U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will officially take office on January 20, following his victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in November’s presidential election. Here’s a timeline of key events leading to Inauguration Day:
2024
Dec. 25: Electoral votes must be received by the president of the Senate—currently Vice President Kamala Harris—and the archivist by this date.
2025
Jan. 6: Harris will preside over the official Electoral College vote count during a joint session of Congress. She will announce the results and formally declare the president-elect.
This process follows reforms enacted after the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. On that day, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to halt Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence faced criticism from Trump for not intervening. Congress has since raised the threshold for challenging state election results to one-fifth of both the House and Senate, replacing the previous rule requiring just one member from each chamber.
Jan. 20: Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be sworn into office during an inaugural ceremony beginning at 12 p.m. ET (1700 GMT). The event marks the start of their administration.
This timeline outlines the crucial steps in ensuring the peaceful transition of power and the formalities leading to the swearing-in of the incoming president and vice president.
Also read: Senate to Hold Confirmation Hearing for Hegseth as Defense Secretary on Jan. 14
