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WASHINGTON — At 11:48 a.m., Joseph R. Biden Jr. was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday, ushering in a new era of politics in Washington amid a global pandemic and political divisions.
The oath took place with a heightened security presence at the Capitol building, with Security forces, including as many as 25,000 National Guard troops keeping watch over the nation's capital as the new president was sworn in at the west front of the Capitol.
Mr. Biden, the 78-year-old former senator and vice president, was sworn in alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the highest elected office a woman has held in American history.
Mr. Biden was sworn in by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
The ceremony comes just two weeks after violent extremists supporting former President Donald Trump stormed the legislative chambers, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to at least 50 police.
Much of Washington has been in a state of lockdown since the Jan. 6 attack.
Mr. Trump departed from the Washington region around 8 a.m., becoming the first president to skip his successor’s inauguration since 1869.
While circumstances in Washington were unusual, many aspects of the ceremony were no different than any other presidential inauguration. It included musical performances, a poetry reading and, of course, the inauguration speech — a president’s national appeal for unity that reflects the mood of the nation.
MORE: THE INAUGURATION IN PHOTOS
After his speech, Mr. Biden pursued a flurry of executive orders and other actions that ramp up distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, encourage mask-wearing and invoke the Defense Production Act to shore up the supply chain of protective equipment.
Another tradition of Inauguration Day was true on Wednesday: blustery cold. Wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour made temperatures on Capitol Hill feel as cold as 25.
Here are highlights compiled during the historic day:
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10:20 p.m. — Fireworks light up sky to celebrate inauguration
Fireworks lit up the sky behind the Washington Monument on Wednesday night to mark the end of Inauguration Day for President Joe Biden.
Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden watched the end of the day’s events from a balcony in the White House on Wednesday night. The Bidens’ grandchildren danced and clapped on the balcony.
While the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns in Washington vastly scaled back inaugural events, organizers created a celebratory atmosphere with live and recorded celebrity performances, ending with singer Katy Perry.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, watched the fireworks from the steps of the Washington Monument after Ms. Harris delivered brief remarks, talking about the power of “American aspiration” in her first speech to the nation as vice president.
Ms. Harris called on Americans to remember “we are undaunted in our belief that we shall overcome, that we will rise up.”
She also cast her ascension as the first female vice president as a demonstration of the nation’s character.
Borrowing a line she frequently used on the campaign trail, she said, “We not only see what has been — we see what can be.”
Ms. Harris gave a nod to American scientists, parents and teachers who are persevering through the coronavirus pandemic and encouraged people to “see beyond crises.”
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6:45 p.m. — New look for the Oval Office
President Biden has given the Oval Office a slight makeover.
Mr. Biden revealed the new décor Wednesday as he invited reporters into his new office to watch him sign a series of executive orders hours after he took office.
A bust of Cesar Chavez, the labor leader and civil rights activist, is nestled among an array of framed family photos displayed on a desk behind the new president.
Benjamin Franklin peers down at Biden from a portrait on a nearby wall.
Mr. Biden brought a dark blue rug out of storage to replace a lighter colored one installed by Mr. Trump.
One office feature remains: Biden is also using what’s known as the Resolute Desk — also used by Mr. Trump — because it was built from oak used in the British Arctic exploration ship HMS Resolute.
— Associated Press
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6 p.m. — Biden signs executive orders, rejoins Paris climate accord
President Joe Biden has signed a series of executive orders from the Oval Office hours after his inauguration.
Biden wore a mask while seated behind the Resolute Desk with a stack of orders early Wednesday evening. He said there was “no time to start like today.”
The first order Biden signed was related to the coronavirus pandemic. He also signed an order reentering the U.S. into the Paris climate accord.
While his predecessor Donald Trump broke long-standing practice by skipping Biden’s inauguration, he did follow through on one tradition and left behind a letter for Biden.
The new Democratic president said Trump “wrote a very generous letter.” But Biden said he wouldn’t reveal its contents until he had a chance to speak with Trump.
— Associated Press
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5:10 p.m. — Biden expected to reverse Trump actions
President Biden will move swiftly to dismantle Donald Trump’s legacy on his first day in office, signing a series of executive actions that reverse course on immigration, climate change, racial equity and the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
The new president planned to sign the orders just hours after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda. With the stroke of a pen, Mr. Biden intends to halt construction on Mr. Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall, end the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization and revoke the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, aides said.
