Donald Trump inaugurated as 45th President of the United States
Updated
Donald Trump has been inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States, putting Republicans in control of the White House for the first time in eight years.
Mr Trump was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts, reciting the 35-word oath with his hand placed upon two Bibles, one used by his family and another in former president Abraham Lincoln's inauguration.
He took the oath of office on the West Front of the Capitol just after midday (4:00am AEDT), following his Vice-President, Mike Pence.
-
Photo:
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (AP: Andrew Harnik)
-
Photo:
Vice-President Mike Pence takes his oath of office. (AP: Matt Rourke)
-
Photo:
President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address. (AP: Patrick Semansky)
-
Photo:
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with President Barack Obama. (AP: Patrick Semansky)
-
Photo:
Donald Trump promised to hand power back to the American people, during his inaugural address. (AP: Susan Walsh)
-
Photo:
President Trump acknowledged the crowd and thanked former presidents, including Barack Obama. (Reuters: Saul Loeb)
-
Photo:
Hillary Clinton stands beside former president George W Bush and his wife Laura at the swearing-in ceremony for Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington on January 20, 2017. (Reuters: Rick Wilking)
-
Photo:
President Donald Trump formally signs his cabinet nominations into law, in the President's Room of the Senate. (AP: Scott Applewhite)
-
Photo:
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus directs US President Donald Trump where to sign the document to confirming James Mattis as his Secretary of Defence, his first signing in the Oval Office on January 20, 2017. (Reuters: Jonathan Ernst)
-
Photo:
Former president Barack Obama and wife Michelle waved goodbye to the Capitol from a helicopter, before leaving for a vacation in California. (AP: John Angelillo)
-
Photo:
Donald Trump made a promise to stop the "American carnage" in his first speech as President. (AP: Patrick Semansky)
-
Photo:
Among the guests at the inauguration were former President George W Bush and his wife Laura.
(AP: Patrick Semansky) -
Photo:
Donald Trump's children, Ivanka, Tiffany, Barron, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., were also at the ceremony. (Reuters: Carlos Barria)
-
Photo:
President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump's motorcade drives down Pennsylvania Avenue towards the inauguration ceremony. (AP Photo: Susan Walsh)
-
Photo:
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, arrive on Capitol Hill for Donald Trump's inauguration. (AP: Saul Loeb )
-
Photo:
Shortly before the inauguration, protesters clashed with police and smashed in shop windows. (AP: Michael Biesecker)
-
Photo:
Some activists had stun grenades are fired at them while protesting against President Trump's inauguration. (Reuters: Adrees Latif)
-
Photo:
A Trump supporter photographs the US Capitol as the sun rises on the National Mall before Donald Trump's inauguration. (Reuters: Lawler Duggan)
-
Photo:
Protesters attack a man trying to pass at an entry point prior to the inauguration. (Reuters: Bryan Woolston)
-
Photo:
Anti-Trump protesters gather near an entry point near the US Capitol prior to the inauguration. (Reuters: Bryan Woolston)
-
Photo:
Anti-Trump protesters descend on the Capitol. (Reuters: Shannon Stapleton)
-
Photo:
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama pose with President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania on inauguration morning. (AP: Evan Vucci)
-
Photo:
A Trump supporter secures his place ahead of the inauguration. (Reuters: Shannon Stapleton)
-
Photo:
President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive for the pre-inauguration church service. (AP: Alex Brandon)
-
Photo:
Rudy Giuliani and his wife Judith arrive for a pre-inauguration church service. (AP: Alex Brandon)
-
Photo:
Vice-President elect Mike Pence arrives for the pre-inauguration church service with his wife Karen. (AP: Alex Brandon)
-
Photo:
Dawn breaks behind the Capitol building on inauguration day. (AP: Cliff Owen)
-
Photo:
US President Donald Trump and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, dance their first dance as first couple to the song "My Way" at his "Liberty" Inaugural Ball in Washington. January 20, 2017. (Reuters: Brian Snyder)
-
Photo:
President Donald Trump with his wife Melania and Vice President Mike Pence with his wife Karen cut a cake at the Armed Services Ball in Washington, US. January 20, 2017. (Reuters: Yuri Gripas)
-
Photo:
US President Donald Trump salutes with his wife Melania at the Armed Services Ball in Washington. January 20, 2017. (Reuters: Yuri Gripas)
In his first speech as president, Mr Trump promised the American people he would put them first, and hand back the power to the citizens.
"Today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington DC and giving it back to you, the people," he said.
