Celebrations are held in Washington, DC, connected with the most important event for the United States - the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump. Federal News Agency monitors what is happening in Washington (read), and also provides information on everything related to this procedure.

Trump's inauguration: date and time

The inauguration of American presidents always takes place on January 20, it starts at 12:00 pm Eastern North American time and lasts for half an hour.

Donald Trump's inauguration will take place on Friday January 20, 2017, from 20.00 to 20.30 Moscow time.

Trump inauguration program

Some of the inaugural events have already taken place the day before, some are taking place at the moment. So today, January 20, starting at 17.30 Moscow time, before the start of the inauguration, a musical performance will be held near the western facade of the Capitol.

At 19.30 Moscow time, representatives of various faiths will make an appeal. Then a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Clarence Thomas will be sworn in as Vice President of the United States Michael Pence.

At 20.00 Moscow time Donald Trump take the oath of office as President of the United States in the presence of the Chief Justice of the United States John Glover Roberts. Then, according to the tradition laid down by the first President of the United States George Washington, the new president will put his hand on the Bible and say, "God help me!"

After that, the US anthem will be played by a 16-year-old singer. Jackie Ivanko.

After the ceremony, Trump and Pence will head to the Capitol for an identical lunch.

From 23.00 to 01.00 Moscow time, a solemn parade will take place with the participation of Donald Trump and Michael Pence, who will lead an eight thousandth column of representatives of all branches of the military, veterans, school and university orchestras, etc. The parade march will proceed from the Capitol to the White House.

Then, when it will be night in Moscow on Saturday, January 21, Trump and Pence and their spouses will take part in the official inaugural balls at the Convention Center named after Walter Washington and in the building of the National Museum.

The inaugural events will end when it is Saturday evening in Moscow. From 6 pm to 7 pm Moscow time, Trump and Pence will take part in an interdenominational prayer service at the Washington Cathedral.

Who will attend Trump's inauguration

Members of Congress, judges of the Supreme Court, diplomats, politicians, public figures, artists, etc. take part in the inauguration of the US President. Also present at the ceremony are former US presidents. Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter with spouses. Former US President 92 years old George W. Bush will miss the ceremony due to health reasons.

As for the other guests, their exact list is unknown. As a rule, heads of state do not attend this ceremony. So Russia will be represented by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United States of America Sergei Kislyak.

According to Dmitry Peskov, President of Russia Vladimir Putin does not plan to watch Trump's inauguration broadcast.

How to get to Trump's inauguration

Tickets for the inauguration of Donald Trump can be bought via the Internet, their cost, depending on the “package” provided (attendance at the parade, one or more balls, lunch with first ladies, members of Congress and government, etc.) will cost from 25 thousand up to a million dollars for two.

Scandals

Since the American establishment, to put it mildly, is not enthusiastic about the personality of the new US president, Trump's inauguration is accompanied by a whole series of scandals and riots.

So, on the night before the inauguration, opponents of the new president tripled a mass protest outside the National Press Club in downtown Washington, where a reception was held for members of right-wing organizations that supported Trump.

In addition, according to The New York Times, US intelligence agencies have launched an investigation into the ties of Trump's associates with Russia. In particular, the defendant in the investigation was the former head of Trump's campaign headquarters. Paul Manafort.

In addition, social networks are vigorously discussing the incident that happened during the traditional holiday fireworks, which unexpectedly developed into the abbreviation USR instead of USA. The Americans decided that this was an abbreviation for the words United States of Russia (United States of Russia) and joked a lot about the Russians, who made a hacker attack on their salute.

Ukrainian politicians can join the American political elite for at least one evening. After the United States began selling invitations to the inauguration of newly elected President Donald Trump on January 20, our people's deputies, businessmen and officials began to look for ways to buy the coveted ticket to the parade of grandiose events in Washington.

Buy for 15 thousand dollars

In particular, according to rumors, the cherished tickets have already been purchased by the leader of the Batkivshchyna faction, Yulia Tymoshenko (allegedly, Tymoshenko's ticket costs more than 15 thousand dollars), as well as MP from the Opposition Bloc Mikhail Dobkin. "Strana" managed to contact Mikhail Dobkin himself and he told us that he was not flying to the USA.

