, 2016. 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.
Presidential Inaugural Committee
The 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee organized several other inauguration-related events at the direction of the president‑elect and vice president-elect of the United States, such as the concerts, parade, balls, and prayer service. The chairman of the committee was Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a real estate investor and longtime Trump friend and ally, and the founder of Colony Capital. The co-chairs of the committee were Lewis M. Eisenberg and Roy Bailey. Committee members included casino magnates Sheldon Adelson and Miriam Adelson, Steve Wynn, and Phil Ruffin, oil and gas entrepreneur Harold Hamm, businesswoman and film producer Diane Hendricks, coal businessman and philanthropist Joe Craft, Gail Icahn (wife of Carl Icahn), Dallasites Ray Washburne, Gentry Beach, Roy Bailey, and Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets.
The inaugural committee raised an unprecedented $107 million "from wealthy donors who gave $1 million or more." This was twice the amount raised by any previous inauguration committee. Observers agree that the actual inauguration expenses would have been a fraction of that amount, and the advocacy group Public Citizen has been seeking to know what happened to the remaining funds. Committee officials said they were evaluating charities to give the remaining funds to. In September 2017, the committee said it had given $3 million to three separate hurricane rescue organizations. An unspecified amount had also been used for redecorating the White House and Vice President Mike Pence's Washington residence. Thomas Barrack, the committee chair, said that further information about charitable donations would be released in November 2017, but no such announcement was made. The inauguration committee reported having $2.8 million in the bank as of October 2017.
According to a tax filing released on February 15, 2018, the committee donated $5 million to charity in 2017 – namely, the previously announced donations to hurricane relief, the White House Historical Association, and the Vice President's Residence Foundation. The majority of the committee's outlay – $57 million – went to four event-planning companies. The largest amount, $26 million, went to a California firm called WIS Media Partners, which was created in December 2016 by a close friend and advisor to Melania Trump, named Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, whose staff stayed at the Trump International Hotel during the planning of the inauguration. Wolkoff was personally paid about $500,000 for the inauguration. Twenty-four million dollars went to an independent organization, "Inaugural Productions", for the staging of several events. The committee reported nearly $15 million in administrative expenses, including $9.4 million for travel and $4.6 million for salaries and benefits for 208 employees. The committee spent more than $1.5 million at the Trump International Hotel. Ivanka Trump helped negotiate a rate of $175,000 per day for the committee's use of the hotel's Presidential Ballroom and meeting rooms after Gates and Wolkoff complained that Trump International Hotel managing director Mickael Damelincourt attempted to charge them above-market rates.
Pre-inaugural events
Diplomat summit: Chairman's Global Dinner
On Tuesday, January 17, then-President-elect Trump arrived in Washington, D.C., to attend what was titled the "Chairman's Global Dinner," a high-profile dinner that was intended to serve as an introduction between foreign diplomats and the incoming Trump administration officials and appointees. The dinner was black tie and invitation-only, and was described by The Wall Street Journal as the most high-profile event preceding the inauguration, with both Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence addressing the gathering. The event was held at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.
Rex Tillerson, Trump's choice to succeed John Kerry as secretary of state, was in attendance, as well as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and National Security Advisor-designate Michael T. Flynn, and Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer, according to reporters in attendance at the event. More than 200 foreign diplomats attended the event out of 500 total guests. During his speech to the group, Trump praised his choices thus far for Cabinet positions as well as his choice of Pence as his vice president. According to The Boston Globe and the Associated Press, the menu included mustard black cod and filet mignon as entrees, and baked Alaska for dessert.
Voices of the People concert
On the morning and afternoon of January 19, a day-long "Voices of the People" public concert was held at the Lincoln Memorial. The concert featured The King's Academy (West Palm Beach, Florida) Honor Choir, the Republican Hindu Coalition, the Montgomery Area High School Marching Band, Marlana VanHoose, the Maury NJROTC Color Guard, the Pride of Madawaska, Webelos Troop 177, the Northern Middle School Honors Choir, the American Tap Company, the Everett High School Viking Marching Band, the TwirlTasTix Baton Twirling group, and three bagpipe groups.
Arlington National Cemetery wreath laying ceremony
After returning home to New York City, Trump returned to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, January 19, arriving at Joint Base Andrews on a plane flown by the U.S. Air Force.
Trump and Vice President-elect Pence attended a luncheon at Trump's hotel at the Old Post Office Pavilion, and afterwards, the official wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, accompanied by his wife and family. Trump and Pence were escorted by Major General Bradley Becker at the ceremony. The Arlington National Cemetery is the burial place of more than 400,000 people, mostly members of the armed forces, Medal of Honor recipients, and high ranking political officials.
Make America Great Again Welcome Celebration concert
On the evening of January 19, Trump hosted the "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration," a concert for his supporters that were attending his inauguration the following day. The concert, held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, featured performances by Lee Greenwood (who performed "God Bless the USA"), Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down, DJ Ravidrums, The Piano Guys, and The Frontmen of Country (Tim Rushlow, Larry Stewart, and Richie McDonald). Trump addressed his supporters at the end of the festivities, saying that the "forgotten man and the forgotten woman will not be forgotten anymore". Actor Jon Voight also spoke at the event, stating, "We have been witness to a barrage of propaganda that left us all breathless with anticipation, not knowing if God could reverse all the negative lies against Mr. Trump, whose only desire was to make America great again." The concert concluded with a fireworks celebration, accompanied by a U.S. military choir and band performing the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Church service and White House reception
On the morning of the inauguration, on January 20, after staying the night at the Blair House, the traditional house used by the incoming president-elect due to its proximity to the White House, Trump and his wife, Melania, and Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, attended a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church. The tradition dates back to James Madison, with every president since then attending the church service the morning of their inauguration. The service was led by Robert Jeffress, a Southern Baptist minister who campaigned for Trump during the election.
After the church service, Trump and his wife went to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The Obamas greeted the Trumps, and Melania presented the couple with a gift. They then posed for photos in front of the White House press corps. The presentation of a gift was a tradition started by Michelle Obama when she presented George W. Bush and Laura Bush with a gift on the day of her husband's inauguration in 2009. Afterward, they held a tea reception inside the White House, along with Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, and Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence. As per tradition, following the meeting between the president and the president-elect, they shared the presidential motorcade limousine, and made their way to the Capitol for the inaugural ceremony.
Inaugural events
Ceremony
The ceremony was held at the West Front of the Capitol building. The weather conditions for 12 noon at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, located 3.1 miles from the ceremony, were: 48 °F (9 °C), wind 5 mph, and cloudy.
Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama, outgoing U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (who later defeated Trump in 2020 and then inaugurated as the 46th president in 2021), former U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, and former U.S. vice presidents Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney, along with their respective wives, attended the inauguration, including Hillary Clinton, who had been Trump's main opponent in 2016 (Clinton was attending as a former first lady, not as the losing candidate). Former U.S. president George H. W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush could not attend due to their health issues, and former U.S. vice presidents Walter Mondale and Al Gore were also absent.
Roy Blunt commenced the inauguration ceremony at 11:41 a.m. with welcoming remarks about the nation's "commonplace and miraculous" tradition of a peaceful transition of power. Courtney Williams, Senior Chief Musician and concert moderator for the U.S. Navy Concert Band, returned as the platform announcer for his 3rd consecutive inauguration. Three religious figures delivered invocations, followed by the Missouri State University chorale performing an original work, "Now We Belong". After short remarks, Chuck Schumer ended his speech by asking everyone to stand for the Vice-Presidential swearing-in.