Trump to take victory lap ahead of inauguration with Washington DC rally: Live updates

President-elect Donald Trump will take a victory lap at a campaign-style rally in Washington, D.C., a day before he is sworn in for his second term, four years after losing re-election.

The “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at the Capital One Arena is just one of the many events celebrating the incoming administration. It will also be Trump’s first major speech in Washington since he urged his supporters to march on January 6, 2021.

Freezing cold weather is gripping much of the northeastern U.S., so the inauguration ceremony on Monday has been moved inside to the Capitol’s rotunda. The last time this happened was at Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985.

The president-elect, Melania Trump, and their son, Barron Trump, arrived in the D.C. area on Saturday evening and traveled to Trump National Golf Club in Virginia, to watch a fireworks display.

Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters marched to the Lincoln Memorial echoing the demonstrations when Trump first assumed office.

The Independent has learned that Trump will begin his term with only one-quarter of the staff he needs — a notable failure of the Project 2025 plan to fill all roles from day one.

Key Points

• Watch LIVE: Trump holds victory rally in Washington DC ahead of presidential inauguration

• EDITORIAL: The world awaits promise and peril with Trump’s second act

• Trump inauguration moved inside to avoid frigid temperatures

• Exclusive: Trump will only have a quarter of the staff he needs in place when he enters office

• TikTok thanks Trump for intervening as it begins ‘process of restoring service’

• Exclusive: UK PM warned not to cosy up to Trump as poll shows voters favor EU ties

Watch: Justin Quiles says he loves Trump because he’s not a puppet

21:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Opening prayer at Trump victory rally

21:04 , Oliver O'Connell

“Every tongue that rises up against you in judgment will be condemned...”

Kid Rock kicks of this afternoon’s performances

20:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Elon Musk among scheduled speakers at today’s Trump victory rally — here’s who else is coming up...

20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Elon Musk is set to speak at President-elect Donald Trump’s Washington, D.C., rally on Sunday alongside Hulk Hogan and Dana White, according to NBC News.

Trump family members will also speak at the rally at Capital One Arena — which kicked off at 3:30 p.m. — here’s who else is speaking and performing:

Elon Musk is set to speak at Trump’s pre-inauguration rally. Here’s who will join

Watch the rally in full here.

Watch live: Donald Trump hosts Washington DC rally ahead of presidential inauguration

GOP leaders briefed on Trump’s first executive orders

20:44 , Oliver O'Connell

The Wall Street Journal reports that Stephen Miller, Donald Trump’s incoming White House deputy chief of staff for policy, briefed Republican leaders earlier this afternoon about the executive orders the new president is expected to issue after being sworn in tomorrow.

That includes declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border, rescinding Biden administration directives on diversity, equity and inclusion, and unwinding President Joe Biden’s limits on drilling offshore and on federal land.

TikTok back online and thanks ‘efforts of President Trump’

20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

TikTok credited “President Trump’s efforts” with getting the social media app back online on Sunday following a brief shutdown.

President-elect Donald Trump intervened on Sunday by announcing he would issue an executive order on Monday to give TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, a reprieve after the ban on the Chinese-owned app came into effect.

Rhian Lubin has been following developments today.

TikTok ‘in process of restoring service’ and thanks Trump for intervening after ban

Nelly responds to backlash over performance at Trump inauguration ball

20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rapper Nelly has responded after facing backlash for his decision to perform at one of Donald Trump’s inauguration balls on Monday (January 20).

Citing sources, CBS reported on Friday that the “Dilemma” star was set to perform at the Inaugural Liberty Ball in Washington D.C.

Tom Murray has the story.

Nelly hits back at rampant criticism over performance at Trump inauguration ball

Watch LIVE: Trump holds victory rally in Washington DC ahead of presidential inauguration

20:14 , Oliver O'Connell

As he returns to the White House, Trump will begin ‘two year race’ to change America and the world

20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump and his team will be in “a two-year race” to change the US - and the world - from the moment he is inaugurated inside the Capitol on Monday.

Sources close to the 47th president of the United States of America have privately noted that he has until the midterm elections in November 2026 to fulfill his policy agenda while the Republicans still have control of the Congress and Senate.

David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports from Washington, D.C.