"I'll tell you honestly, I'm not flying there," Mikhail Dobkin told Strana. At the same time, he said that he and many other parliamentarians from different BP factions were among those who were invited by the organizers to take part in a number of charitable events in Washington, which will be held as part of the inauguration.

"The inauguration in the United States is different from the inauguration in Ukraine. When the president takes the oath, there are only those people who are supposed to be there according to the protocol. These are, in particular, ambassadors of foreign states, but not deputies from other states on other continents. And then there are charity evenings, dinners and other events arranged by the organizers.These events involve charitable contributions and, as a rule, when we talk about buying tickets, we are actually talking about transparent charitable contributions that are made by all invitees - from world stars to politicians from small countries," Mikhail Dobkin told Strana, but declined to name the other invitees.

In "Fatherland" they could not answer the question of "Country" about the participation of Yulia Tymoshenko in Trump's inauguration.

Breakfast with Trump for $150,000

But one of the influential deputies in the BPP told Strana that he was offered $70,000 to take part in a buffet table where Donald Trump was guaranteed to be after the oath, or a prayer breakfast with the American president for $150,000.

Interestingly, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was not initially invited to the inauguration ceremony. Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Valeriy Chaly explained that the United States does not accept the participation of leaders of other states in such events, only diplomats will attend. "This is specific to the United States," Chaly explained.

Is participation in the inauguration worth the money spent?

Why should Ukrainian politicians spend money on participating in inaugural events in the United States? Political experts interviewed by Strana believe that Ukrainian parliamentarians want to use this chance mainly for their PR in Ukraine. To a lesser extent - to improve relations with lobbyists in the new administration.

"You know, Taras Shevchenko had a verse" And I offended my ass, - the orphan said. "This craving of orphans for dinners at the priest's has always been in our blood," political scientist Kost Bondarenko tells Strana. "Tens of thousands will gather there. people, and, apparently, Ukrainian politicians hope not only to wave a flag in front of Trump, but also to testify their respect to the new American government... As far as I understand, if Tymoshenko or Kononenko go there, then not only to drink a glass of champagne, but also use this time to connect with lobbyists, congressmen or senators to draw attention to themselves. Of course, they are unlikely to be remembered by Trump or even intersect with him. But the important thing here is not winning, but participating."

But the former speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Voloshin believes that the participation of Ukrainian politicians in a galaxy of events in Washington as a PR campaign is meaningless.

“The chance of taking a picture with Trump is zero, and taking selfies in front of dozens and hundreds of people from different countries is all the more useless,” he says.

How is the inauguration

The entire complex of events for the inauguration covers three days. On January 19, the Black Ties and Boots Ball takes place in the evening. It traditionally provides for a special dress code, for example, before the inaugurations of George W. Bush, along with evening dresses and tuxedos, guests were required to wear cowboy boots and hats. The program of the current Black Tie and Boots Ball is still kept secret. But you can get to this ball by purchasing an invitation for 1295 dollars.

On the very day of the swearing in, according to tradition, the newly elected president and vice president and their spouses arrive at the White House, where they are met by the incumbent president and vice president and their spouses. They drink tea together, after which they go to the Capitol. Initially, the vice presidents leave. Then the spouses of presidents. The motorcade is completed by a car in which are the former (he is sitting on the right) and the incoming president (sitting on the left) of the United States.

The elected vice president is sworn in first, on the west steps of the Capitol in the presence of congressmen and senators a quarter of an hour before noon.

At noon, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court takes the oath of office for the elected president. The newly elected President takes an oath: "I solemnly swear that I will faithfully discharge the office of President of the United States and, to the best of my ability, I will uphold, guard, and defend the Constitution of the United States." The president then delivers the inaugural address. After that, the presidential motorcade solemnly moves from the Capitol to the White House. The new president is sitting in the car on the right. The former president travels by presidential helicopter to Andrews Air Force Base. And the new president takes the parade, standing on the podium at the White House.

In the evening and the next day, several receptions with balls are arranged in Washington.

Anyone can be a guest at Trump's inauguration

Invitations to the gala events scheduled for January 19-21 are sold on many American sites. For example, the cost of participation in the parade (this is a walking trip behind the president's motorcade to the White House) is from $425 to $800, depending on the place in the column.

