Live inauguration updates: Former presidents introduced at Capitol as Biden, Harris near big moment
USA Today is covering the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris live. Refresh often for updates.
Biden to install interim leadership at Justice Department
The incoming Biden administration is moving to install interim leadership at the Justice Department, tapping career Justice official Monty Wilkinson to serve as acting attorney general until the Senate weighs the confirmation of nominee Merrick Garland, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
John Carlin, a former assistant attorney general in Obama administration, is President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to serve as acting deputy attorney general until nominee Lisa Monaco can be confirmed by the Senate, said the source who is not authorized to comment publicly.
The moves come as acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen steps down Wednesday.
Rosen has served as the nation’s interim chief law enforcement officer since the Dec. 23 departure of William Barr, once one of President Donald Trump most prominent defenders.
— Kevin Johnson
Hero Capitol Police officer escorts Kamala Harris
Eugene Goodman, the Capitol Police officer who led rioters away from the Senate chamber on Jan. 6, is escorting Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at the inauguration Wednesday.
Goodman went viral earlier this month after a video showed him leading a mob of white men away from the Senate floor, potentially saving lives.
In the viral video, Goodman, who is Black, pushes a member of the mob, a man wearing a black QAnon shirt later identified as Doug Jensen from Des Moines.
As a result, Jensen chased Goodman, who led him and the mob away from the Senate floor. The mob followed him into a group of police in a back corridor outside the Senate. Jensen was later arrested by the FBI on five federal charges.
Legislation has been introduced to award a Congressional Gold Medal for Goodman.
— Rebecca Morin
Dignitaries arrive at Capitol
Dignitaries have started arriving at the Capitol for Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Congressional leaders, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, former Vice President Dan Quayle, and others have taken their place on the platform ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
Each arrival is announced over a loudspeaker and, in some cases, accompanied by a drumroll.
— Michael Collins
Biden, Harris arrive at Capitol for inauguration
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris arrived at the Capitol at 10:30 a.m. ET before they will be sworn in as the 46h president and 49th vice president.
After exiting the motorcade, the Senate chairs of the Inaugural Committee, Sens. Roy Blunt-R-Mo. and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., greeted them.
Biden held hands with his wife Dr. Jill Biden as they walked up the steps of the Capitol and Harris held hands with husband Doug Emhoff. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell greeted the couples at the top of the Capitol steps before they entered the building.
Biden and Harris waved below after reaching the Capitol’s door. The couples attended a church service earlier in the morning at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.
— Joey Garrison
Security at top of mind for lawmakers after Capitol attack
Security remained a top focus of lawmakers arriving for Biden’s inauguration, a concern looming over the typical celebrations of Inauguration Day.
Lawmakers had been briefed before the event about what should happen if there was an emergency but some have taken additional precautions, such as purchasing body armor, after the attack at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month.
Rep. Susan Wild, D-Penn., had what she believes was a panic attack on Jan. 6 as protesters stormed the House chambers. She says she took several days to regroup after the trauma and had gone back and forth before deciding to attend Biden's inauguration.
“I don't ever want to go through again what I went through on the 6th,” she told USA TODAY in an interview. “I hope we have learned something from that experience. And by we, I mean, the security forces who are charged with the responsibility of making sure that Congress is safe.”
Wild said she thought critically about whether she would attend Biden’s inauguration after the attack.
“I kind of went back and forth on it,” she said. “But I am now feeling pretty confident about the security measures that have been put into place.”
Wild said the attack altered her sense of security and “it obviously puts everything in a different light, you start to really be very, very aware of your surroundings.”
Wild isn’t alone.
Rep. Peter Meijer, a Michigan Republican who voted to impeach Trump over the insurrection at the Capitol, said many of his colleagues have been thinking critically about their safety.
“Many of us are altering our routines, working to get body armor, which is a reimbursable purchase that we can make," Meijer told MSNBC. "It's sad we have to get to that point. But our expectation is that someone may try to kill us."
The scenes surrounding the U.S. Capitol have been surreal as thousands of National Guard troops have guarded blocks surrounding the National Mall and most of downtown Washington. Seven-foot fences with barbed wire were erected to further secure the area.
“I feel safe for the inauguration. I like to think it's an overabundance of caution because no one likes the picture of fortress Washington,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss. “It's a bit disturbing and a picture that could have been avoided.”
Wild said the attack has left members of Congress with a new sense of empathy for those who are targeted in attacks, such as mass shootings.