"For too long a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost."
Mr Trump went on to outline his vision of an "America-first" presidency, where decisions on trade, tax, immigration and foreign affairs will be made "to benefit American workers and American families".
"We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs," he said.
"We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilised world against radical Islamic terrorism which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth."
The transition from a Democratic president to a Republican took place before a crowd of former presidents, dignitaries and hundreds of thousands of people on the grounds of the National Mall.
Far fewer people attended Mr Trump's inauguration than his predecessor's swearing-in eight years ago.
Thin crowds and semi-empty bleachers dotted the inaugural parade route and hotels across the District of Columbia reported vacancies, a rarity for an event as large as a presidential inauguration.
More than 60 House Democrats refused to attend the ceremony, but Mr Trump's campaign rival Hillary Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, were among the guests.
Former presidents George W Bush and Jimmy Carter were present at the inauguration with their wives. Mr Bush's father, former president George HW Bush, 92, was in Houston with his wife, recovering from pneumonia.
Ceremonial day began with prayer, tea with Obamas
Mr Trump began his day with a morning prayer service at St John's Episcopal Church, and took to Twitter to note his excitement about beginning the work of the US President.
The Trumps then shuttled to the White House for the traditional private meeting of outgoing and incoming presidents and their spouses.
Posing for photos on the North Portico, the couples exchanged hugs as Mr Obama chatted about the demands of protocol.
The Trumps and the Obamas travelled together in the presidential limousine for the short trip to the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony.
Barack and Michelle Obama were helicoptered from the Capitol to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where the former president made a short speech before heading off on a vacation in California.
First order of business targets Obamacare
Following the ceremony, Mr Trump signed his first executive order as president, ordering federal agencies to ease the burden of former president Mr Obama's sweeping healthcare law.
Presidential spokesman Sean Spicer refused to offer details on the order.
Mr Trump was joined in the Oval Office by Mr Pence, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and other top advisers as he signed the executive order on the so-called Obamacare law that he opposed throughout his campaign.
The President also formally signed the commissions of incoming Defence Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
Asked about his first day as president, Mr Trump said: "It was busy but good — a beautiful day".
'Welcome home, Mr President'
Military bands representing all the service branches played and marched outside the Capitol to start off the inaugural parade.
Police officers on motorcycles followed closely behind as the parade participants made the slow trek down Constitution Avenue.
Hundreds of police officers lined both sides of the street. Service members also stood at attention on both sides.
Mr and Mrs Trump twice stepped out of their limousine during the parade to walk and wave to the crowd.
They first walked for about a block before reaching the Trump International Hotel, where the crowds on both sides of the street were at their loudest.
As the Trumps neared the hotel, agents urged the couple to get back into their sedan.
Later, the Trumps exited the car with their children and grandchildren in tow. An announcer roared, "Welcome home, Mr President".
Protesters block streets, smash windows
Anti-Trump demonstrations were largely peaceful, however a small group of protesters became violent ahead of the ceremony, smashing shop windows and temporarily blocking some entry points to the inauguration.
Protesters affiliated with a group called Disrupt J20 intermittently blocked multiple security checkpoints leading to the largest public viewing area for the ceremony and another group of about 150 protestors dressed in black marched through the city smashing shop windows and car windows and rolling garbage cans and newspaper vending boxes into the street to form barriers.
One of the signs carried by the group read "Make Racists Afraid Again".
Trump supporters appeared unfazed by the protests.
"We all have First Amendment rights, so I don't really care about the protest as long as nobody touches me," said Bob Burns, 56, of Rosedale, Maryland.
Many anti-Trump demonstrators will participate in the Women's March on Washington on Saturday. Protests are also planned in other cities in the United States and abroad.
Trio of inaugural balls
The Trumps and Pences attended three official inaugural balls.
Two of the balls, Liberty and Freedom: The Official Presidential Inaugural Balls, took place at the Walter E Washington Convention Centre.
The third, a Salute To Our Armed Services Ball, was held at the National Building Museum.
The President and the first lady danced their first dance as the first couple at the Liberty Inaugural ball to the song My Way.
At the second inaugural ball, Mr Trump asked the crowd whether he should "keep the Twitter going" to which the crowd roared in apparent approval.
Mr Trump said his all-hours tweeting to his more than 20 million followers is "a way of bypassing dishonest media".
At the third and final inaugural ball, the first couple took part in a traditional dance and cake cutting with members of the US military.
ABC/wires
Topics: world-politics, us-elections, united-states
First posted