The 15 executive actions amount to an attempt to rewind the last four years of federal policies with striking speed. Only two recent presidents signed executive actions on their first day in office — and each signed just one. But r. Biden, facing the debilitating coronavirus pandemic, a damaged economy and a riven electorate, is intent on demonstrating a sense of urgency and competence that he argues has been missing under his Republican predecessor.
“We’ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities — much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build and much to gain,” Mr. Biden, a Democrat, said in his inaugural address.
— Associated Press
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5 p.m. — Harris’ first act: Swearing in 3 new senators
Three new Democratic senators have been sworn in to office by Vice President Kamala Harris. That means their party now has control of the White House and Congress for the first time in a decade.
Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both won Senate runoff elections in Georgia earlier this month, defeating Republicans Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. Alex Padilla was appointed by California’s governor to fill Harris’ seat.
Wednesday was Harris’ first time presiding over the Senate.
Mr. Warnock is Georgia’s first Black senator, and Mr. Padilla is California’s first Hispanic senator. Mr. Ossoff is Georgia’s first Jewish senator and, at 33, the Senate’s youngest sitting member.
The Senate is now divided 50-50. Democrats will be in control because the vice president casts tiebreaking votes in the chamber. Democrats have a 221-211 House majority, with three vacancies.
Democrats last controlled the White House, Senate and House in January 2011.
— Associated Press
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4:05 p.m. — White House welcomes Joe Biden, who gets straight to work
President Joe Biden has entered the White House for the first time as chief executive after walking an abbreviated parade route, still wearing his protective mask amid sounds of “Hail to the Chief.”
The 46th president and first lady Jill Biden walked through a military cordon lining the White House driveway with the flags of U.S. states, leading the first couple to the main entrance under the North Portico on Wednesday.
Mr. Biden was expected to immediately begin working, with a stack of executive orders on immigration and other matters awaiting his signature.
The final ceremonial flourish completed an abbreviated inaugural afternoon unlike any Washington has seen, with Mr. Biden being seen in person by only a relative smattering of Americans given security lockdowns after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and public health protocols amid the ongoing pandemic.
— Associated Press
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3:55 p.m. — President and first lady make way to White House by foot
During the parade from Arlington National Cemetery to the White House, President Biden and his wife exited the limousine and walked the last few blocks into the iconic executive mansion.
Many had speculated that Mr. Biden wouldn’t step beyond the safety of “The Beast” — the Secret Service’s name for the presidential limo — given the heightened security concerns in Washington, D.C., since the Jan. 6 insurrection.
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3:25 p.m. — In case you’re wondering: The oath was early, but nothing’s official until noon
The 46th president, known for his chronic tardiness, finished reciting his oath of office at 11:48 a.m. Wednesday with his hand on a five-inch-thick Bible that has been in his family for 127 years.
The ceremonies proceeding ahead of schedule had some wondering whether Biden’s swearing-in before noon meant he assumed the presidency 12 minutes early. But ultimately, it’s the 20th Amendment — not the inaugural itinerary — that determines when a new presidential term begins, no matter whether the oath takes place ahead of time, according to constitutional experts.
The 20th Amendment says the “terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January.”
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said it’s not taking the oath that results in an incoming president taking office.
“The oath is required, but it is not the act that makes Biden the next president,” Turley told The Washington Post in an email. Turley noted that no matter how early the president-elect swears the oath of office, the previous president remains the officeholder until noon.
— The Washington Post
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3:05 p.m. — Rep. Kelly says Biden needs to build on Trump’s “successful conservative policies”
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, the Butler Republican who offered his unwavering support to Donald Trump and his efforts to overturn the election, said in a statement Wednesday he promises to work with Joe Biden "where we agree" and "to responsibly oppose him where we do not."
"One way we can work together to unite our country is to build on the Trump Administration's successful conservative policies that led to unprecedented economic growth for American workers, families, and small businesses before the pandemic," Mr. Kelly said.
Mr. Kelly, who voted to object to Pennsylvania's election results on the day the Capitol was breached by Mr. Trump's supporters, said he hopes Mr. Biden's administration "will respect the lessons of the recent past by choosing common sense over radicalism that will only divide us further."
"Calls for unity and healing sound nice, but they must be backed by action," Mr. Kelly said.