“It certainly has opened the eyes of people like me who have never been in that kind of situation. It gives you a new empathy and sympathy for people who are in school shootings are or in crisis situations, not of their own making,” she said. “We all wonder how we would react. Many of us in Congress now have a sense of how we would react.”
— Christal Hayes
Biden attends Mass ahead of inauguration
As outgoing President Donald Trump flew out of Washington on Air Force One Wednesday morning, President-elect Joe Biden attended Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, his only event before he will be sworn in as the 46th president at noon.
He was joined by his spouse Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, as well as congressional leaders from both parties.
The Bidens had a front-row pew, with Harris and Emhoff on the other side of the aisle, also in the front. The couples stood in silent reflection looking at the front altar. All attendees wore masks and were spread out in the cathedral to follow social-distancing standards.
The Bidens arrived shortly before 9 a.m. ET after taking a short trip from the Blair House, the White House guesthouse where the new first couple stayed overnight.
En route, Biden’s motorcade drove on streets guarded by hundreds of National Guard troops and storefronts boarded over with plywood after the Jan. 6 Capitol assault.
Biden wore a navy suit and navy overcoat, both by American designer Ralph Lauren. Jill Biden had on an ocean blue wool tweed coat and dress by American designer Alexandra O’Neil of Markarian.
Congressional leaders who attended the service included Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.
Media was led out of the cathedral shortly after 9 a.m. as the service was ongoing. Biden and other worshippers left the church shortly before 10 a.m. ET before departing for the Capitol.
—Joey Garrison
Lawmakers and guests ready for inauguration, 'renewal'
Biden’s inauguration is a scaled-down affair, and lawmakers weren’t allowed to bring as many guests as in years past, but they were still excited for the proceedings.
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa, was so enthusiastic for the inauguration, her very first ever, that she went for a run along the river at sunrise. Some Democrats saw it as an opportunity for the nation to change after Trump.
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., called it a “renewal,” and Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., said “maybe our nation can heal now.”
And Pete Buttigieg, Biden’s Transportation Secretary nominee, told USA TODAY it was “really moving” to be at the inauguration, calling it an opportunity to “turn the page.”
Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., reflected on the moment, calling the inauguration, “The symbol of democracy for all the world to see. This is where it began with the ability to transfer power, even against the backdrop of a lot of anger.”
Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, also a Republican, said he expects Biden to model "better behavior."
"It's one of the rites of passage for president and the peaceful transfer of power. The best day we have in terms of rituals, so I'm glad it's happening," Flake said. "I think Americans will sleep easier knowing that we have a more steady hand in the White House. Regardless of philosophy or disagreement, we have a steady hand."
—Nicholas Wu
One tradition followed: Trump leaves letter for Biden
Trump has eschewed most traditional roles a president fills during the the transition to a successor, except one: He has left a letter for Biden.
White House spokesman Judd Deere confirmed Wednesday that Trump left a note for the incoming president. Presidents usually leave a note of congratulations and support in the Oval Office, but some had questioned whether Trump would do so given his hesitancy to acknowledge Biden’s victory.
The White House did not release contents of Trump's note: "It’s a letter between 45 and 46," Deere said.
Donald Trump's last day:President leaves a note for Biden before departing for Mar-a-Lago
“We are just temporary occupants of this office,” President Barack Obama wrote to Trump in his own letter in 2017. “That makes us guardians of those democratic institutions and traditions – like rule of law, separation of powers, equal protection and civil liberties – that our forebears fought and bled for. Regardless of the push and pull of daily politics, it’s up to us to leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them.”
-- David Jackson
Biden to be sworn in at noon
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is hours away from being sworn in as the 46th president of the United States during a ceremony on the U.S. Capitol steps embodying the peaceful transition of power that stands as a hallmark of American democracy.
But this will be a presidential inauguration like no other.
Instead of the throngs of supporters hailing from all corners of the country to celebrate Biden's ascension, the new president will raise his right hand in front of a sparse audience of well-wishers that will not include Donald Trump – the first time since 1869 that an outgoing president has refused to attend his successor's inauguration.
Instead of thousands of people gathering on the National Mall for the festivities, the traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue will be replaced by a virtual parade that will be televised while thousands of National Guard troops patrol the nation's capital.
And instead of basking in the glow of his convincing electoral triumph, Biden, 78, will be taking over the nation as millions question his legitimacy two weeks after a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol building over baseless claims of election fraud.
