Skip to main content

800,000 expected at Trump’s inauguration

Trump

No fewer than 800,000 people are expected to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the U.S. on Friday.

The number is less than the all-time record attendance during President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009 as the 44th president.

Trump had encouraged his supporters to set an “all time record” for attendance, but planners are expecting about 800,000 people.

Trump’s inauguration ceremony on opens with the call to order from Sen. Roy Blunt, followed by readings and invocations and music from the Missouri State University chorale, according to the programme.

Mike Pence will then take the Vice Presidential oath of office, administered by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs, and then Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office, administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Trump will give his inaugural address, followed by more readings and a benediction and close with the national anthem.

Trump much-anticipated speech is expected to focus on structural problems within the country and setting an agenda for his first 100 days and beyond.

The inaugural committee announced the parade line-up, which includes high school bands, police troops and civic groups found across the country.

The statement also said that all branches of the military will be represented.

The parade’s announcer. Charlie Brotman, an 89-year-old who has announced every inaugural parade since President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s second term, was replaced by Trump’s inaugural committee and Brotman is instead “Announcer Chairmen Emeritus”.

The inauguration festivities are not confined to just the day-of events as Trump had on Thursday attended a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Ceremony.

He then hosted a “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” at the Lincoln Memorial in the evening, which was open to the public.

After his inauguration, Trump will attend inaugural balls in the evening but only three, a sharp decline when compared to Obama, who attended 10 in 2009 and former President Bill Clinton’s record 14.

Trump’s inaugural balls are the Washington Convention Centre, one called the Commander in Chief ball, which is a traditional military ball and then a series of private dinners.”

The new president will also attend a national prayer service at Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21.

The weekend is also expected to draw a lot of anti-Trump protests.

The largest is expected to be the Women’s March on Washington.

Organisers of the march predicted that 200,000 people will attend in a permit application.

Other rallies, both pro and anti-Trump, are expected to draw from 100 to 50,000 attendees.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...