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Trump to Make Historic Return to White House

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Trump to Make Historic Return to White House
Melania Trump and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump arrive for services at St. John's Church as part of Inauguration ceremonies on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Trumps Attend Traditional Church Service
Vance, Trump Family Arrive at St. John’s
Trump Departs for St. John’s Church
What to Watch For at Trump’s Inauguration
Trumps Attend Traditional Church Service
Samantha Flom
Trump Departs for St. John’s Church
Samantha Flom
What to Watch For at Trump’s Inauguration
Austin Alonzo
Biden Issues Preemptive Pardons for Fauci, Milley, Jan. 6 Committee
Zachary Stieber
Biden Issues Preemptive Pardons for Fauci, Milley, Jan. 6 Committee
President Joe Biden in Washington, on Nov. 7, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

President Joe Biden on Jan. 20 issued preemptive pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, and people who served on the U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Biden is also issuing preemptive pardons to law enforcement officers who testified to the House panel.

“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing,” Biden said in a statement, alleging that the individuals for whom he issued the pardons “do not deserve to be the targets of unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions.”

Trump’s Return to White House Promises Rapid Change
Trump’s Return to White House Promises Rapid Change
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during the Make America Great Again Victory Rally at Capital One Arena one day prior to his Inauguration in Washington on Jan. 19, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

President-elect Donald J. Trump returns to the White House as a seasoned executive intent on ending a decades-long approach to governance in ways that could reshape the presidency and the country well into the future.

Trump plans an about-face from the expansion of domestic programs and regulations and globalist foreign policy of the post-Cold War era. Instead, he’ll govern by an “America First” doctrine focused on border security, deregulation, energy production, and strategic engagement with other nations.

To achieve that, he proposes a further expansion of presidential power and a reduction of the size and authority of the federal bureaucracy.

What to Watch on Inauguration Day
Jacob Burg
What to Watch on Inauguration Day
The U.S. Capitol ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration in Washington on Jan. 19, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the country’s 47th president on Jan. 20 in an event that will include welcoming ceremonies from business and global leaders and feature extravagant celebrations from well-known performers.

After weather forecasts predicted temperatures as low as 22 degrees Fahrenheit during the time Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance are set to take the oath of office, the swearing-in ceremony was moved inside the Capitol rotunda. This will be the first time a commander-in-chief has been inaugurated indoors since President Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term 40 years ago.

The musical performers include country music stars Carrie Underwood and Lee Greenwood, tenor Christopher Macchio, and the Village People. Among the business moguls planning to attend Trump’s inauguration are Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Trump Outlines Day 1 Priorities at Inauguration Eve Rally
Emel Akan
Trump Outlines Day 1 Priorities at Inauguration Eve Rally
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during the Make America Great Again Victory Rally at Capital One Arena one day prior to his Inauguration in Washington on Jan. 19, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump spoke at a rally on Sunday, the eve of Inauguration Day, at the Capitol One Arena in downtown Washington.

At the “Make America Great Again” victory rally, Trump offered a preview of the actions he would take upon being sworn in on Jan. 20 as the 47th president of the United States.

“We won,” Trump said, before beginning his speech.

Everything You Need to Know About Trump’s Inauguration: When and Where to Watch
Jack Phillips
Everything You Need to Know About Trump’s Inauguration: When and Where to Watch
President Donald Trump waves as he walks with first lady Melania Trump during the inauguration parade on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, on Jan. 20, 2016. The Canadian Press/AP-Evan Vucci
With President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, the Constitution goes into detail about when Inauguration Day should be held, down to the precise time, and other details.

How to Watch

The Epoch Times and its sister media NTD Television will host live coverage of Trump’s inauguration on The Epoch Times website and NTD’s website starting at 9 a.m. ET.

When Is It Being Held?

The swearing-in ceremony is slated to begin just before 12 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 20, which is Martin Luther King Day, according to the National Park Service.
The 20th Amendment of the Constitution stipulates the exact timing of the transition of power down to the minute, which is “noon on the 20th day of January,” according to the National Archives.

“The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3rd day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin,” it reads in full.

As Trump Takes the Wheel, Big Corporations Extricate From DEI, Climate Programs
Kevin Stocklin
As Trump Takes the Wheel, Big Corporations Extricate From DEI, Climate Programs
Illustration by The Epoch Times, Freepik

After years of applying the progressive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ideological framework to their corporations, executives appear to now be realizing that these programs could be driving their companies into a legal and financial wall.

The past year has seen a growing list of Fortune 500 companies announcing that they are dropping race- and gender-based programs for their employees and pulling out of global net zero climate clubs.

Companies that have announced they are canceling or dialing back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs include Meta, Walmart, Ford, McDonald’s, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, Tractor Supply Company, Lowe’s, Molson Coors, Nissan, Toyota, and Stanley Black & Decker.

TikTok Says It’s Restoring US Service After Trump Push to Pause Ban
Jacob Burg
TikTok Says It’s Restoring US Service After Trump Push to Pause Ban
In this photo illustration, the TikTok logo is displayed on an iPhone in London, on Feb. 28, 2023. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump said on Jan. 19 that he is asking tech companies to keep social media platform TikTok online and would sign an executive order postponing the federal ban of the social media website in the United States.

“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

Trump’s announcement was made as millions of U.S. users found they could no longer access the TikTok app or platform.

Biden Leaves Office With Mixed Reactions to His Legacy
Emel Akan
Arjun Singh
Biden Leaves Office With Mixed Reactions to His Legacy
President Joe Biden looks on after he delivered his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025. Mandel Ngan - Pool/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden took office amid one of the most sweeping public health crises in the nation’s history, promising to “restore the soul” of the country and bring unity. As his term comes to an end, his presidency has been met with a mix of praise and criticism, leaving behind a divided legacy.

In his inaugural address in 2021, Biden described the moment as a “winter of peril and possibility.” Four years later, in his farewell speech to the nation on Jan. 15, he expressed pride in his administration’s achievements.

“I’ve kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of the toughest periods in our nation’s history,” Biden said, reflecting on the successes and challenges of his tenure.