All this as Biden will emphasize the need for the country to come together. The theme for the inauguration will be “America United."
Shortly before noon on the steps of the west entrance of the Capitol, Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, becoming the first woman, as well as the first Black or Asian American, to assume the post.
Then at roughly noon, Biden will put his hand on the Bible as Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administers the oath of office. His inaugural address will lay out his vision for solving the nation's problems, like a spiraling COVID pandemic and a reeling economy.
While Trump won't attend, departing Vice President Mike Pence will be there.
More:Farewell address: Trump stresses record, condemns Capitol riot, does not name Biden
Pence has chosen to welcome the incoming president rather than join a planned send-off for Trump earlier in the morning at Joint Base Andrews where, the departing president will climb aboard Air Force for one final trip to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
Despite the turmoil surrounding the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies Wednesday, there will be some familiar moments: a national anthem (sung by Lady Gaga), a poetry reading (by Amanda Gorman) and a musical performance (by Jennifer Lopez).
— Ledyard King
Biden’s inaugural address to push unity to meet ‘extraordinary challenges’
Addressing a deeply divided nation, Biden will call for unity in his inaugural speech Wednesday in an appeal to “bring the country together during an unprecedented moment of crisis,” advisors to the president-elect said.
The speech, echoing the themes the Democratic former vice president campaigned on, is expected to run 20 to 30 minutes, according to a source familiar with the speech.
After he’s sworn in as the 46th president, Biden will address a nation on edge — one in the thick of a global pandemic that has killed 400,000 Americans and struggling to recover economically.
The speech comes amid heightened security concerns after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress counted electoral votes. Surveys have found more than 60% of Republicans who supported Trump falsely believe Trump was the rightful winner of the election.
Trump, who leveled baseless claims of voter fraud to unsuccessfully overturn the election, is skipping the inauguration. Vice President Mike Pence is expected to attend.
Biden’s remarks will “be a forward-looking vision for his presidency while addressing the moment we are living in as a country,” advisors said, noting the speech is built around a theme of unity.
–Joey Garrison
How does the public feel about Biden and Harris? Keener on the former
Kamala Harris is taking on her new role with less public support than Joe Biden has, according to a Pew Research Center poll.
While 58% of U.S. adults surveyed this month approved of the job Biden is doing, views of Harris were more divided. Half said she’s qualified to serve as president, while 47% said she is not.
Four years ago, 54% of those surveyed said Mike Pence is qualified to be president if something were to happen to Donald Trump.
Most Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents – 82% -- said Harris could step in, if needed, for Biden. But nearly the same share of Republicans and Republican leaders said she is not qualified.
Most Democrats said Harris will have the right amount of influence in the new administration. But seven out of ten Republicans said she will have too much.
—Maureen Groppe
Kamala Harris will swear in new senators as VP
In her first day as vice president — the first who is a woman, who is Black, who is of South Asian descent — Kamala Harris will swear in three new senators.
Her replacement, Democrat Alex Padilla, will become California’s first Hispanic senator. Padilla and Georgia Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, the state’s first Black and Jewish senators, respectively, will be sworn in at about 4:30 p.m.
With these three new Senators sworn in, Harris will officially be the tie-breaking vote in a 50-50 split Senate.
Harris will deliver some of her first remarks as Vice President Wednesday evening at the Lincoln Memorial as part of the “Celebrating America” inaugural program.
Harris is to be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and will take her oath on two Bibles. One belongs to Thurgood Marshall, who was the Supreme Court’s first Black justice and a civil rights icon. The other Bible belongs to Regina Shelton, a neighbor and nursery school operator who was like a second mother to Harris and her sister Maya growing up.
—Rebecca Morin and Michael Collins
Trump departs as Biden starts his day
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have left Joint Base Andrews at 9 a.m. on Air Force One, headed for Florida and their home at Mar-a-Lago following a speech to supporters.
President-elect Joe Biden, meanwhile, is attending mass at St. Matthews Cathedral in Washington before traveling to the U.S. Capitol for the start of his inauguration ceremony at noon ET.
'We are not a regular administration'
Trump bid farewell to supporters and family Wednesday for one final time as commander-in-chief in a nine-minute speech recalling his administration's successes over the last four years.
"We were not a regular administration," he told a crowd of supporters, family and staff at Joint Base Andrews, located in Maryland just outside Washington, D.C.