— Julian Routh
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2:55 p.m. — A solemn moment on a day of celebration
President Biden joined former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton during a solemn event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Ceremony. Mr. Biden and Vice President Harris paid their respects before heading for the White House.
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2:50 p.m. — Wasting no time
President Biden’s team has started moving into the White House.
The building began humming again with activity a few hours after Biden’s inauguration Wednesday as staff for the new president started moving into their offices, unpacking belongings and getting the badges that grant them easy access to the property.
New press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that she was “in the building and ready to get to work.” Ms. Psaki has scheduled the new administration’s first White House press briefing for later Wednesday.
Mr. Biden plans to sign a flurry of executive orders, some overturning actions by former President Donald Trump, once he gets to the Oval Office.
The White House had been largely emptied out of staff after Mr. Trump flew to Florida on Wednesday morning, skipping his successor’s swearing-in.
— Associated Press
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2:15 p.m. — Biden, Harris heading for ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery
The new executives reviewed the troops outside the Capitol before heading to nearby Arlington National Cemetery, where Mr. Biden will join former presidents for a ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Immediately after the inauguration, Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris were presented with a variety of gifts, including a pair of flags that flew over the U.S. Capitol during the inauguration.
The presentations to the officials and their respective spouses happened Wednesday in lieu of a congressional luncheon that typically follows the inauguration ceremony.
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said Lenox had crafted a pair of commemorative vases for Biden and Harris, each weighing 32 pounds.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell gifted them with a pair of U.S. flags that were flown over the Capitol during the inauguration. McConnell noted that both Biden and Harris served in the Senate and “skipped the House altogether.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer presented photos from Wednesday’s ceremony.
Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri noted that the Smithsonian had loaned a painting titled “Landscape with Rainbow” by a notable Black painter from around the time of the Civil War.
— With Associated Press reporting
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1:10 p.m. — During ceremony, poet says “even as we grieved, we grew”
Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman summoned images dire and triumphant Wednesday as she called out to the world “even as we grieved, we grew.”
In language referencing Biblical scripture and at times echoing the oratory of John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the 22-year-old Gorman read with urgency and assertion as she began by asking “Where can we find light/In this never-ending shade?” and used her own poetry and life story as an answer. The poem’s very title, “The Hill We Climb,” suggested both labor and transcendence.
We did not feel prepared to be the heirs
Of such a terrifying hour.
But within it we’ve found the power
To author a new chapter,
To offer hope and laughter to ourselves.
It was an extraordinary task for Ms. Gorman. A native and resident of Los Angeles and the country’s first National Youth Poet Laureate, Ms. Gorman told The Associated Press last week that she planned to combine a message of hope for President Biden’s inaugural without ignoring “the evidence of discord and division.”
Invited to the inaugural late last month by first lady Jill Biden, Gorman has read at official occasions before — including a July 4 celebration when she was backed by the Boston Pops Orchestra. She has also made clear her desire to appear at a future inaugural, in a much greater capacity, an ambition she stated firmly in her poem.
We, the successors of a country and a time,
Where a skinny black girl,
Descended from slaves and raised by a single mother,
Can dream of becoming president,
Only to find herself reciting for one.
— Hillel Italie, Associated Press
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12:48 p.m. — Pence departs
Former Vice President Mike Pence has departed from the Capitol building after speaking with his successor, Kamala Harris.
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12:30 p.m. — Inauguration ceremony ends
President Biden greeted guests as he departed the Capitol and made his way to the White House.
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12:30 p.m. — Crowd gathers to watch post-inauguration procession
More than a hundred people stood in the cold waiting to get through a security checkpoint to reach Pennsylvania Avenue, where they hoped to catch a glimpse of the presidential procession.
People watched the inauguration ceremony on their phones Wednesday, cheering as Vice President Kamala Harris, then President Joe Biden took the oath.
“I feel so hopeful, so thankful,” said Karen Jennings Crooms, a D.C. resident waiting in line with her husband. “It makes us sad that this is where we are but hopeful that democracy will win out in the end. That’s what I’m focusing on.”
Her husband, Vernal Crooms, who attended Howard University at the same time as Harris but didn’t know her, said he was happy to see the Donald Trump era end.
He said, “We’ve turned the page. Light prevailed and the lie didn’t last.”
— Associated Press
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11:53 a.m. — Mr. Biden takes oath, addresses crowd
Mr. Biden, saying the will of the people has prevailed, called Wednesday “America’s day. This is democracy’s day.”