You can also buy tickets online for the newly elected president's swearing-in ceremony, which will take place in front of the Capitol in Washington, this event always attracts a large number of spectators.

The range of prices - from 449 dollars to almost 16 thousand. The cheapest ticket is a stand-up seat on the back of Capitol Hill, from where you can hardly see the inauguration ceremony itself and the moment of Donald Trump's oath on the Bible. The closer the seats are to the grandstand, the more expensive they are. The most expensive - for $ 15,750 - in the 5th row from the podium. Even closer places are not for sale, invitations to them will be distributed to honored guests of the ceremony.

Officially, you cannot buy an invitation to a prayer breakfast, which will take place the next morning after the oath. Nevertheless, guests from Ukraine can always be seen at annual prayer breakfasts. As they say, the prices for participation there reach from 20,000 to 150,000 dollars, depending on the proximity of intermediaries to the real compilers of the lists.

This year, about 25 representatives of various political forces in Ukraine attended the breakfast with Obama. In general, this event gathers up to 3.5 thousand guests from more than 100 countries. Usually, the President of the United States speaks to the guests, as well as one of the specially invited guests.

But the cost of participating in one of the balls, depending on the "package", can reach up to a million dollars.

2017-01-21 00:44:00

US President Donald Trump traditionally left his limousine and walked a few meters from Capitol Hill to the White House with his wife Melania and their son Baron.

2017-01-21 00:20:00

US President Donald Trump led the inauguration parade by car. Police officers on motorcycles move in front of Trump's armored limousine. Thousands of people welcome the new president. In total, 8 thousand people took part in the parade - orchestras, veterans and representatives of public organizations.

2017-01-20 23:31:00

In the crowd of spectators there are small islands of his opponents. For example, a black guy stands with a poster "Not my president".

2017-01-20 23:17:00

The crowd in anticipation of the festive military column began to chant "Trump, Trump, Trump!!!"

2017-01-20 23:07:00

Preparations begin for the parade in honor of the inauguration. The music is already playing. Meanwhile, just before the start of the parade, a large cloud covered Washington and it began to rain. The crowd is having fun, no one is going to run away under the roof.

2017-01-20 21:57:00

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shook hands after the inauguration. The Republican went to a gala dinner at the Capitol. Clinton, along with her husband, also attended the event.

2017-01-20 20:49:00

Obama leaves the Capitol in a helicopter.

2017-01-20 20:22:00

Trump's speech is over.

2017-01-20 20:19:00

Trump: “We must fix the division in our country! It doesn't matter if we are black, brown or white, we all have the red blood of patriotism! You will never be ignored again! Together we will make America proud, safe, strong, and make America great again!

2017-01-20 20:18:00

Trump: “I promise, with every breath I take, I will never betray you or let you down! We will take back our country! We'll get our people back to work! We will be friends with other countries, understanding that each country has its own interests! There is no place for bias in our country! America can't be stopped! There should be no fear, we will always be protected - we are protected by our men and women of our law enforcement agencies. We are protected by God! We must live big and dream big! We will no longer accept a policy of just talking and doing nothing. Empty talk is over. Nothing will break the spirit of the Americans!”

2017-01-20 20:13:00

Trump: “We cannot support the armies of other states, we cannot defend the borders of other states. Now we are only looking to the future. We helped other countries get rich - our country suffered. Plants and factories are being transferred abroad, no one thinks about the millions of Americans.”

2017-01-20 20:11:00

Trump: “Many citizens of our country live among terrible realities: abandoned factories and factories, like burial grounds, in our country. The American carnage stops right now. Their dream is success! We have one heart, one home, one bright future!”

2017-01-20 20:07:00

Trump: “Americans and people of the world, thank you! Today we are not just transferring power from one party to another. We transfer power from Washington to you! Change will begin right now on this earth! This moment belongs to you! Americans! This is your day and your holiday! The United States of America is your country!”

2017-01-20 20:03:00

The speech of the President of the United States begins.

2017-01-20 20:01:00

DONALD TRUMP IS THE 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE USA.

2017-01-20 20:01:00

Trump: “I will honorably serve as President of the United States. And I will support and defend the US Constitution with all my might.”