"What we’ve done has been amazing by any standard," Trump said, recounting the highlights of his administration he has often noted during campaign rallies - the creation of Space Force, changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the 2017 tax bill.
The event had the look and feel of a Trump campaign rally, with Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" blaring from loudspeakers as Marine One arrived early Wednesday morning.
The president's children and their spouses as well as his chief of staff Mark Meadows were all in attendance, lined up along the side of the podium as the president spoke. Trump took the stage as "Hail to the Chief" played over a 21-gun salute and the crowd cheered, "we love you!"
"I wish the new administration great luck and great success. I think they’ll have great success," Trump said of incoming President Joe Biden, never mentioning his successor by name. "They have the foundation to do something really spectacular."
"I hope they don’t raise your taxes," Trump said in one of his only references to Biden. "But if you do, I told you so."
First Lady Melania Trump also spoke, telling the crowd that being first lady was her "great honor."
The president's departure ceremony bucked more than 150 years of tradition of attending his successor's inauguration. He plans to be at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., when Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president at noon.
"I will always fight for you. I will be watching and I will be listening. And I will tell you that the future of this country has never been better," he said as he concluded his remark before boarding Air Force One.
"So just a goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some form," Trump told the crowd, thanking Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence as well as members of Congress. "Have a good life. We will see you soon."
The crowd looked on as Trump took off as president for one final time on Air Force One, with Frank Sinatra's "My Way" playing over the loudspeaker.
-- Courtney Subramanian and John Fritze
Pence gets brief nod from Trump
After four years of intense loyalty followed by a major break with his boss, Vice President Mike Pence got a brief nod from President Donald Trump in the outgoing president’s final public remarks.
“I want to thank our vice president, Mike Pence and Karen,” Trump said near the end of about 10 minutes of comments before he got on plane to Florida.
Trump spoke at a farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews that Pence did not attend. Unlike Trump, Pence will be at President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony.
'Man without a home':What the future may hold for Vice President Mike Pence
Pence’s relationship with Trump has been strained since the vice president concluded he could not intervene to stop Congress from accepting the electoral votes on Jan. 6.
After mentioning Pence, Trump also thanked Congress.
“Because we really worked well with Congress -- at least certain elements of Congress,” he added as a made a “so-so” gesture with his hand while supporters laughed.
The Democrat-controlled House, with the support of 10 Republicans, voted to impeach Trump last week for inciting insurrection. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday, said the mob who swarmed the Capitol as Congress was counting the elector votes was “provoked by the president.”
-- Maureen Groppe
Trump leaves White House for last time
Trump left the White House shortly after 8 a.m. ET Wednesday on his way to the Maryland base – taking his final flight as president on Marine One.
Trump emerged onto the South Lawn with first lady Melania Trump at 8:12 a.m. ET.
Speaking briefly with reporters, Trump said it was the “honor of a lifetime” to serve as president. Marine One lifted off the South Lawn at 8:18 a.m. ET and toured over the National Mall before heading toward Maryland.
Trump, who is skipping the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, is heading to Joint Base Andrews, where he’ll take part in a ceremony, and then on to Florida. Trump is expected to make remarks at the suburban Maryland military base.
The optics of the departure from the White House was highly unusual: A sitting president generally travels to the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration of a successor. Then, the former president usually walks down the stairs with the new president and takes off from there, a potent symbol of the peaceful handover of power.
Trump, the first president in more than 150 years to refuse to attend the inauguration of his successor, is heading for his Palm Beach club, Mar-a-Lago, which he dubbed the "Winter White House." The White House has invited hundreds of supporters to a pomp-and-circumstance ceremony at the air base, one expected to feature a red carpet and military color guard – and perhaps a preview of another Trump presidential run in 2024.
-- John Fritze and David Jackson
Biden asks surgeon general to resign
President-elect Joe Biden asked for the resignation of Surgeon General Jerome Adams. The request is seen as one of the first steps Biden will take to chart a new course in the federal government’s response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Adams confirmed Wednesday morning that he'd "been asked by the Biden team to step down as Surgeon General” and that it has "been the honor of my life to serve this Nation, and I will do all I can to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve and maintain health."
In December, Biden announced that Vivek Murthy would reprise his role as surgeon general in the new administration. Trump fired Murthy at the beginning of his administration in 2017.
Adams came under frequent criticism for mixed messaging around the coronavirus pandemic, claiming early in the pandemic that the flu was a greater risk than the coronavirus and later for comments about social distancing in communities of color.
—Matthew Brown
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