Trump to start ‘two year race’ to change America and the world as he returns to power

Was the whole TikTok ban drama a bait-and-switch to make Trump look good?

19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Skeptics have highlighted how Trump was the one who initially called for the controversial Chinese-owned social media app to be banned in 2020. But since Trump’s following on TikTok grew — he has now amassed 14.8 million followers — and he hinted it helped to clinch the election, the president-elect has changed his tune.

Rhian Lubin and John Bowden report.

Was the whole TikTok drama a bait-and-switch to make Trump look good?

EDITORIAL: The world awaits promise and peril with Trump’s second act

19:25 , Oliver O'Connell

President-elect Donald Trump is not someone who plays down expectations, whether about himself or the United States. And he raises the expectations of others accordingly. His re-entry onto the world stage after his victory in last year’s election prompted urgent shifts in international dynamics on the part of national leaders around the world, simply in anticipation. From midday on Monday, Mr Trump’s power is real. With it comes promise – and peril.

Continue reading...

The world awaits promise and peril with Trump’s second act

Vance met with Chinese counterpart this morning

19:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Vice President-elect JD Vance met with his Chinese counterpart, Vice President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng this morning.

In pictures: Crowds of Trump supporters gather for victory rally at Capitol One Arena

19:19 , Oliver O'Connell

Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump crowded the streets of Washington, D.C. on Sunday lunchtime as they waited to get into the Capitol One Arena for the “Make America Great Again Victory Rally,” which gets underway at 3 p.m. ET.

Decked out in red, white, and blue, or with t-shirts, flags, and hats emblazoned with Trump’s name, the crowd remained jubilant, even in the cold and damp weather.

What’s next for the Bidens?

19:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden are leaving the White House on January 20, marking the end of the president’s 50 years in politics.

But Biden, 82, insists he’s not quite ready to retreat into a slow retirement just yet. In interviews, the president has indicated he’s still got work to do to improve Americans’ lives. Jill Biden, 73, has similarly dedicated her life to others through education, but she has kept quiet about her next chapter after the White House.

What is certain is that Bidens will almost certainly return to their homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where they spend time with family.

Here is what else could be in store for Joe and Jill Biden.

What’s next for Joe and Jill Biden?

In pictures: Trump and Vance lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery

18:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Exclusive: UK PM warned not to cosy up to Trump as poll shows voters want closer EU ties instead

18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned not to “cosy up to the White House” as a new poll shows nearly two in three Labour voters believe he should build closer economic and security ties to Europe as Donald Trump returns to power.

The same proportion of Labour voters, 67 per cent, say they are “worried” about the impact of Mr Trump’s presidency. The findings will pile pressure on Sir Keir to accelerate talks to improve UK-EU relations as the world braces for Mr Trump’s second term.

Kate Devlin, The Independent’s Whitehall Editor, reports from London.

Starmer warned not to cosy up to Trump as Labour voters back closer EU ties instead

Sen. Cotton goes against Trump on return of TikTok

18:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Senator Tom Cotton is pushing back on the return of TikTok after it went dark in the U.S. for less than a day, going against President-elect Donald Trump.

He also challenged the legality of Trump’s call for joint U.S. ownership, a 90-day extension, and legal cover for companies that bring it back online via their app stores

In response to the company’s statement that it was restoring service, the senator wrote on X: “Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs. Think about it.”

Here’s his earlier statement from when the app went offline:

This morning, the president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! 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. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.

Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.

I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions.

Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose.

18:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Dave Chappelle issues plea to Trump in last SNL before inauguration

18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Dave Chappelle, a three-time Saturday Night Live host, returned to the Studio 8H stage for a fourth time less than 48 hours before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Chappelle began his monologue by discussing the Los Angeles fires before moving on to his absence from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “freak offs” — and giving Trump advice for returning to his old gig on Monday.

Michelle Del Rey has the story.

Dave Chappelle issues plea to Donald Trump in last SNL before inauguration

Biden says four more women hostages to be released by Hamas in seven days

18:18 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden tweeted:

Following the ceasefire, hostages are starting to be released. Three Israeli women held for 470 days. Four more women in seven days. And three hostages every seven days thereafter including at least two Americans in this first phase. We pray for their long recovery ahead.