2017-01-20 20:00:00

Trump begins the oath.

2017-01-20 19:56:00

Mike Pence: “I swear that I will uphold and protect the US constitution from enemies internal and external. I take this oath voluntarily. Without a doubt. Without evil intentions. I will be true to this oath. Fulfilling the duties of the position I am entering. God help me."

2017-01-20 19:54:00

The swearing in of Vice President Mike Pence has begun.

2017-01-20 19:53:00

Performed by the choir of the University of Missouri.

2017-01-20 19:50:00

Cardinal Timothy Dolan delivered a speech. He read quotes from the Book of Solomon and asked God for wisdom for all.

2017-01-20 19:45:00

First, the new Vice President Mike Pence will be sworn in.

2017-01-20 19:32:00

Trump took to the podium.

2017-01-20 19:32:00

Mike Pence is already in the stands. The exit of the vice-president was met with a storm of applause.

2017-01-20 19:31:00

Trump is getting ready to take the podium.

2017-01-20 19:31:00

All living US presidents lined up on the podium in front of the Capitol, except for Bush Sr., who is now in the hospital.

2017-01-20 19:29:00

Barack Obama and Joe Biden take the stage.

2017-01-20 19:23:00

The cameras actively capture the reaction of the Clintons to what is happening. Bill and Hillary Clinton are clapping their hands measuredly, with completely sad faces.

2017-01-20 19:21:00

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be watching Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony live, press secretary Dmitry Peskov said earlier. The Kremlin spokesman noted that the Russian leader will get acquainted with the course of the inauguration "in a news format in a number of other news, perhaps as the main news of today."

2017-01-20 19:17:00

Among the huge crowd of Trump supporters, small groups of protesters sometimes come across. People wrapped in Soviet flags are protesting Trump's intentions to "get along with Russia," an Izvestia correspondent reports from the scene.

2017-01-20 19:13:00

There are very serious security measures in place at the ceremony. Two security perimeters with checkpoints have been set up in downtown Washington. According to CNN, about 100 blocks with a total area of ​​​​about 5 square meters will be blocked for traffic. km. In total, about 28 thousand employees of the police, the Secret Service, the transport security department and other law enforcement agencies will be involved in protecting the territory.

2017-01-20 19:10:00

The Newseum, one of the closest museums to the Capitol, is broadcasting. Trump's appearance on the screen was greeted with a roar of approval. When Bill and Hillary Clinton appeared on the screen, Newseum exploded with disapproving boos.

2017-01-20 19:09:00

Barack Obama, along with his family, will traditionally leave the Capitol after the inauguration ceremony by helicopter. After moving on board number one for the last time, Obama will head to Florida for a vacation.

2017-01-20 19:07:00

Trump and Obama with their families arrived at the inauguration ceremony.

2017-01-20 19:06:00

According to an Izvestia correspondent from the scene, most of the streets of Washington are blocked. Getting to the center is very difficult. The only way to get to the opposite part of the city is by subway, policemen explain. Meanwhile, some metro stations are closed. There are many Trump supporters on the streets.

2017-01-20 18:56:00

Trump and Obama get into a car outside the White House and drive to the Capitol.

2017-01-20 18:54:00

Preparations for the inauguration of Donald Trump took place against the backdrop of protests against the elected leader. As Bloomberg reported with reference to the New York City Hall, by the time of the inauguration of Donald Trump, about $ 35 million will be spent on his security.

2017-01-20 18:50:00

The oath will be administered by Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court John Roberts. After taking office, 70-year-old Donald Trump will deliver his inaugural address.

2017-01-20 18:46:00

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:30 local time (19:30 Moscow time). It will take place on the West Lawn of the Capitol. The oath consists of 35 mandatory words and four optional ones ("God help me").

2017-01-20 18:38:00

The President-elect of the United States began his inauguration day with a service in the church of St. John, visiting which is a tradition before taking office for US presidents. After that, Donald Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence headed to the White House for a tea party. After tea, Donald Trump and outgoing leader Barack Obama will arrive at the inauguration ceremony. The ceremony will also be attended by rival Republican in the presidential election, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill Clinton.

