Trump's Inauguration; A President's Return to Power After 132 Years

After 132 years, Donald Trump is the first President of the United States to return to the Oval Office after a four-year hiatus, on Monday, January 21. He has promised to bring America back to its 'greatness' and emphasized that with his return to leadership, the 'golden age of America' has already begun; a reference to the economic prosperity of this superpower from 1948 to 1973. Kamala Harris, the current Senate President and the defeated Democratic nominee against Trump in the presidential election on November 6, officially announced the election results in a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives on January 7, declaring Trump the winner. The 78-year-old Trump will become the 47th President of the United States on Monday, with 40-year-old J.D. Vance as his Vice President. On Inauguration Day, a tradition of leaving a note on the White House desk is observed. According to the 20th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which details the terms and regulations for the end of a president's term and the start of a new president's term, the new president officially begins at noon on January 20. The amendment allows for the inauguration to be postponed to the next day if January 20 falls on a Sunday, but this year, it is on a Monday (January 21). On January 20, the outgoing president accompanies the elected president during the inauguration ceremony at the Capitol. Traditionally, the outgoing president leaves a note on the White House desk addressed to their successor. Four years ago, Trump did not attend Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony, but U.S. media reported that he left a very kind note for Biden when leaving the White House. Bill Clinton mentioned that George H.W. Bush left a letter that reflected his honor, kindness, and compassion on his desk. This year's inauguration will take place indoors at the Capitol due to cold weather. Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth on January 17 that according to weather forecasts, temperatures in Washington D.C. on Monday could be very cold, and 'I do not want to see anyone harmed in any way.' The last time an inauguration was held indoors at the Capitol was during Ronald Reagan's second term in 1985. The elected president and their vice president take an oath to serve the nation by placing their hands on the Bible; the vice president takes the oath first, followed by the elected president: '...so help me God.' It is customary for the president's spouse to hold the family Bible, and the elected president places their left hand on it while raising their right hand to take the oath. Some elected presidents have not used the Bible. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court reads the oath, and the elected president repeats the phrases. This year, Chief Justice John Roberts will read the presidential oath, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh will read the text for the vice presidential oath. The oath symbolizes the peaceful transfer of power for the American people since the presidency of George Washington, the first president of the country. The oath signifies that those elected are representatives of the people, and their powers are based on the Constitution and ordinary laws. After taking the oath, the president delivers a speech. The new president then signs the first executive orders prepared by their team during the transition period in the Oval Office. Afterward, they and their vice president participate in the traditional parade through the streets of Washington, walking several kilometers with a large crowd of supporters following them. The new president will attend several celebrations with their spouse and family that evening and will then host a celebration for a select group of guests. Bill Clinton danced at 14 different parties on his inauguration day. Since 1901, a joint committee from Congress has managed the presidential inauguration ceremony and determines its details. Whether the elected president is a Democrat or a Republican, the committee members are from both parties. This year, the committee, chaired by Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota, includes Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, and Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader. The costs of the inauguration ceremony and the official speech of the new president are covered by a special joint committee of Congress. This cost is separate from the funds that supporters of a president raise for private and public celebrations on that day to honor their chosen candidate. Four thousand police forces and 7,800 National Guard members will be present in Washington on Inauguration Day. The main performer at this year's inauguration is Carrie Underwood, a country singer, who is set to sing 'America the Beautiful' alongside the armed forces and the Glee Club from the Naval Academy. Carrie Underwood has stated that she loves America and is honored to perform and be part of 'a small part of this historic event.' Kid Rock, a singer who supports Trump, will also perform at the ceremony. Many famous singers and generally the art world in Hollywood either chose silence during this election or, like Taylor Swift, loudly supported Trump's rival. According to CNN, while many American football fans are excited about Carrie Underwood's selection to sing at Trump's inauguration, any 'celebrity' who shows support for Trump faces backlash from left-leaning fans and colleagues in Hollywood. CNN noted that historically, Hollywood has always had a close relationship with the Democratic Party, but country music stars have generally been more conservative. However, two prominent country singers, Mickey Guyton and Maren Morris, supported Kamala Harris this time. Trump's return to the presidency comes with a wealth of experience and support. Despite raising over $170 million from supporters for inauguration celebrations and related events, it seems that the number of events planned this time is fewer. It is estimated that by the day before the inauguration, $200 million will have been raised for Trump's inauguration fund. This amount was $107 million eight years ago, which was also a record at that time. Private donations this time, part of which came from large companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Boeing, and Google, are more than three times the amount that Biden's supporters raised for his inauguration four years ago. However, Biden did not have the chance to hold any celebrations when he started, as America and the world were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MAGA movement, which is the main loyal faction to Donald Trump within the Republican Party, will kick off Trump's inauguration celebrations on Saturday, January 20, with fireworks at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia and will continue with various events until the late hours of Monday, January 21. Those wishing to attend the lavish 'Dinner Under the Stars' with Trump and his vice president at nearby tables must have donated one million dollars. The price of attending the dinner during Trump's first term was half a million dollars. According to The Guardian, the reason for the doubling of this figure is the significant increase in demand to show support for Trump. This week, Trump attended a memorial for Jimmy Carter and referred to him as 'a good man,' but expressed dissatisfaction that American flags would be flown at half-mast for a month after Carter's death. Axios has now reported that following Trump's discontent, the flags will be flown at full staff on Inauguration Day. The tradition of the inauguration on the steps is also being broken. It is predicted that the temperature on Inauguration Day will drop to below 10 degrees Celsius, and Trump requested to move the ceremony indoors to prevent discomfort for attendees who must be outside in the cold for hours. Trump himself is 78 years old, and many judges, senior officials, and former presidents attending the ceremony are also elderly. Previously, during Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in January 1985, 40 years ago, the inauguration was held indoors at the Capitol. The temperature on Monday is expected to be the coldest in 40 years.