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Donald Trump's inauguration: Everything you need to know, and when to watch

CBC News is covering the historic inauguration of Donald Trump from start to finish. Here is a schedule of the day's events.

CBC News is covering the historic inauguration of Donald Trump, who was sworn in on Friday at noon ET.  Watch and read how the events unfolded on our live blog. 

For coverage details on CBC television and radio, see the bottom of this story. 

Inauguration schedule

Friday

  • Trump was sworn in at noon by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. He then began his inaugural address.

  • Trump then signed his first executive orders: the official nominations of his cabinet picks.

  • Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence then proceeded to a luncheon in the U.S. Capitol and then head to the inaugural parade.

  • A procession of floats, soldiers and marching bands will pass by Trump during the inaugural parade along Pennsylvania Avenue. Trump's team says the parade will last about 90 minutes. (Dwight Eisenhower presided over the longest parade — at more than 4.5 hours — in 1953).

  • Trump will attend three inaugural balls in the evening. Two balls will be hosted at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. A ball honouring military, first responders and other service workers will be held at the National Building Museum. By comparison, Barack and Michelle Obama were present at 10 balls in 2009 and the Clintons visited 14 in 1997.

  • Saturday

    • The inauguration celebrations will end with a prayer service at Washington's National Cathedral. 

    • The Women's March on Washington, a gathering of grassroots protest groups and not a part of the official inauguration schedule, is set to begin at 10:30 a.m.. About 200,000 people are expected.

    Who will and won't perform at inauguration?

    Singer Jackie Evancho, 16, will sing The Star Spangled Banner at the inauguration ceremony on Friday. (Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Capitol Concerts)

    Put simply, the list of confirmed performers is slim. 

    On Friday, the inauguration will feature:

    • New York City dance troupe the Rockettes. Three of the high kickers declined to perform.

    • The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Singer Jan Chamberlin quit the group, saying, "I only know I could never 'throw roses to Hitler.' And I certainly could never sing for him."

    • Teen classical crossover singer and reality show star Jackie Evancho.

    The list of artists who said they declined an invitation to perform includes:

    • Rebecca Ferguson, former runner-up on the British X-Factor.

    • Jennifer Holliday, a Broadway singer and actress who initially agreed to perform but later withdrew saying she wanted to stand with the LGBT community.

    • Welsh singer Charlotte Church who tweeted, "A simple Internet search would show I think you're a tyrant. Bye."

    • Electronic musician Moby, who said he'd only consider DJ'ing the event if Trump released his taxes.

    • Rock band KISS.

    • Canadian musician and producer David Foster.

    • British musician Elton John.

    • Canadian crooner Paul Anka, who said he couldn't perform at the ball because of a personal scheduling conflict.

    • Rapper and actor Ice-T who tweeted, "I didn't pick up and blocked the number."

    Really a record crowd? Who's going?

    Officials estimate about 800,000 people will come to Washington to witness the proceedings. By comparison, Obama drew a record 1.8 million people eight years ago. 

    Trump, a powerfully polarizing political figure, is suffering low approval ratings according to a recent Gallup poll that found that 51 per cent of Americans disapprove of Trump's transition, compared with 44 per cent who do approve. The telephone poll was conducted from Jan. 4 to 8 with a random sample of 1,032 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points at the 95 per cent confidence level. 

    A recent Gallup poll found that 51 per cent of Americans disapprove of Trump's transition, as compared with 44 per cent that do approve. (CBC)

    Hillary Clinton, who challenged Trump for the presidency attended the inauguration. Tradition dictates that former presidents also attend the ceremony to observe the peaceful transition of power. Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush attended the ceremony Friday, while George H.W. Bush, 92, declined, citing health concerns.

    Who's staying home?

    A number of prominent Democrats said they would not attend, including congressman and civil rights legend John Lewis, who initiated a boycott movement when he suggested Trump was not a "legitimate" president-elect.

    "I don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president," Lewis said in an interview with Meet the Press. "I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected."

    Congressman John Lewis has suggested Trump is not a "legitimate" president-elect. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

    Trump in response tweeted that Lewis should "focus on the burning and crime infested inner-cities of the U.S. I can use all the help I can get!"

    The list of Democrats not in attendance include, among others, Luis Gutiérrez, Raul Grijalva, Nydia Velazquez, Adriano Espaillat, Barbara Lee, Katherine Clark, Jared Huffman, Mark deSaulnier, Yvette Clarke, Mark Takano, Ted Lieu, Maxine Waters, John Conyers and Kurt Schrader. Some expressed support for Lewis's stance, while others said they object to Trump's previous controversial statements about women, blacks and Latinos.

    How much will this cost?

    When all is said and done, the bill is expected to total between $175 and $200 million US. Included in the tally: the swearing-in ceremony, dinners, the concert, parade, balls, and security. Trump's committee has raised a record $90 million in private donations. The rest will be paid by the taxpayers. 

    Trump's team has touted fundraising packages ranging in price from $25,000 to $1 million. In exchange for the hefty donations, donors will attend private dinners with Trump and Pence as well as the swearing-in and inaugural balls, according to the Washington Post.

    Trump's team has raised $90 million in private donations for the inauguration. Top donors were offered rewards such as a dinner with the president-elect and vice president-elect Mike Pence. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

    How much security?

    About 28,000 personnel from various departments, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service and the Coast Guard, will provide security on the day of the inauguration, according to the Washington Post. They will also be joined by about 5,000 National Guard troops and 3,000 police officers.

    Certain areas will be open to government vehicles only, and the perimeter will be girded by trucks and buses, to prevent assaults like the recent truck attacks in Nice and Berlin.


    Here's how you can follow along on the web, on TV and on radio.

    CBC Online

    Coverage on CBCNews.ca includes up-to-the minute news and analysis. There will be a live blog from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET on Friday, and we'll also livestream our TV special, which will include updates from our correspondents stationed at Capitol Hill, the National Mall, Trump Tower, and the Canadian Embassy.

    Viewers can also watch on our facebook page and YouTube channel.

    Our live blog covering the women's march on Washington continues on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. ET.

    CBC Television and CBC News Network

    Our television special, hosted by Peter Mansbridge, begins at 10 a.m. ET Friday on CBC News Network and switches to CBC Television at 11 a.m.. Reporters in Washington and around the globe will share reaction and provide analysis of the historic event.

    Rosemary Barton will host a special edition of Power and Politics at 5 p.m. ET on CBC News Network. The National will air from Washington on Thursday and Friday. 

    Viewers can also watch updates from the women's march throughout Saturday on CBC News Network.

    CBC Radio One

    Listeners can tune in to hear reports from the National Mall on World Report at the top of the hour, from 5 a.m. ET through 11 a.m. ET. Our radio special, hosted by Susan Bonner and Anna Maria Tremonti, begins at 11:30 a.m. with reports and analysis.