LIVE BLOG: Inauguration of President Donald Trump

3:45 p.m. MT

Trump's Inauguration Day ceremonies will continue on into the evening and through the night, with multiple galas and concerts scheduled throughout DC.

Thanks for following along with us today!

3:25 p.m. MT

President Trump and Melania arrive to the tune of Hail to the Chief. Trump waves at the crowd and assumes his position onstage After waving at the crowd for several minutes, the presidential inaugural parade kicks off with the crowd cheering it on.

Featured in the parade was fallen firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the assassination attempt on Trump's life on July 13 in Pennsylvania.

3:20 p.m. MT

JD Vance and his wife and kids arrive at the arena and sit in the armchairs alongside Trump's family and officials.

3:10 p.m. MT

Officials set up a writing desk at center stage of the Capital One arena near Capitol Hill. Trump's team, including his son Barron, station themselves in arm chairs along the stage.

As we wait Trump's appearance, more reports of his executive actions surface, including the withdrawing America from the Paris Accords and cancelling a flight for Afghan refugees.

2:30 p.m. MT

Trump, who earlier today announced he was uprooting DEI policies from the military and reinstating members who were fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, attended the Inaugural Military Ceremony. Trump in his speech earlier said members would get three years of back pay if they were unjustly terminated for refusing to comply with the vax mandate.

A lively parade ensued, and then Trump made his way to the Capital One arena in the presidential limo, "The Beast," to sign some of the executive orders in front of a cheering crowd.

1:00 p.m. MT

Incoming DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) head Elon Musk delivered a speech at the arena, where he talked about Trump's win and the future of civilization.

Musk, evidently carried away with enthusiasm, smacked his right hand to his heart before raising it out in front of him — in an unfortunate move that resembles a Nazi salute.

"This is what victory feels like!" said Musk.

"And this is no ordinary victory. This was a fork in the road of human civilization."

"We're going to have safe cities, secure borders, sensible spending, basic stuff...and we're going to take those to Mars!"

12:30 p.m. MT

The president and his wife have arrived at the congressional luncheon, where they sit at the head table with VP Vance and his wife.

After lunch, Trump will go to the nearby Capital One arena, where he will sign a string of executive orders in front of a crowd of some 20,000 spectators.

12:15 p.m. MT

Trump signed official documents to institute cabinet ministers and members of his administration and raise the flag to full mast (it was lowered after the death of former President Jimmy Carter). The latter order includes ordering the flag to be at full mast for all future inaugurations.

12:05 p.m. MT

President Trump gears up to sign off on the long list of executive orders he has prepared for today, involving immigration, tax reform and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) policies.

He'll sign the orders during a ceremony in the Capitol building before he heads to the White House.

The executive actions will go into effect immediately. Notable not included in today's line-up is the 25% tariff threat Trump earlier said he would impose on Canada and Mexico. The president has put America's neighbours on notice, but stopped short at enforcing an executive order — for now.

11:45 a.m. MT

President Trump delivers remarks in the Capitol, emphasizing the executive orders he plans to make this afternoon and in the coming days, and reiterating his intentions to lead America into a new era.

11:15 a.m. MT

Biden left the Rotunda, riding in the Marine 1 helicopter for the first time. Trump remained in the Capitol buildings for lunch, after which he will enter the Oval Office.

10:25 a.m. MT

Trump in his speech listed a plethora of immediate actions he intends to take, including energy production and immigration.

'We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, prosperity, safety and peace for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed for American citizens, January, 20, 2025, is Liberation Day," said Trump.

"Today, I will sign a series of historic executive orders. With these actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense. It's all about common sense."

Trump's first executive order is declaring a national Emergency at the US-Mexico border "so all illegal entries will immediately be halted." The order includes deporting millions of "criminal aliens" and reinstating Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy and ending Biden's "Catch and Release" policy.

"I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. Under the orders I signed today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations," he said.

Trump's second executive order is to "marshal the best powers" at his disposal to defeat the "record-setting inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices."

Next, he said he would declare a national energy emergency.

"We will drill, baby drill," said Trump, as the crowd erupted in applause.

"America will be a manufacturing nation once again, and we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have: the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we are going to use it."

We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, right to the top and export American energy all over the world.

Trump also said his administration will end the Green New Deal and revoke the electric vehicle mandate, overhaul the trade system and establish an external revenue service, and instate the Department of Government Efficiency.

He also said he will reinstitute free speech in America by signing an executive order to "immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America."

"We will restore fair, equal and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law, and we are going to bring law and order back to our cities," he said.

"This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will forge a society that is colourblind and merit-based.

"As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female."

Trump also talked about the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and military members who were "unjustly expelled" for refusing it.

"I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to radical political theories and social experiments while on duty. It's going to end immediately," he said.