Watch: Time’s new (animated) inauguration cover

18:13 , Oliver O'Connell

“He’s Back.”

BREAKING: TikTok thanks Trump for intervening as it begins ‘process of restoring service’

18:08 , Oliver O'Connell

TikTok has announced it is in the process of restoring its service in the U.S. and thanked President-elect Donald Trump for intervening following a ban on the Chinese-owned app.

In a statement released on Sunday, TikTok said it had reached an agreement with its service providers after Trump said he would issue an executive order on Monday giving ByteDance, its parent company, an extension to find a buyer.

Rhian Lubin reports from New York.

TikTok ‘in process of restoring service’ and thanks Trump for intervening after ban

Exclusive: Trump will only have a quarter of the staff he needs in place when he enters office

18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The second Donald Trump administration will start with fewer key staff in place than when Trump entered the White House for the first time eight years ago, with just a quarter of the political appointments made and ready to go when he is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday.

The Independent has learned that only 1,000 people have been hired to fill a fraction of the 4,000 important presidentially appointed roles atop the federal bureaucracy, many of which can be put in place without the need of Senate confirmation.

David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg report from Washington, D.C.

Trump will only have a quarter of the staff he needs in place when he enters office

Watch LIVE: Trump lays wreath at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of presidential inauguration

17:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Trump lays wreath at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of inauguration

President-elect met with Senate GOP over breakfast at Blair House

17:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Biden delivers remarks on ceasefire in Gaza

17:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Bannon mocks Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos as Trump ‘supplicants’

16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Steve Bannon has intensified the MAGA civil war by comparing the sudden support for Donald Trump from tech titans Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos to the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II.

Trump’s one-time White House chief strategist fired his latest broadside against Tesla and SpaceX CEO Musk in an interview with ABC News the weekend before his former boss is sworn in for a second term.

Phil Thomas reports from Los Angeles.

Bannon calls Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos ‘supplicants’ before Trump

National Park Service removes Jumbotron screens from Mall

17:16 , Oliver O'Connell

With the inauguration ceremony moving inside because of the intense cold, the National Park Service has removed the Jumbotron screens from the National Mall to discourage people from congregating there and endangering their health.

The request came from Donald Trump’s inaugural committee.

Nigel Farage proclaimed ‘Britain’s future PM’ at Trump celebration party

16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg report from Washington, D.C.:

Nigel Farage was proclaimed as “the next prime minister of Great Britain” at a huge party overlooking the White House to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of his friend and ally Donald Trump.

The Stars and Stripes Union Jack reception on the rooftop of the Hay Adams hotel on Friday night became a gathering of the glitterati of the US and UK political right, with Maga Republicans rubbing shoulders with Reform UK, senior Conservatives, and Brexiteers.

Read on...

Farage proclaimed ‘Britain’s future PM’ at champagne fuelled Trump celebration party

EDITORIAL: Global politics will become noisier on Monday when Donald Trump takes office

15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The mood surrounding Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday is very different from the first time round. In 2017 there were liberals in the United States and around the world who behaved as if we were in the end times. They braced themselves for all manner of wickedness – and then the world continued to turn on its axis; nothing much changed.

Mr Trump did not impose tariffs on imports from other countries. He did not build very much of the wall on the southern border of the US. Mexico did not pay for the 47 miles that he did build. He did not shut the US’s borders to Muslims. He did not withdraw from Nato.

As a result, the anticipation of Mr Trump’s presidency is calmer this time – as the president-elect himself has noticed: “In the first term everybody was fighting me. In this term everybody wants to be my friend.”

The danger is that the world is making the opposite mistake of underestimating the risks of the great disruptor.

Continue reading...

Global politics will become noisier on Monday when Donald Trump takes office

1985 was the last time an inauguration was indoors. Ronald and Nancy Reagan felt they had no choice

14:30 , AP

Ronald and Nancy Reagan were disappointed.

That’s what White House press secretary Larry Speakes told reporters on Jan. 18, 1985, after the Republican president and first lady decided to hold his second inauguration indoors because of an unusually cold weather forecast.

“They really felt they had no choice,” Speakes said two days before the ceremony, according to archived transcripts of press briefings housed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California.

President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to take the oath of office in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, when below-freezing temperatures are again expected, recalls the last time cold weather prompted a similar decision.

