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Donald Trump inauguration: events to begin ahead of Friday swearing in – live
Donald Trump inauguration: events to begin ahead of Friday swearing in – live
(35 minutes later)
9.13pm GMT
21:13
Some nice behind the scenes pics from Bloomberg reporter Justin Sink:
view from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial shortly before Trump concert kicks off pic.twitter.com/Mj5nZA4371
Jon Voight hanging out backstage at the Lincoln Memorial pic.twitter.com/FfFldY0aTG
9.05pm GMT
21:05
Trump’s Make America Great Again: Welcome Celebration, also known as the concert no big name performer wanted to attend, kicks off in five minutes.
The artists who will play include country singer Toby Keith, 90s rock band 3 Doors Down, Republican country star Lee Greenwood and YouTube stars The Piano Guys (no, we don’t know who they are).
Lots of stars, including Elton John and Andrea Bocelli, declined to perform.
When asked why Kanye West, the highly influential hip hop star who created controversy amongst fans with his visit to Trump Tower in December, wasn’t asked to perform, a spokesman for Trump said West wasn’t “traditionally American” enough.
“He’s been great, he considers himself a friend of the president-elect, but it’s not the venue... It’s going to be typically and traditionally American,” said Tom Barrack, chairman of the Presidential Inauguration Committee on CNN.
West was born in Chicago and has won 21 Grammys.
This West song, a duet with Jay-Z, would have been a pretty great inauguration song, regardless of the president.
Updated
at 9.10pm GMT
8.48pm GMT
20:48
Photos of Trump and Pence during the ceremony at Arlington Cemetery.
8.44pm GMT
20:44
A military musician performs the Last Post.
Trump and Pence then turn, face the Trump family and is led away in silence.
8.42pm GMT
20:42
Concert crowd cheers as Trump wreathlaying ceremony at Arlington is aired live on concert screens pic.twitter.com/q66iWx3cbx
8.40pm GMT
20:40
Now president-elect Trump and Mike Pence are laying a white wreath of flowers on the tomb.
They stop and stand back, in silence.
Trump is wearing a blue tie, Pence is in red.
A military drummer starts playing and the pair raise their arms across their hearts.
8.35pm GMT
8.35pm GMT
20:35
20:35
The Trump children and grandchildren have all appeared (but not Barron, the youngest Trump son).
The Trump children and grandchildren have all appeared (but not Barron, the youngest Trump son).
Updated
Updated
at 8.36pm GMT
at 8.36pm GMT
8.34pm GMT
8.34pm GMT
20:34
20:34
Video: Trump lays wreath at Arlington
Video: Trump lays wreath at Arlington
Now live: Donald Trump and VP-elect Mike Pence is about to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.
Now live: Donald Trump and VP-elect Mike Pence is about to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.
8.30pm GMT
8.30pm GMT
20:30
20:30
After today’s senate confirmation hearings, Senator Tim Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s veep pick, says he opposes Tom Price, Trump’s nominee for Health secretary.
After today’s senate confirmation hearings, Senator Tim Kaine, who was Hillary Clinton’s veep pick, says he opposes Tom Price, Trump’s nominee for Health secretary.
Tim Kaine says he will support Nikki Haley’s nomination, oppose Tom Price, and await ethics paperwork before deciding on Betsy DeVos.
Tim Kaine says he will support Nikki Haley’s nomination, oppose Tom Price, and await ethics paperwork before deciding on Betsy DeVos.
Price has been drilled in the hearings over his stock trades in health companies.
Price has been drilled in the hearings over his stock trades in health companies.
8.28pm GMT
8.28pm GMT
20:28
20:28
Can Donald Trump make America great again?
Can Donald Trump make America great again?
8.15pm GMT
20:15
Donald Trump has just left the President’s Guest House, as known Blair’s House, and is driving over to Arlington National Cemetery for the wreath-laying ceremony.
8.00pm GMT
20:00
Seems like government has really gone to the dogs.
Who did @SecKerry bring along to final briefing today? His pup! pic.twitter.com/YjRRSEePQV
7.56pm GMT
19:56
After Donald Trump’s comments on the weekend saying that civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis should focus on his “falling apart” district rather than criticize Trump, reporter Jamiles Lartey headed down to Atlanta to examine Lewis’ district:
Writes Lartey:
On a quiet stretch of Georgia road, a red Ferrari zips by a golf course and past a string of well-appointed brick colonials with ornate driveway pillars – the kind that sometimes feature stone lions atop standing guard.
Up the road, by a Starbucks and a bookstore, more fancy cars line the parking lot as a diverse, well-dressed crowd filters through.
“This is Buckhead,” said Alexander Johnson, who runs a media training company and lives nearby. “It is not crime infested, nor is it falling apart.”
Read there rest here.
7.26pm GMT
19:26
Breitbart News reporter Charlie Spiering is already in position for the inauguration concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial today.