Mr. Biden spoke for roughly 20 minutes and concluded his remarks around 12:13 p.m.
The president called on Americans to overcome their divisions, declaring in his first address in office that “without unity, there is no peace.”
Mr. Biden also pledged during his inaugural address that he would be honest with the country as it continues to confront difficulties, saying that leaders have an obligation “to defend the truth and defeat the lies.”
He asked even those who did not vote for him to give him a chance. He said, “Hear me out as we move forward.”
As he did frequently during the campaign, Mr. Biden pledged that he will be a “president for all Americans” and will “fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.”
He added, “We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue.”
After the speech, county singer Garth Brooks sang “Amazing Grace.”
With Associated Press reporting.
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11:46 a.m. — Jennifer Lopez sings
After Kamala Harris took her oath office, singer Jennifer Lopez sang “This Land is Your Land.”
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11:41 a.m. — Harris takes oath of office
Kamala Harris became the first female and the first Black and Asian American vice president. She was be sworn in on a Bible belonging to Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court Justice. Administering her oath of office was Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Court.
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11:40 a.m. — Lady Gaga sings national anthem
Attendees stood in silence an an invocation prayer was read. That was followed by the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and the pledge of allegiance. The national anthem was sung by singer, songwriter and actress Lady Gaga, who famously campaigned for Mr. Biden during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh.
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11:24 a.m. — Pa. AG Shapiro celebrates ‘peaceful transfer of power’
Having defended Pennsylvania and its voters more than a dozen times from Republican efforts to overturn races in the November election, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said — about 45 minutes out from the inaugural ceremony — that it's time to celebrate.
"I think it is important that we do take a moment today to celebrate, and to recognize that our institutions did hold and that there is going to be a peaceful transfer of power in about 45 minutes," Mr. Shapiro said at a virtual gathering of Democrats, hosted by Erie County's party.
Mr. Shapiro, who was sworn in for a second term a day earlier, boasted of his office's wins in court, but said that there is "a lot we still have to unpack, including the violent insurrection that was egged on not just by the president of the United States but by his enablers."
— Julian Routh
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11:20 a.m. — Biden introduced
President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were greeted warmly by those in attendance at today’s inauguration ceremony. As fanfare played, Mr. Biden and his wife took their seats at the front of the Capitol porch. Mr. Biden is less than an hour away from becoming the 46th president of the United States.
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11:12 a.m. — Harris and husband introduced
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were introduced to the crowd with a round of applause.
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11:10 a.m. — Former Republican leaders attend Biden inaugural
Former Republican leaders and lawmakers are among those gathering at the Capitol for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was attending the Wednesday ceremony to “honor the process” after a year that he said tested the nation’s institutions. He said he was there “out of respect for the peaceful transfer of power.”
Former Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona says it’s “too bad” that outgoing President Donald Trump did not attend for “that handoff that the world can see.”
Flake is a Trump critic. He says he hopes it’s a “moment of renewal” for the nation. He says he thinks “Americans will sleep easier knowing that we have a more steady hand in the White House.”
— Associated Press
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11:05 a.m. — Pence receives applause
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife were greeted with applause after being announced to the crowd. Mr. Pence is attending the inauguration despite President Trump’s snubbing of the event.
Flouting tradition, Mr. Trump departed Washington on Wednesday morning ahead of the inauguration rather than accompany his successor to the Capitol.
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are attending.
The other living former president, 96-year-old Jimmy Carter, previously announced he would not attend.
— With Associated Press reporting
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11 a.m. — Sen. Casey in attendance
Ready for President @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris! pic.twitter.com/aV7pmjFJ4X
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) January 20, 2021
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10:45 a.m. — Attorney General will resign at moment Biden takes oath
Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen will resign when President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office.
The Justice Department says Rosen’s resignation goes into effect at noon Wednesday.
Rosen has run the department since former Attorney General William Barr resigned on Dec. 23. He was previously the deputy attorney general and deputy transportation secretary.
Rosen has kept a low profile since he assumed the top job at the Justice Department. He has not held a press conference or addressed the press corps since he took the role, even after a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. He has only released pre-recorded videos discussing the matter and issued statements.
Longtime Justice Department official Monty Wilkinson is expected to assume the role of acting attorney general while Judge Merrick Garland awaits confirmation by the Senate.