The transcripts from 1985 shed light on the Reagans’ considerations.

“There was high-level medical and military consultation and it was just a very serious problem for health and safety,” Speakes said, according to transcripts provided Friday by the Reagan library. “We would have had probably some very serious problems for some of the participants.”

Like what, reporters asked.

For a day when the temperature reached 7 degrees Fahrenheit (-14 Celsius) in Washington, “the medical people told them that exposed areas would freeze in less than five minutes, with wind-chill factors like this,” Speakes said.

Speakes waved off concerns for Reagan’s own health as a man taking office a second time at nearly 74 years old. (Trump turned 78 in June and will become the oldest person to start a presidential term. President Joe Biden, who will be in the audience while Trump takes the oath of office, is 82.)

Reagan’s box on the west steps of the Capitol would have been heated, so “no, I don’t think that was ever voiced to the president,” Speakes said.

It was the thousands of people participating in the parade, standing along the parade route and huddled on the National Mall who, Speakes said, concerned the president and first lady more.

“The Reagans looked at it ... knowing parade participants might be out there for four hours, if not longer,” he said. “So, it was just obvious, knowing that — what the medical people told them — that they would have had severe frostbite, if not some conditions that could have been worse.”

Trump considering rejecting Lord Mandelson as UK PM’s nominee for ambassador to the US

13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump is considering rejecting Sir Keir Starmer’s nominee for UK ambassador to the US in what would be an extremely rare move.

Sources within the Trump team have told The Independent that it is still not certain Peter Mandelson’s credentials will be accepted by Mr Trump after he becomes president.

David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports from Washington, D.C.

Trump considering rejecting Mandelson as Starmer’s nominee for ambassador to the US

Snoop Dogg fans appalled by his performance at Trump inauguration party

12:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Snoop Dogg has upset a wide portion of his fan base after performing at the first-ever inaugural “Crypto Ball” in celebration of Donald Trump’s imminent inauguration as U.S. president.

Snoop (real name Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.) was filmed performing his classic track, “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” at the party hosted by David Sacks, former PayPal COO and the incoming White House AI and Crypto Czar.

After previously mocking the president-elect, Snoop switched allegiances last year to praise Trump and claim he “has done only great things” for him.

Tom Murray reports.

Snoop Dogg fans appalled by rapper’s performance at Trump inauguration party

Stressed about Trump’s return? You’re not alone...

11:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Richard Hall writes:

Therapist Paula Carino describes Donald Trump’s presence in the lives of her clients as “an ambient sinister fuzz.”

The returning president’s unique ability to dominate the airwaves and invade the headspace of the country has been a daily torment to his detractors for years, whether through his screaming tweets, rambling press conferences or occasional threats to democracy. And as he returns to the White House for his second term, therapists across the country are hearing about it.

“He’s very triggering for people,” Carino, who is based in Brooklyn, tells The Independent.

Read on...

People are panicking to their therapist about Donald Trump’s return

Ramaswamy reportedly announcing campaign for Ohio governor

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Vivek Ramaswamy, the billionaire biotech entrepreneur joining Elon Musk to recommend drastic cuts to federal spending in Donald Trump’s administration, reportedly plans to run for governor of Ohio.

Ramaswamy — who was reportedly considering a run for J.D. Vance’s open U.S. Senate seat, with Trump’s encouragement — is expected to announce a campaign to replace the state’s term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine, according to The Washington Post.

Alex Woodward reports.

DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy reportedly announcing campaign for Ohio governor

Bill Gates reveals details of lengthy meeting Trump at Mar-a-Lago

09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Bill Gates has revealed he had a lengthy dinner with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, where the pair discussed global health.

The Microsoft co-founder, 69, told The Independent he met with President-elect Trump at his Florida residence shortly after Christmas to discuss the work his Gates Foundation is doing to prevent the spread of HIV and polio, and to urge Trump to continue U.S. funding for research in those areas.

Kevin E G Perry reports.

Bill Gates speaks out on three-hour sit-down with Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Recap: Trump to head indoors for inauguration bucking outdoor ceremony to avoid frigid temps

08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The cold weather has thrown President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration into chaos, as Monday’s ceremony will be moved inside due to frigid temperatures.