At least someone is excited for Toby Keith!
Ready for @TobyKeith #maga concert pic.twitter.com/q05uXjhIEj
7.21pm GMT
19:21
Perry: 'I think we found our Saturday Night Live soundbite'
Perhaps the only genuinely funny moment in the entire Senate nomination hearings: former Texas governor Rick Perry, Trump’s pick for Energy Secretary, told Senator (and former Saturday Night Live comedian) Al Franken that he hoped “you’re as much fun on that dais as you were on your couch”.
PERRY: I hope you're as much fun on that dais as you were on your couch.FRANKEN: Well.PERRY: May I rephrase that please?FRANKEN: Please. pic.twitter.com/fiLWD6qTOK
In less amusing Perry news, Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders tried - and failed - to get Perry to admit climate change was a “crisis”.
The former Dancing with the Stars contestant also said he “regrets” his past calls to nix his Energy Department he’s now been asked to lead.
7.02pm GMT
19:02
All aboard Cathy’s Train! Molly Redden interviewed Cathy Heller, who in October came forward in the Guardian to accuse Donald Trump of forcibly kissing her. She was the ninth woman to publicly accuse him of unwanted sexual contact, and after seeing Trump win the election, was spurred into attending the Women’s March on Washington this Saturday.
As Redden explains:
Cathy Heller was looking for transportation to the Women’s March on Washington when she kept running into the same problem. On the morning of the march, every train leaving New York Penn Station for DC was sold out.
A few phone calls later, she found herself entreating an Amtrak salesperson: how many women would she have to organize before Amtrak agreed to add another car?
... About a week after Amtrak alerted her that they had added more cars, she had commitments from 43 women (and a few men) ready to travel with her to Washington.
They’re calling themselves Cathy’s Train.
Read the rest here.
6.55pm GMT
18:55
Schoolchildren from Brooklyn, New York, read letters they wrote to Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration.
6.44pm GMT
18:44
Where is this? This is a gorgeous room. A total genius must have built this place.
-- Donald Trump on the “Presidential Ballroom” (yes that its name) during a luncheon for his top donors at the Trump International Hotel in DC.
6.39pm GMT
18:39
Today Trump hosted a luncheon for top donors, with many of his cabinet nominees in attendance. The event took place, of course, at the new Trump International Hotel in DC.
“We have by far the highest IQ of any cabinet every accepted,” said Trump, although only a handful of the nominees have been confirmed following senate hearings.
Trump mentioned several of his cabinet picks by name, pointing out Education Secretary pick Betsy DeVos, who has been grilled by Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy and Bernie Sanders this week in intense senate hearings.
Trump said he and DeVos share “a different take” on education than past administrations.
“It’s called: we want our children educated,” said Trump, to laughter from the crowd.
6.27pm GMT
18:27
Donald Trump won’t be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States until tomorrow, but the inauguration ceremonies kick off today, with a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery at 3.30pm ET.
Then, at 4pm, it’s time for the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration, the inauguration concert that Trump has struggled to get any A-list stars to agree to perform at.
Country singer Toby Keith and 90s rock band 3 Doors Down will be there, and there are rumors of other performers attending but keeping it quiet, presumably not wanting to attract the criticism that caused Tony and Grammy-award winning singer Jennifer Holliday to back out (she called it a “lapse of judgement” and noted that she didn’t want to upset her LGBT fans).
Nicole Puglise has put together this comprehensive guide to the next few days’ events. She adds:
Numerous unofficial galas and balls will take place, both celebrating Trump and saying goodbye to Obama (though attendees be warned: you may have trouble finding a “great dress” to wear if you haven’t bought one already, the president-elect told the New York Times). Some are planned for inauguration eve. The country band Big & Rich will perform at the Great America Alliance Inaugural Gala, Rolling Stone reported. The DeploraBall will include an event on Thursday at the National Press Club as well as a gala event on Friday at the William F Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland. At the Garden State Presidential Inaugural Gala, hosted by the New Jersey State Society, the B Street Band, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band, was slated to play – but they’ve since bowed out of the event.
Peace Ball, organized by Busboys and Poets, will be held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and “What To DO When You’re Expecting The WORST”, hosted by Jezebel and Fusion, at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, according to the Washington Post.
On Facebook, more than 40,000 people have said they will attend a “Thanks, Obama” event on his last day in office. The original idea was for attendees to gather outside the White House and clap to show their appreciation for the outgoing president, but because of inauguration logistics, the event has moved to a private venue in the district, DCist reported.
How celebrities will protest around Trump’s inaugurationRead more
Also on Thursday evening: Common, the National, and others will perform at “Show Up!”, an event supporting Planned Parenthood.
Reporters Lauren Gambino, Sabrina Siddiqui, Ben Jacobs and David Smith will be dropping in to as many of these events as they can, and speaking to Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters, as the latter start to arrive in DC ahead of the Women’s March on Saturday.
