President Donald Trump holds swearing-in inside Capitol Rotunda

THE swearing-in of Mr. Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States of America, on January 20, 2025 was held inside the Capitol Rotunda due to extreme weather condition in Washington, D.C.

Earlier, President-elect Trump and former President Joe Biden entered the Capitol side by side, the incoming president and the outgoing president together. They were flanked by a military honor guard contingent in the halls and followed by their wives and the outgoing and incoming vice presidents.

“Good morning,” Trump said as he entered the Capitol with Biden. Asked how they felt, Biden responded: “Well.”

Emancipation Hall’s overflow viewers jumped to their feet in applause as the president-elect walked into the Capitol  Rotunda and onto their screens. They started a muted “U-S-A” chant that quickly fizzled as the announcer asked everyone to take their seats for the ceremony.

Governors had also been relegated to the Emancipation Hall overflow viewing space, including Republicans Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Florida Gov. and former presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat. Kari Lake, a former candidate for senator and governor of Arizona, was also present.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer entered the Capitol. Asked how he felt, Schumer, the New York Democrat, holding a bright blue cap said, “Feel great about the bills.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, said it is “bright, sunny outside and bright in our heart.” Johnson said he expects “a lot” of executive orders from Trump.

Republicans and Democrats sat among each other as lawmakers did not have designated seats and took selfies before the official inaugural ceremony began.

While a majority of those in attendance were allies of President-elect Trump, lawmakers who have been critical of him and most recently outcasted also arrived to watch his inauguration ceremony. Rep. Pete Aguilar, a member of Democratic Leadership, led his colleagues into the Rotunda. The California lawmaker was pardoned by Biden recently for his work on the January 6, 2025 committee, which spent more than a year investigating Trump’s efforts to stay in office in 2020. Also in attendance were Rep. Mike Turner, a Republican from Ohio, who until last week was the chairman of the powerful House Intelligence committee. Turner was removed from the position by Speaker Mike Johnson after reportedly being urged by Trump to fill his place with a more conservative member.

All former living presidents attended and they were followed by the Supreme Court justices. All of Trump’s children took their seats on the platform. Former and current foreign leaders also made their way into Rotunda, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and recently-elected Argentinian President Javier Milei.

The CEOs of Meta, X, and Amazon sat in front of the president-elect’s entire Cabinet, a nod to the importance Trump has given the heads of some of the most powerful companies and social media platforms over his agency heads. Telsa owner Elon Musk and media magnate and Fox News creator Rupert Murdoch took their seats in the VIP area. Podcast host Joe Rogan was also seen taking his seat near the platform.

The bipartisan leaders of the 60th Inaugural Committee kicked off the ceremony by highlighting the endurance of American democracy as the country is close to celebrating 250 years. “Our great American experiment, grounded in the rule of law, has endured. So as we inaugurate a new president, let us remember that the power of those in this room comes from the people,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the committee chair, said in her speech.

Her Republican counterpart, Sen. Deb Fischer, echoed that sentiment. “Our democracy promised the American people the power to change, to chart their own destiny,” Fischer said. “That’s the beauty that is the importance of democracy. It allows endurance, the permanence of a nation and never change.”

During President-elect Trump’s inaugural speech, he is laying out his executive orders, starting with declaring a state of emergency on the southern border, which received a standing ovation from all Republicans and a few swing state Democrats, including Reps. Don Davis and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Elon Musk threw his hands up in the air as Trump announced the U.S. will plant its flag on Mars.

Later, the 60th Presidential Inaugural Ceremony Viewing and Parade was held at the Capital One Arena, a 20,000-seat entertaining and sports venue that hosts big-name acts plus NBA, NHL and WNBA games.