We're kicking off our live blogging of the highlight of the U.S. political calendar, the presidential inauguration, on January 20, 2017.
This is the 58th Presidential Inauguration in U.S. history, to swear in 70-year-old Donald John Trump as the 45th American president.
Here's a look at Trump and his meteoric political rise:
President-elect Trump's public inauguration schedule began with an informal tradition on January 19: laying a wreath to honor fallen U.S. soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. He was accompanied by the vice president-elect, Mike Pence.
Trump's daughter Ivanka, whose husband has been picked as a senior adviser to the president, has asked critics to "Give my father a chance." Here's AFP:
...[I]n an interview with ABC News, aired on the eve of the inauguration, the businesswoman and mother of three also admitted to urging her father to cut out some of his more controversial tweets.
"My father is an incredible unifier. For every critic, I would say give him time. Let him come into office. Let him prove you wrong," the 35-year-old told ABC as she prepares to move to Washington.
Asked what she would say to tens of thousands of protesters expected to march across the United States Saturday who are worried that the incoming Republican administration will roll back rights, she replied: "I say, give my father a chance."
Ivanka, whose husband has been appointed a White House advisor, is stepping down from both the family business and from running her fashion label to avoid conflict of interest accusations.
Known to be a calming influence on Trump, she said she gave her father "my feedback, solicited or otherwise" when it came to his twitter feed, adding "of course, at times, I tell him not to."
Yet she also sought to dispel press speculation that she will become de facto first lady as her stepmother Melania stays in New York until the Trumps' 10-year-old son, Barron, has at least finished the school year.
"There is one first lady and Melania will be an incredible first lady. I'm proud of her. She is intelligent, warm, caring and a remarkable person," Ivanka told ABC.
But she was equally careful not to rule out a role for herself.
"My focus is moving to Washington, travelling around the country and listening and getting great feedback on how I can add positive value," she told ABC.
Trump delivered remarks at a nationally broadcast free concert outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on the eve of the inauguration.
Here is our coverage of that address and the atmosphere in Washington ahead of today's events:
Trump Vows Unity While Readying Plans To Roll Back Obama's Programs
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledged to unify what he called a divided nation and to radically change the political atmosphere in Washington as he arrived in the capital for his January 20 inauguration.
While speaking of unity on the eve on his inauguration, Trump was readying a raft of dramatic measures to roll back policies of his predecessor, Barack Obama, through a series of executive orders targeting Obama's climate-change regulations, immigration liberalization moves, international trade agreements, and restrictions on energy development.
"We're going to unify our country," Trump told a cheering crowd of thousands in front of Washington's Lincoln Memorial after a concert that ended in a burst of fireworks.
"We're going to do things that haven't been done for our country for many, many decades," he said. "It's going to change, I promise you."
As thousands of Trump supporters filtered into Washington to participate in gala inaugural events and thousands of opponents came to protest his ascendance, Trump paid thanks to the millions who voted for him and made his upset election possible.
"It's a movement like we've never seen anywhere in the world," he said. "You're not forgotten any more... We're going to get it turned around. We're going to bring our jobs back."
Read more HERE.
Click on the headline or photo to see what's on the schedule for today, with times.
Trump Inauguration Schedule Of Events
U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, in Davos for the World Economic Summit, cites Trump administration as "an even bigger piece of uncertainty for the European Union" than the Brexit vote.
From Reuters:
Donald Trump's presidency is likely to create bigger uncertainty for the European Union than Britain's decision to leave the bloc, Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond said on Friday.
"Brexit has introduced uncertainty. I think the change of administration in the U.S. has introduced an even bigger piece of uncertainty for the European Union," Hammond said in a panel discussion about the EU in the Swiss resort of Davos.
Hammond, a former foreign minister, said EU countries varied widely in how big a security threat they saw from Russia.
"Anything that changes the settled status quo of a Europe that lives with Russia as a neighbour, but lives under a protective U.S. security umbrella as it does ... will play into the dynamics of the European Union," Hammond said.
Inauguration Week Costs Expected To Be Around $200 Million
Officials planning the inauguration events have been cited as saying the costs could top $200 million.
But the price tag is spread over federal, state, and local governments, as well as private donors via the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which comprises Trump supporters and longtime donors.
The New York Times reported that "Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee has proved to be a juggernaut, raising $100 million from a mix of corporations, wealthy individuals and smaller-scale supporters willing to chip in a few bucks. It has easily surpassed the record of $53 million set by the Obama team in 2009."
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser predicted the local portion of the inauguration bill would likely surpass $30 million.
Here's a nice map of the Inaugural Parade route, courtesy of local officials, from the U.S. Capitol to the White House.