High temperatures are expected to be in the low 20s in the nation’s capital on Monday. It’s projected to be the coldest inauguration in 40 years, when Ronald Reagan’s swearing-in ceremony was also moved indoors.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Trump to head indoors for inauguration bucking outdoor ceremony to avoid frigid temps

National Guard troops will wear a special patch at Trump's inauguration to make it clear they aren't police

07:45 , AP

When thousands of National Guard forces and law enforcement officers locked down Washington during racial protests and the Jan. 6 riot four years ago, the blur of camouflage and helmets made it nearly impossible to tell the difference between cops and troops.

This year’s inauguration will be different.

Read on...

Guard troops will wear a special patch at Trump's inauguration to make it clear they aren't police

Report: Trump’s first major deportation operation will target Chicago

05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to begin its promised campaign of unprecedented mass deportations with a series of raids in Chicago.

The raids will begin the day after the Republican is inaugurated, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Josh Marcus reports.

Trump’s first major deportation operation will hit Chicago, says report

Inside the scramble to move Trump’s inauguration indoors

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The plans for President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration had been in the works for months — but officials are now scrambling to figure out new options as freezing temperatures have forced proceedings to move inside for the first time in 40 years.

Trump confirmed his inauguration would be moving inside on Friday as temperatures are forecast to plummet to the low 20s and said he didn’t want to see people “hurt or injured” due to the cold.

Rhian Lubin reports.

Inside the scramble to move Trump inauguration indoors as MAGAworld caught off guard

Trumps to be treated to fireworks display at Trump National Golf Club

03:25 , Michelle Del Rey

The president-elect and former first lady arrived at their hotel shortly after touching down in Dulles, Virginia around 7 p.m. ET. The pair were treated to an Elvis impersonator at the hotel and are scheduled to watch a fireworks display.

Recap: Timeline of Trump’s dramatic return to White House

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

All the key dates from Trump’s election victory until he becomes the next president.

Timeline of events – from Trump winning the election to becoming the 47th president

Who is singing the national anthem at the inauguration?

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

As President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office once again at his second Inauguration ceremony on January 20, he will be serenaded by a host of performers, but who is singing the national anthem?

Inga Parkel reports.

Who is Christopher Macchio, the singer performing at Trump’s inauguration?

Trump reveals the three themes of his inauguration speech and hints at two early trips

00:50 , Michelle Del Rey

Donald Trump has reportedly said the three main themes of his inaugural speech on Monday will be “unity, strength and fairness.”

The president-elect, who will be sworn in for his second term at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., has also said that he will sign around 100 executive actions on his first day, with the focus on immigration.

He has previously promised action on at least 59 topics on his first day in office, including “the largest deportation” in US history, ending the war in Ukraine and pardoning the January 6 rioters. The new administration’s deportation efforts are expected to begin in Chicago, with some 200 ICE agents targeting scores of migrants, including those with low-level criminal histories that would’ve been deemed low priority by the Biden administration.

Read more from Phil Thomas.

Trump reveals the three themes of his inauguration speech

Who pays for the presidential inauguration?

00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The fundraising for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump has beaten all records, with an unprecedented $170 million raised.

Tech executives and big donors have donated massive sums of money to curry favor with the incoming president. The donations are usually spent on events surrounding the inauguration, such as the oath of office ceremony, a parade, and several inaugural balls.

The fundraising sum was initially reported Wednesday by The New York Times.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Who pays for the presidential inauguration? These are some of the major donors

Trump arrives in D.C. shortly after 7 p.m. ET

00:31 , Michelle Del Rey

President-elect Donald Trump has arrived in the D.C.-area less than 48 hours away from his swearing-in ceremony inside the Capitol. Both Melania and Barron Trump accompanied him on the journey.

TikTok threatens to ‘go dark’ on Sunday – as Trump dangles a 90-day reprieve once he’s sworn in the following day

00:26 , Michelle Del Rey

President-elect Donald Trump is “likely” to give TikTok a 90-day reprieve as the app says it will “go dark” Sunday after the Supreme Court upheld a federal law banning it this week.

Trump made the comment in a phone interview with NBC News’s Kristen Welker a day after the ruling was issued.

“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at,” he said. “The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation.”

Read more from Michelle Del Rey here.