The president also confirmed he will "in a short time from now" change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

"China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back," he said.

10:10 a.m.

President Trump delivers his inaugural address, acknowledging Vice President Vance, Speaker Johnson, Justices of the United States, the Supreme Court, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, President Biden and Vice President Harris.

"The Golden Age of America begins right now," said Trump.

"From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer during every single day of the Trump administration."

"I will very simply put America first, our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced, vicious, violent and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end, and our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous and free."

"America will soon be greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before."

Trump in his speech said America is "at the start of a thrilling new era of national success."

"A tide of change is sweeping the country. Sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before," he said, "but first, we must be honest about the challenges we face."

Trump said challenges his administration faces include "radical and corrupt establishment," illegal immigration and failed policies from the Biden administration including sponsoring foreign wars and woke education.

He also discussed the people in North Carolina still suffering from the hurricane that tore through the region a few months ago, and the devastating Los Angeles fires this past week.

These problems "will be annihilated by this great momentum that the world is now witnessing," he said.

"My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal at all of these many betrayals that have taken place, and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom from this moment on," said Trump.

The president also referenced the attempted assassination in Pennsylvania last July.

"I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason: I was saved by God to make America great again," he said.

"My administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our country. We will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget our God."

10 a.m. MT

Vice President JD Vance takes his oath.

President Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.

A full orchestra band launches into a rendition of Glory, Glory, Halleluiah.

9:55 a.m. MT

Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan delivers a Call to Pray over the incoming president and the next four years. He prayed for the wisdom of King Solomon to be over Trump.

Rev. Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, prayed an invocation of Trump's presidency, referencing the prayer of Daniel. Graham prayed for wisdom and strength, and the families of Trump and Vance.

Biden meanwhile behind the scenes scrambles to "preemptively pardon" his brother James and four other members of his family, claiming they may be wrongly persecuted.

9:45 a.m. MT

As the crowd in the Rotunda chants "USA, USA," President-elect Donald Trump enters the room.

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, chairwoman the Joint Congressional Committee of Inaugural Ceremonies, makes the Call to Order and and kicks off the ceremony. Next up, Republican Sen. Deb Fischer.

9:30 a.m. MT

Opera singer Christopher Macchio is performing ahead of the inauguration, setting the tone for the upcoming ceremony.

9:20 a.m. MT

Former President Barak Obama has arrived at the Capitol Rotunda. Former First Lady Michelle Obama is not present, as is consistent with reports of her anticipated absence circulating last week.

Tiffany and Barron Trump are present, as are the Bidens.

9:00 a.m. MT

Elon Musk has arrived at the Capitol, to be sitting next to Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Musk is set to be an advisor and head of the to-be Department of Government Efficiency. 

Among Trump’s expected day-one executive actions is an order to trim down government bureaucracy. 

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, Apple boss Tim Cook, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson are all in prime front-row seating alongside Musk and Pichai.  

8:00 a.m. MT

Trump in November threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico due to weak border security. At the time, he said he would impose the executive order on inauguration day, and it would remain in place until America's northern and southern neighbours gained control of rampant illegal immigrants and drug trafficking, which has been "flooding" into the US.

The New York Times reported Trump this morning said he was putting Canada and Mexico on notice, but would stop short of signing the executive order today.

CNN reported a White House Official said Trump is expected to sign off on 10 executive orders related to immigration in his first hours in office this afternoon. He has said he intends to sign some 200 executive orders today.

Trump reportedly also has drafted pardons for January 6 participants, to be issued today.

Biden has been drafting 11th hour pardons of his own. This morning during his last hours in office he issued “preemptive pardons” for Gen. Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci and members of Congress on the January 6 investigation committee.

7:50 a.m. MT

Trump and First Lady-to-be Melania Trump started the morning by attending a church service at St. John’s Episcopal Church with family along with Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance.

Incoming presidents on inauguration day have been attending a worship service on the morning before being sworn in since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.

Trump will have tea at the White House with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden before heading to the Capitol Rotunda.

The inauguration ceremony, traditionally held outside, has been moved indoors due to subzero temperatures — though many Canadians wouldn’t flinch, the weather this morning is about -3C.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was planning to attend the inauguration ceremony, but now that it’s been moved inside, many ticket holders including the premier are unable to go.

Smith is still in Washington, DC, today, and will attend a watch party at the Canadian embassy.

7:30 a.m. MT

Monday marks the inauguration day of 47th President of the United States Donald Trump.

Trump will take his oath and be sworn into office at 10 a.m. MT.

The Western Standard will document the inauguration events with updates throughout the day in this live blog and a live broadcast with Derek Fildebrandt, Nigel Hannaford, Dave Naylor, Myke Thomas and Jen Hodgson kicking off at 9:30 a.m. MT.