No matter how much the American Democrats would like to steer another third term with the help of Hillary Clinton, America will spend the next four years under the "red", under the color of the flag, the Republican Party.

The odious American billionaire Donald Trump, who, unexpectedly for everyone, won the US presidential election, will soon cease to be the "elected" US president and fully come into his own for the next four years - and if you're lucky, then eight. Trump's inauguration will take place very soon, literally in a few hours.

When the President of the United States takes office: Trump's inauguration date is set

Donald Trump's inauguration will take place on January 20, 2017 at 12:00 pm ET, at which point Trump will take an oath on the Bible. According to the calculations of time zones, it will be 20 hours in Moscow at this time.

An interesting point also concerns the chosen date for the inauguration. Until the 20th century, the inauguration of American presidents traditionally took place on March 4th. However, after the introduction of the Twentieth Amendment to the US Constitution in 1933, the date of the ceremony was moved to January 20, at 12 noon.

Where will the inauguration of US President Donald Trump take place?

Curious US citizens have already frozen in front of the TV screens and are flocking to Washington, DC. By tradition, in this city, the symbol of American power, the inauguration of the President of the United States takes place: starting from the second US President John Adams, all the heads of the United States take the oath in Washington.

The procedure for the inauguration of US President Trump has already been worked out in advance. First Donald Trump and the new vice president Mike Pence meet with spouses Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden and their spouses during an informal tea party. Then everyone will go together to the US Congress building, to the Capitol, where the official inauguration of Donald Trump will take place. After that, everyone will go to the White House, where the new President Donald Trump will host a solemn military parade. The final events of the day will be a ball and a gala reception in honor of Trump's inauguration.

Donald Trump's inauguration: text of the oath

According to tradition, the text of the presidential oath was formed back in the 18th century, during the oath George Washington.

During the oath and inauguration to Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States will utter the following words:

"I, Donald Trump, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully serve as President of the United States and will give my all to uphold, safeguard, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

However, history has made interesting adjustments to the text. In 1789, the first President of the United States, George Washington, after taking the oath, laid his hand on the Bible and said: "God help me!" Since then, all presidents, in imitation of Washington, repeat these words.

Who was invited to the inauguration of Donald Trump

Due to the fact that as a result of the US presidential election, the Democrats used a large asset of celebrities and VIPs, the exact list of those invited to the inauguration of Donald Trump is still unknown.

As stated earlier, the US President-elect wanted to see only those who supported him during the election campaign at the celebrations, and said that he was "not eager" to see celebrities at his inauguration who massively supported his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

However, unlike stars and famous personalities, Trump's main opponent herself, the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will attend an event called Trump's inauguration. Due to the fact that her husband, the 42nd President of the United States Bill Clinton, is obliged to be there with his other colleagues, among whom they promised to come to Trump's inauguration Jimmy Carter And George W. Bush. It is also known that the 92-year-old will miss the ceremony George W. Bush for health.

Tickets for the event - the inauguration of Donald Trump - can be freely purchased online. Several hundred thousand people are expected to attend the ceremony.

Who will represent Russia at Trump's inauguration: who was invited to Trump's inauguration

The presence of heads of other states at the inauguration ceremony of the President of the United States is usually not provided - this is the tradition. Therefore, the President of Russia Vladimir Putin will not attend Trump's inauguration.

According to available information, our country at the inauguration of the President of the United States will be represented by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United States Sergei Kislya To.

Trump's inauguration: where to watch the live broadcast of the event

The live broadcast of such an event as the inauguration of Donald Trump will be carried out by the leading American television channels NBC, CBS and C-SPAN, as well as the British Sky News. USA Today is reportedly showing a 3D version of Trump's inauguration on its YouTube channel.

Live broadcasts from Washington will also appear on the Rossiya 24 TV channel.

WASHINGTON, January 21 - RIA Novosti (Crimea). The inauguration of US President Donald Trump on January 20 turned out to be unusually calm, even the rain, which, according to weather forecasters, was supposed to be heavy, drizzled only twice - the weather wept as crowds of thousands walked into the security check area (around 9 am) and after the inaugural speech new leader, but the sky brightened when the American flag was raised.

Sometimes there was a feeling that even nature was learning to live according to the Republican housing construction - the precipitation only slightly wetted the hair of Donald Trump, who had previously said that when they saw it wet, "people will believe that my hair is real."