— Associated Press
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10:27 a.m. — Biden and his wife arrive at the Capitol
The president-elect and his wife have arrived at the U.S. Capitol building. Other dignitaries, including former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and their families, have already arrived. Vice President Mike Pence also has arrived and will be attending the ceremony.
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10:10 a.m. — 17 House GOP freshmen congratulate Biden
A group of 17 House Republican freshmen, led by Rep. Beth Van Duyne (Tex.) wrote to Biden on Wednesday, congratulating him on his victory and offering to work with him on issues where they can find common ground.
“After two impeachments, lengthy inter-branch investigations, and, most recently, the horrific attack on our nation’s capital, it is clear that the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans does not serve a single American,” they wrote. “Americans are tired of the partisan gridlock and simply want to see leaders from both sides of the aisle work on issues important to American families, workers, and businesses.”
In the letter, the lawmakers cited several issues on which they see potential, including protecting people with preexisting conditions, improving the country’s infrastructure and restoring the economy in the aftermath of the pandemic.
— Washington Post
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9:45 a.m. — Trump predicts 'success' for new administration
Trump says he thinks the new administration will have “great success” and claims to have laid the foundation for it.
Trump says the new administration has the “foundation to do something really spectacular.” He made brief farewell remarks at Maryland’s Joint Base Andrews before he boarded Air Force One for a flight to his Florida home.
Trump did not mention President-elect Joe Biden by name during his Wednesday remarks.
Trump told cheering, chanting supporters he’ll be watching and listening from a distance. He promised he will be back “in some form” and wished the crowd a “good life” before he and his wife boarded the plane.
— Associated Press
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9:20 a.m. — Trump follows tradition, leaves note for Biden
President Donald Trump has followed at least one presidential tradition.
The White House says the Republican president left behind a note for his successor, Democrat Joe Biden. Deputy press secretary Judd Deere declined to reveal what Trump wrote to Biden or to characterize the sentiment in the note, citing privacy for communication between presidents.
Trump has refused to publicly concede to Biden and did not mention the Democrat by name in a pair of farewell addresses.
— Associated Press
8:45 a.m. — Biden goes to church before his inauguration
President-elect Joe Biden is attending church ahead of his inauguration, a traditional step taken ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
Biden and incoming first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday are attending a service at Washington’s Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. With them are incoming Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff.
— Associated Press
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8:30 a.m. — Gov. Tom Wolf extends Biden his congratulations
“Today a scrappy kid from Scranton will become the 46th president of the United States,” Wolf said in a morning tweet. “Looking forward to getting to work rebuilding our economy, fighting the spread of COVID-19, and realizing the vision of a better future for everyone.”
Today a scrappy kid from Scranton will become the 46th president of the United States.
— Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) January 20, 2021
Congrats @PresElectBiden. Looking forward to getting to work rebuilding our economy, fighting the spread of COVID-19, and realizing the vision of a better future for everyone. #InaugurationDay pic.twitter.com/bb8DRJm0JV
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8:18 a.m. —Trump leaves White House for final time as president
Trump emerged from the building Wednesday morning and strode across the South Lawn to board Marine One. He said, “It’s been a great honor, the honor of a lifetime.”
Trump now heads to Joint Base Andrews in suburban Maryland, where he’ll have a military sendoff. A red carpet has been placed on the tarmac for Trump to walk as he boards the plane. Four U.S. Army cannons are set up for a 21-gun salute. Trump then flies to Florida, where he’ll stay at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump is leaving Washington just hours before Joe Biden takes the oath of office as the 46th president. It’s the first time in more than a century that a sitting president has rejected the tradition of attending his successor’s inauguration.
8 a.m. — Biden speech to look forward, not dwell on Trump
Two of the Biden administration’s top communications officials are describing the incoming president’s inaugural address as a forward-looking speech that will make little to no mention of his predecessor.Communications director Kate Bedingfield told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Wednesday that President-elect Joe Biden’s address would “speak to the moment that we are in, but it will also lay out a vision for the future.”
Biden press secretary Jen Psaki tells CNN that Biden’s inaugural address is “definitely not a speech about Donald Trump” and she “wouldn’t expect” to hear about him in it.
Bedingfield says Biden had not had any contact with the outgoing president.
Asked why Biden had invited political opponents including House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy to join him at a Mass on Wednesday morning, Psaki said it “felt important to him personally to have members of both parties ... and use that as an example to the American public.”
