From criminal sentencing to inauguration: Timeline of Trump’s dramatic return to White House
With just a week left until President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, his inaugural committee has shared the schedule for all the events leading up to the swearing-in of the 47th president.
Trump has overcome impeachments, indictments, assassination attempts, and unforced errors on the campaign trail that would have dealt severe blows to most other political candidates.
During the two months since Trump won the election, states and Congress have certified the results, a new Congress has convened, and Trump has been sentenced in his hush-money case.
These are all the key dates from Trump’s election victory until he becomes the next president.
November 7 — states start to certify election results
State election officials began to certify their election results following the November 5 election.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission stated that Delaware was first in line, and had to certify their results by November 7. Georgia had to have certified their results by November 23, Michigan by November 25, and North Carolina and Nevada by November 26. Wisconsin followed on December 1 and Arizona on December 2, to name a few.
November 11 – Transition briefings begin
Transition briefings had to have started for the new Trump administration by November 11. Agencies brief incoming officials on their most important work and the top positions that have to be filled.
December 11 – Governors sign certificates of ascertainment
After certification of the results, state governors had to sign certificates of ascertainment to officially hand the state’s electors to the candidate that won the state in question. These signed documents were then handed to Congress and treated as the official results.
The documents, which had to be signed by December 11, include the names of the electors expected to cast the state’s votes in the subsequent Electoral College vote.
December 17 – Electoral College vote
The electors met in each state to cast their votes for president and vice president. Along with the certificates of ascertainment, the recorded votes were then sent on to Congress and the National Archives.
December 25 – Electoral votes had to have arrived in Washington D.C.
The deadline for the Electoral College votes to have arrived in the nation’s capital is the fourth Wednesday in December – in 2024 that was Christmas Day.
January 3 – New Congress begins
The new Congress was sworn in after Speaker Mike Johnson was re-elected on the first ballot after Trump spoke to some holdouts over the phone, urging them to back Johnson.
January 6 – Electoral votes counted
Four years after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, the Electoral College votes were counted without interruption. Vice President Kamala Harris oversaw the process of certifying her own defeat.
January 9 – Attending Jimmy Carter’s funeral
Trump came face to face with his former Vice President Mike Pence, and the two exchanged a few words and an awkward handshake, which is perhaps the most anyone could have hoped for given that their partnership ended with a crowd of Trump supporters calling for his second-in-command’s hanging during the Capitol riot. Pence’s wife Karen Pence declined to shake hands with either of the Trumps.
Former President Barack Obama and Trump, not known for being best buddies, raised eyebrows as they engaged in some friendly chit-chat and shared a few laughs at the otherwise somber event.
January 10 – Trump sentenced in hush money case as Jack Smith resigns
Justice Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge on Friday. The measure is a rare and lenient sentence in the New York state court system that still means that Trump will enter office on January 20th as a felon.
If Trump had been sentenced to a conditional discharge, he would have had to meet certain conditions, such as maintaining a job or paying restitution. With his sentence, however, there will be no conditions placed on Trump.
Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up an affair with an adult actress. He had initially faced as many as four years behind bars or probation.
Merchan had substantial reason to consider imprisonment, according to The New York Times.
On the same day as the sentencing, Special Counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Department of Justice. Smith led the prosecution of Trump on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling of classified documents.
January 18 – Official inauguration events begin
Ahead of the inauguration on January 20, a four-day celebration will begin with a reception and fireworks display at Trump’s golf course in Virginia. There will also be a cabinet reception and a dinner with the vice president-elect, according to a schedule shared by the transition team.
January 19 – Victory rally, wreath-laying ceremony, and candlelight dinner
The day before the inauguration will see Trump take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. The president-elect will then deliver remarks at a victory rally before taking part in a candlelight dinner that night.
January 20 – Inauguration day
Inauguration Day will begin with a service at St John’s church, before Trump is set to have tea at the White House before setting off for the swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.
There will be a “farewell to the former president and vice president,” according to the schedule before the departure ceremony from the U.S. Capitol.
Subsequently, the president’s signing room ceremony will take place before the congressional luncheon with the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
The president will review the troops before taking part in the presidential parade down Pennsylvania Avenue ahead of an Oval Office signing ceremony.
The day will conclude with three inaugural balls: the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball, and the Starlight Ball.
January 21 – National Prayer Service
There will be a national prayer service on the first full day of Trump’s second term, according to the schedule shared by the transition.