Divided nation

The gates for those invited to the inauguration opened at 6.00, and the inauguration itself began at 10.30 local time. This amount of time was needed so that all 900,000 Americans who arrived from different parts of the country could get through the blocked streets.

Around 9 a.m., several thousand people gathered on the south side of the Capitol. The rain froze. The queue was full of colorful raincoats. People from all over the United States dutifully lined up to check on security personnel. Around the RIA correspondent were residents of Virginia, Kansas, Texas and other states.

© REUTERS / Carlos Barria

The mood of those present was upbeat. There were no protests or provocations from anyone's side. Some of the streets along which the crowd moved were blocked by heavy military trucks of the National Guard. Previously, TV channels reported that heavy equipment was standing in order to avoid a tragedy similar to that in Berlin, when a man in a truck rammed the crowd.

The crowd was actively discussing WikiLeaks, rejoicing at the imminent departure of Democratic President Barack Obama, and speculating how the Republicans would make America "great again." Nearly everyone in the crowd had a red cap with this call, which Donald Trump liked to wear as part of his campaign rallies. Not a single democrat in the crowd, judging by the conversations, was not there.

The Republicans calmly stood in line one after another, as they passed the control, they did not try to squeeze closer to the stage, did not push, they surrounded groups of children, leaving little Americans more space. If someone managed to disturb the peace of those gathered, crawling forward, the crowd did not resent, but only threw the insulting “apparently democrats” at the violators' backs.

By the way, this conditional unity at the inauguration took place precisely at the time when protests were already beginning on the streets of Washington: the protesters shouted anti-Trump slogans and smashed store windows. There was a feeling that now the Democrats and Republicans are not just opponents, but those who live in a parallel reality and in different Americas.

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Melania in blue - Clinton in "depression"

At about 10:00 Washington DC, official guests began to arrive. The stands at the Capitol, where high-ranking guests were supposed to sit, were partially empty. At least 66 members of the US Congress from the Democratic Party announced the decision not to attend the ceremony. This was reported by the ABC television company, summarizing the data on the intentions of lawmakers over the past few days.

The crowd cheered for the Republican leaders and with a chill for the Democrats who decided to attend the inauguration. For example, ex-US President George W. Bush and his wife Laura were greeted with applause on Capitol Hill. But the couple Hillary and Bill Clinton, rather cold.

Trump's children, who followed, were also not deprived of applause, but when Hillary Clinton hit the camera lens, which showed what was happening on the stage on the big screen, "Woo!" was heard over the Capitol! One of the women present noticed that Clinton did not look well and "Hillary is already depressed: she apparently wants to her dog and to a small room where there are few people." Clinton said this phrase at one of her first speeches, after the loss.

© REUTERS/Rob Carr/Pool

The 45th President of the United States Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama and their spouses stand on the steps of the Capitol before Barack Obama's flight to the Andrews military base. January 20, 2017

It is worth noting that Clinton steadfastly endured ridicule. "I am here today to honor our democracy and its historical values. I will never stop believing in our country and its future," Clinton later wrote on her Twitter account.

However, Trump's rival got much less than the leader of the Democrats in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer. When he spoke from the podium about the split in society and the difficult election campaign, the crowd raised such a whistle that he even began to drown out the speakers. Quotes from Trump's campaign promises to "drain the swamp" and "plant Clinton" were heard from the people. "What do you want, people are tired of them (Democrats)," Michigan native Michael, as if apologizing, answered the bewildered RIA Novosti correspondent.

© REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool

Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton attend Donald Trump's inauguration. January 20, 2017

The guests, meanwhile, continued to arrive. Melania Trump, led by a festively dressed guardsman, was extraordinarily good that day. "Is it Melania"? - began to admire those present. No one doubted that being the wife of the president of a former model "fits." The newly minted first lady at this time defiled to her place, attracting admiring glances.

An hour later, memes about the grace and beauty of Melania already appeared on the network. For example, under the gif, where Bill Clinton looks sideways during the inauguration, and Hillary looks at him reproachfully, the caption "Bill is apparently looking at Melania."