— Associated Press
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7 a.m. — EU sighs with relief as Biden readies to enter White House
The European Union’s top officials breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday that Joe Biden will be taking over as president of the United States, but they warned that the world has changed after four years of Donald Trump and that trans-Atlantic ties will be different in the future.
“This new dawn in America is the moment we’ve been awaiting for so long,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, hailing Biden’s arrival as “resounding proof that, once again after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House.”
“The United States are back, and Europe stands ready to reconnect with an old and trusted partner to breathe new life into our cherished alliance,” she told EU lawmakers, hours before Biden was to be sworn in at his inauguration ceremony in Washington.
— Associated Press
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5:15 a.m. — On Day One, Biden to overturn Trump immigration, climate policies
In his first hours as president, Joe Biden will sign 15 executive actions that reverse his predecessor’s orders on immigration, climate change and handling of the pandemic.
Biden on Wednesday will end construction on Trump’s border wall, end the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries, rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization, and revoke the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, aides said Tuesday. The new president will sign the orders almost immediately after taking the oath of office at the Capitol, pivoting quickly from his pared-down inauguration ceremony to enacting his agenda.
“I think the most important thing to say is that tomorrow starts a new day,” said Jeff Zients, Biden’s choice to lead a new White House office that will coordinate the federal government’s revamped response to the pandemic.
— Associated Press
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Inauguration schedule:
▪ Coverage of the inauguration will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern, with the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for later in the morning on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
▪ Kamala Harris will first be sworn in as vice president by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Shortly before noon, Biden, 78, will then be sworn in as president by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Biden will take the oath with his hand on top of his 127-year-old, 5-inch-thick family Bible, which will be held by his wife, Jill Biden.
▪ After he takes the oath of office, Biden will deliver his first presidential address to the country.
▪ Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem, and Amanda Gorman, who became the country's first Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, will read a poem she has written for the occasion called "The Hill We Climb."
▪ Country music superstar Garth Brooks and singer Jennifer Lopez are also scheduled to perform.
▪ A longtime friend of the Biden family, the Rev. Silvester Beaman, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Del., will deliver a benediction.
How to watch the inauguration:
▪ The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will livestream the inauguration here.
▪ Also, the Biden Inaugural Committee will broadcast an official livestream of all events on its website.
▪ Or you can view it on any of the Biden Inaugural Committee social media channels:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bideninaugural
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BidenInaugural/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BidenInaugural
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/inauguration2021
▪ Television networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox, PBS, NBC and MSNBC also will air live coverage of the inauguration.
Laying of wreath at Arlington:
Biden and Harris and their families will visit Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They will be joined by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, and President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton.
Virtual inauguration parade:
Instead of an in-person parade along Pennsylvania Avenue, a virtual “Parade Across America” will start at 3:15 p.m. after Biden’s swearing-in.
The parade will be kicked off with Biden and Harris walking to the White House escorted by drum lines from the University of Delaware and Howard University, their alma maters. The virtual “parade” will include performances by the U.S. Coast Guard Band and the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon as well as marching bands, drill teams, Scout troops, dancers and drummers from around the country.
‘Celebrating America’ concert:
And instead of the traditional balls, Wednesday’s festivities will conclude with a prime-time special, “Celebrating America.”
▪ The special will air from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET Wednesday.
▪ The program will be carried live by ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, MSNBC and PBS and streamed live on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.
Tom Hanks will host the event, along with Kerry Washington and Eva Longoria introducing special segments throughout the night. Biden and Harris will both speak, just hours after being inaugurated to the highest jobs in the country.
The evening will feature Jon Bon Jovi, Ant Clemons, Foo Fighters, John Legend, Demi Lovato, Bruce Springsteen and Justin Timberlake, and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda will recite a classic work.
NBA icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen; Kim Ng, the first woman MLB general manage; and Dolores Huerta, the labor leader who co-founded the United Farm Workers, will also appear.
Civilian special guests include Anthony Gaskin, a Virginia UPS driver; 8-year-old Cavanaugh Bell, who made care packages for senior citizens and started a community food pantry in Maryland; Washington kindergarten teacher Mackenzie Adams; and 8-year-old Wisconsin entrepreneur Morgan Marsh-McGlone, who raised $50,000 for food-insecure families with a virtual lemonade stand.
First Published: January 20, 2021, 1:01 p.m.
Updated: January 21, 2021, 12:38 a.m.