When will Donald Trump return to the White House? All you need to know about Trump’s inauguration

US Senator John Barrasso watches US President-elect Donald Trump speak to the press after paying their respects in front of the flag-draped casket at the Lying in State Ceremony for former President Jimmy Carter in Washington, DC. Photo / AFP

Donald Trump will make history this week as only the second US President to serve non-consecutive terms in office, as well as being the first convicted felon to move into the White House.

Trump will take the reins from Joe Biden after defeating US Vice-President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. The former President’s victory was certified in Congress earlier this month, on January 6.

How can we watch the ceremony from New Zealand?

We will have a livestream as well as live updates, reaction and commentary on nzherald.co.nz.

When will Trump actually become President?

Under the terms laid out in the US Constitution, the President takes office at exactly midday on January 20 (unless January 20 falls on a Sunday, which is not the case this year).

This will take place at 6am on Tuesday, January 21 NZT.

From that moment, Trump will become the United States of America’s 47th President.

What will Inauguration Day be like?

All going to plan, outgoing President Joe Biden will accompany President-elect Trump into the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony on January 20.

It is part of the protocol for the outgoing president to leave a note in the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office that is addressed to his successor.

Then, a few minutes before midday on Inauguration Day, Trump, along with his Vice-President JD Vance, will take their oaths of office.

Vance will take his oath, then the President-elect will follow.

Trump will place his hand on the Bible, usually held by the President’s spouse, and recite the following words: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”.

Donald Trump at his previous swearing-in ceremony. Photo / Getty Images

Trump will then deliver his inaugural address, sign his first official actions in the Capitol, then take part in a parade through the streets of Washington, down Pennsylvania Avenue and towards the White House.

The parade usually begins around 3pm local time (9am NZT).

Inauguration Day will end with a series of balls across Washington DC.

What will be different about this Inauguration Day?

Trump has announced his inauguration ceremony will take place indoors because of the cold weather.

He will not stand on the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall, which traditionally hosts a large crowd to welcome in new Presidents.

According to the AFP, the last time a President took the oath of office indoors was Ronald Reagan in 1985, who also moved the ceremony into the Capitol’s ornate Rotunda due to dangerously cold weather.

The guest list is also going to stray a little from the norm, with Trump having invited numerous world leaders, who are usually not part of the ceremony.

Who’s likely to attend?

Living former Presidents usually attend Inauguration Day. An exception to this happened in 2021, when Trump chose not to attend Biden’s swearing-in. Trump became the first US President in 150 years to skip the swearing-in of the President, avoiding a symbolic event to show the peaceful transfer of power.

Outgoing President Biden has confirmed he will attend Trump’s swearing-in.

All living former Presidents – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – will attend, as will their wives, except for Michelle Obama.

Trump has also said to have invited a number of world leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentina President Javier Milei, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban and former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro.

Elon Musk (left) shakes hands with Donald Trump backstage during a campaign rally in October in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photo / Getty Images

Bolsonado, however, is not sure he can attend as he is reportedly still trying to reclaim his passport, seized by authorities during an investigation into the attempted coup in 2023.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will also be in attendance, as will Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. UK politician Nigel Farage will also be in Washington instead of Clacton.

Who will perform at the ceremony?

Country music star and American Idol judge Carrie Underwood will sing America the Beautiful shortly after Trump takes his oath, according to reports.

“I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

The Village People will also perform at events as part of Trump’s inauguration.

Country singer Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio will also perform.

Greenwood will perform while Trump walks out to take the oath. Macchio will sing the US national anthem.

What happens after Inauguration Day?

After the official swearing-in ceremony, Trump will attend a series of balls, including the “Commander-in-Chief Ball”, the “Liberty Inaugural Ball” and the “Starlight Ball”.

He is expected to speak at all three.

The official schedule finishes the following day, Tuesday, with the National Prayer Service in the morning.

Trump has indicated he will waste no time once he is sworn in, and is getting ready to sign multiple executive orders on his first day in office. He will look to undo many policies put in place by the Biden-Harris administration.

Trump has also pledged to launch a mass deportation programme and increase oil drilling and is expected to look into giving pardons to the January 6 rioters who invaded the US Capitol in 2021 after he lost the election to Biden.

Trump will be President until the US elects someone else to be sworn in on January 20, 2029, which is currently 1462 days away.