Following Melania, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden also appeared, but they were met coldly, albeit with respect. A warm welcome was given to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. But the warmest welcome was given to Trump as he stepped out from under the Capitol's dome, and there was no shortage of cheers. The crowd joked that Trump outshone even his wife with his appearance.

Also attending the ceremony was former President James Carter, who was also warmly received by the crowd. George W. Bush and Barbara Bush were unable to come to Washington for health reasons.

God bless America!

The inauguration ceremony of the Republican President began with a common prayer and excursion into history. The decision of the organizers to play with the idea of ​​a deeply religious America that honors traditions was successful - the audience supported it. It is worth noting that in Republicans the idea that an atheist cannot be a good person is still alive. It has been cultivated for a long time and took root even more in the days of President David Eisenhower, when the "godless USSR" was the main opponent.

© AP Photo/ Carolyn Kaster

Inauguration of US President Donald Trump

First, the chairman of the inaugural committee, Senator Roy Blunt, noted that the text of the oath that Trump will take is exactly the same as the text that the first US president George Washington pronounced in 1789.

Then the prayer was read by the Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and representatives of other Christian denominations, as well as a rabbi. In addition, a Mormon choir performed. At the end of each performance, the crowd said "Amen", regardless of the denominations to which they belonged.

A family from Alexandria with two children turned to their neighbors from Kansas and Texas with the words: “Finally, we can again, without a twinge of conscience and thinking about political correctness, be able to say to each other:“ Merry Christmas.

"What's wrong with wishing you a Merry Christmas?" - their interlocutors were perplexed and agreed.

Obama flew away and did not promise to return

After the prayer, the main part of the inauguration began. First Pence, and then Trump took an oath of allegiance to the constitution - around noon local time (20.00 Moscow time). Then Trump, already in the presidency without the prefix "elected", delivered an inaugural speech that lasted about 17 minutes. As promised the day before by his press secretary Sean Spicer, it was more of a philosophical nature.

However, the new head of state has identified some of the main directions of his policy. In particular, he reaffirmed his intention to "make America great" again. He thanked his predecessor Obama for the excellent job of transferring power, and also promised that now this very power will pass from the political establishment in Washington to the people.

© AFP 2017/Jim Watson

Former US President Barack Obama boards a helicopter to leave the US Capitol after Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony. January 20, 2017

The crowd especially cheered for Trump's words when he said he would take care of his country and his people first. He said that he would strive for America to become an example, and not a country that imposes its views on other countries.

Business Ombudsman Boris Titov, who attended the inauguration, told RIA Novosti that he also noted this moment in Trump's speech.

"The inauguration was very emotional, very memorable. Actually, the main thing in Trump's speech is that (besides the fact that it was a bright emotional speech), America should not impose its opinion. Everyone should live as he sees fit," Titov said immediately after Trump finished his speech.

According to Trump's speech, the US strives to be an example. "The best example for the whole world. This is, of course, a very important foreign policy statement," Titov said.

One of the first people to congratulate Trump and Pence on taking office was Barack Obama. He shook hands with both of them and exchanged a few words with them. Immediately after the completion of the ceremony, a volley of cannons was fired. After a light rain, the weather cleared up again, and the crowd began to disperse in regular formation to their homes.

Obama had already left the Capitol by this time. By helicopter, he went to Andrews Air Force Base, where he first spoke to the military and his supporters, and then went on vacation with his wife to California.

Trump, on the other hand, has only just begun. He signed several dozen decrees. In particular, as reported by the media, it was about the document that allowed James Mattis to take the post of US Secretary of Defense, several official appointments, as well as the proclamation of the National Day of Patriotism.

The signing ceremony was broadcast by American TV channels. Trump signed executive orders at a table surrounded by family and senior US officials.

The inauguration celebrations continued. The inaugural parade passed along the central street of the city - Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. Then Trump and his wife took part in the official inaugural balls. Unfortunately, the inaugural events were overshadowed by numerous clashes between the protesters and the police. As reported by the acting local police chief Peter Newsam, 217 people were detained for the riots, six policemen received minor injuries.

© AP Photo/ John Minchillo

Protesters against Trump's inauguration clashed with police near the checkpoint on Capitol Hill. Law enforcement officers had to use pepper spray to disperse the activists.