BBC Online :
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, yesterday.
The property tycoon won an unexpected victory in November’s election after a controversial campaign.
Hundreds of thousands of supporters and protesters are travelling to Washington DC for the event.
Thousands of police have been deployed and many kilometres of crowd barriers set up as part of a vast security operation. Addressing supporters on Thursday night at a pre-inaugural concert, Mr Trump pledged to unify America, bring change and make the country great “for all of our people”.
Meanwhile in New York, thousands of people attended a rally where dozens of celebrities and politicians voiced their concerns about the president-elect. Mr Trump will be sworn in before midday local time (17:00 GMT) by Chief Justice John Roberts, and make his inaugural speech.
The ceremony was attended by former presidents and first ladies, including Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, Mr Trump’s opponent in the recent election. The only absences was the 92-year-old George Bush Senior, who is in hospital being treated for respiratory problems, and his wife Barbara. Members of Congress were also be there, although more than 50 House Democrats have said they would boycott the event.
An estimated 800,000 to 900,000 people travelled to Washington, although it was not clear how many were coming to celebrate the inauguration and how many to protest against it.
Demonstrations for and against Mr Trump include
a rally for the new president by Bikers for Trump after the ceremony. The Women’s March on Washington on Saturday – for racial and gender equality, and other issues perceived to be under threat from Mr Trump’s administration – is expected to draw about 200,000 people.
The New York Times, WASHINGTON adds,
Mr. Trump plans to retain 50 essential State Department and national security officials currently working in the Obama administration to ensure “continuity of government,” according to Sean Spicer, the incoming White House press secretary. The final staff preparations included designating Thomas A. Shannon Jr., an Obama appointee, as the acting secretary of state, pending the expected confirmation of Rex W. Tillerson. As of Thursday, only two of Mr. Trump’s 15 cabinet nominees – John F. Kelly, to head the Department of Homeland Security, and his nominee for defense secretary, Gen. James N. Mattis – had been approved by congressional committees and were close to assuming their posts.
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, yesterday.
The property tycoon won an unexpected victory in November’s election after a controversial campaign.
Hundreds of thousands of supporters and protesters are travelling to Washington DC for the event.
Thousands of police have been deployed and many kilometres of crowd barriers set up as part of a vast security operation. Addressing supporters on Thursday night at a pre-inaugural concert, Mr Trump pledged to unify America, bring change and make the country great “for all of our people”.
Meanwhile in New York, thousands of people attended a rally where dozens of celebrities and politicians voiced their concerns about the president-elect. Mr Trump will be sworn in before midday local time (17:00 GMT) by Chief Justice John Roberts, and make his inaugural speech.
The ceremony was attended by former presidents and first ladies, including Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, Mr Trump’s opponent in the recent election. The only absences was the 92-year-old George Bush Senior, who is in hospital being treated for respiratory problems, and his wife Barbara. Members of Congress were also be there, although more than 50 House Democrats have said they would boycott the event.
An estimated 800,000 to 900,000 people travelled to Washington, although it was not clear how many were coming to celebrate the inauguration and how many to protest against it.
Demonstrations for and against Mr Trump include
a rally for the new president by Bikers for Trump after the ceremony. The Women’s March on Washington on Saturday – for racial and gender equality, and other issues perceived to be under threat from Mr Trump’s administration – is expected to draw about 200,000 people.
The New York Times, WASHINGTON adds,
Mr. Trump plans to retain 50 essential State Department and national security officials currently working in the Obama administration to ensure “continuity of government,” according to Sean Spicer, the incoming White House press secretary. The final staff preparations included designating Thomas A. Shannon Jr., an Obama appointee, as the acting secretary of state, pending the expected confirmation of Rex W. Tillerson. As of Thursday, only two of Mr. Trump’s 15 cabinet nominees – John F. Kelly, to head the Department of Homeland Security, and his nominee for defense secretary, Gen. James N. Mattis – had been approved by congressional committees and were close to assuming their posts.
