President-elect Joe Biden began the big day at church. He attended mass at Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, New York Senator Chuck Schumer, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Biden and Harris will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States starting around 11:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Here’s the schedule:
11:15 a.m. – The inauguration program will begin with an invocation from Father Leo J. O’Donovan, a former Georgetown University president. A firefighter from Georgia named Andrea Hall will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and Amanda Gorman, who made history in 2017 by being named the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate, will read a poem.
Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem. The ceremony will also feature musical performances from Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks.
11:55 a.m. – Harris is sworn in as the 49th vice president of the United States by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor shortly before noon on a Bible that once belonged to first the African American to serve on the Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall.
12:00 p.m. – Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States at noon, in occurrence with the 20th Amendment of the Constitution. Trump’s term officially ends. The new president will immediately give his inaugural address.
Rev. Silvester Beaman, a pastor from Delaware who was an ally of Joe Biden’s late son, Beau Biden, will conclude the inauguration by giving the benediction.
1:40 p.m. – Joe Biden and Harris review the readiness of the military troops in a review at the Capitol, a longstanding tradition to reflect the peaceful transition of power to a new commander in chief.
2:25 p.m. – Joe Biden, Harris and former Presidents Obama, George W. Bush and Clinton, along with their spouses, will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
3:15 p.m. – The new president and vice president will then proceed to the White House to receive a Presidential Escort, with each branch of the military represented.
Instead of the traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, there will be a virtual “Parade Across America” with performances from all 50 states and several territories. Jon Stewart is expected to make an appearance and Earth Wind & Fire is among the musical acts.
5:15 p.m. – Joe Biden will enter the Oval Office for the first time as president. He is expected to sign more than a dozen executive actions reversing some of President Trump’s signature policy initiatives and setting a new tone for his administration. He plans to issue a national mask-wearing “challenge,” stop the construction of the Southern border wall, revoke the so-called “Muslim ban,” and rejoin both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, among many other things.
5:45 p.m. – Joe Biden then swears in day one presidential appointees in a virtual ceremony.
7:00 p.m. – White House press secretary Jen Psaki will give her first briefing from the historic Brady Press Briefing Room with reporters.
8:30 p.m.- “Celebrating America” virtual television event, hosted by legendary actor Tom Hanks with performances by Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Tim McGraw Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend and Foo Fighters.
The 90-minute event will also include remarks from the new president and vice president.
9:55 p.m. – The Bidens appear on the Blue Room Balcony facing the South Lawn to conclude the day’s festivities.