Trump to be sworn in on Bible given to him by his mother, and the Lincoln Bible
President-elect Donald Trump will have his hand on two Bibles during his swearing-in ceremony on Monday, the culmination of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. Trump will use his Bible, given to him by his mother in 1955, to “mark his Sunday Church Primary School graduation at First Presbyterian Church, in Jamaica, New York,” a press release from his inaugural committee states. The religious text is a 1953 revised standard version that was published by Thomas Nelson and Sons in New York. Trump’s name is embossed on the lower portion of the front cover, and inside the cover are signatures of church officials, an inscription of the president’s name and details of when it was presented to him. In addition to the sentimental Bible, the Lincoln Bible, first used in 1861 to swear-in the 16th U.S. president, will be used. INAUGURATION DAY IS TOMORROW – HERE’S A COMPLETE GUIDE TO FOX NEWS CHANNEL’S COVERAGE AND WHAT TO EXPECT “It has only been used three times since, by President Obama at each of his inaugurations and by President Trump at his first inauguration in 2017,” Trump’s team states. “The burgundy velvet-bound book is part of the collections of the Library of Congress.” President Obama also took the oath of office on two Bibles back in 2013, the Associated Press reported. One was owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and the other was the Lincoln Bible. When Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States inside the Capitol’s rotunda, he will do so facing a bust of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the federal holiday commemorating King’s legacy. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Video: Why was the start of the Gaza ceasefire delayed?
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Palestinians in Gaza are celebrating as a ceasefire has come into effect, after being delayed for more than two hours.
Which foreign leaders are attending Trump’s inauguration – and who isn’t?
EXPLAINER In a break from tradition, US President-elect Donald Trump has invited world leaders and heads of far-right parties – coronation style. United States President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office for a second term on Monday, January 20 – this time as the 47th US president. Both Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance are set to take the oath of office and begin a new administration amid a long day of celebrations that will include musical performances and a parade. However, unlike traditional inaugurations of US presidents, this one will include a host of foreign leaders, including Trump’s close allies and even some of his rivals. At least seven sitting heads of state and two former leaders have been invited. According to Reuters, an estimated 500,000 guests are expected in total. Here’s a breakdown of who’s in, who’s not invited, and why this guest list is so different from the norm: Students in the Middletown High School band practise on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in Middletown, Ohio, the hometown of Vice President-elect JD Vance. The band is set to participate in the inauguration on January 20 [Kareem Elgazzar/AP] What’s different about this inauguration? President-elect Trump is breaking with US tradition for this event. Usually, presidential inaugurations are a domestic affair: the president and vice president take the oath with US officials, past heads of state and other American VIPs present on the steps of the US Capitol building. The public is allowed to watch from the surrounding grounds. However, this event, which will be accompanied by an inaugural speech, a parade, musical performances and balls, will also be an international affair. Close to a dozen world leaders, most of them conservative and right wing, have been invited. Foreign leaders usually do not attend the US presidential inauguration; rather, diplomats such as country ambassadors to the US, or foreign ministers, act as representatives. Who is invited? Several heads of state, notably right-wing or populist leaders allied with Trump, have been invited, but so have some of his rivals. Notably, they are: Advertisement Argentina’s President Javier Milei: Milei has confirmed his attendance. Trump once hailed the far-right leader as a man who can “make Argentina great again” and, in December, welcomed Milei at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Chinese President Xi Jinping: Trump invited Xi to the ceremony in December, a move that his spokespeople say signals his readiness to interact with his Chinese counterpart, even amid a looming trade war. Xi will not attend, however, Vice President Han Zheng will. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: Meloni, of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, visited Mar-a-Lago in January. Her office says she is likely to attend if her schedule permits. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban: Populist leader Orban is a close Trump ally and has said he believes the president-elect will end Russia’s war on Ukraine. He will not make it due to a state address, according to local media. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Modi and Trump have shared a “bromance” since the first Trump presidency. Following his election victory in December, Modi was among the first to call and congratulate Trump. While the PM will not attend, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar will represent him. Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa: Noboa hailed Trump’s December victory a victory for Latin America, too. His office confirmed he will pause a re-election campaign to travel to Washington for the inauguration. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele: Bukele’s office has not confirmed his attendance yet. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, is friends with Bukele, and in July 2024, attended his inauguration in San Salvador. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro: the far-right politician nicknamed the “Trump of the Tropics” has been invited, but will not attend because he is banned from travelling. His passport was confiscated by the country’s Supreme Court amid several investigations, including alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2022 general election, which he lost. Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawieck, who recently became leader of the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists party in the EU parliament, will also attend. Who is not invited? UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not been invited, his office confirmed on Thursday. However, the far-right politician, Nigel Farage of the Reform UK party, is invited and will be present. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, and much of the European Union and members of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation), which have largely centrist governments, have been ignored. Germany’s President Olaf Scholz, who leads the EU’s largest economy, has also been snubbed. An invitation has, however, been extended to Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD), who will be represented by co-leader Tino Chrupalla. Santiago Abascal, who leads the Spanish right-wing Vox Party, and Andre Ventura of Portugal’s populist Chega party, will also be there. French President Emmanuel Macron was not invited, although Macron and Trump have friendly relations. Instead, French far-right politician Eric Zemmour of the Reconquest party will be present. Workers construct parade seating at Freedom Plaza along Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, ahead of the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump [Jon Elswick/AP] Which other countries have similarly packed swearing-in ceremonies? Different countries have different traditions but, typically, inaugurations are a domestic affair although they may include leaders from neighbouring countries. In India, swearing-in ceremonies are also becoming more extravagant, however. Last July, India’s President Narendra Modi had a long guest list for his third inauguration ceremony which hosted 9,000 guests. They included several heads of state from neighbouring Indian Ocean countries, including Sri Lanka’s Ranil Wickremesinghe and the now-ousted Bangladeshi president, Sheikh Hasina. Advertisement Similarly, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also sworn in for a third consecutive term in June 2023, hosted 34 world leaders for his lavish celebrations. They included South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary. Adblock test (Why?)
ASEAN tells Myanmar military rulers peace should be priority, not election
Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021 when its military overthrew the elected civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Southeast Asian nations have told Myanmar’s military government its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority, urging it to start dialogue and end hostilities immediately. The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday called on the warring sides in member nation Myanmar to stop the fighting and told its representative to allow unhindered humanitarian access, host Malaysia’s foreign minister said. “Malaysia wants to know what Myanmar has in mind,” Mohamad Hasan told a news conference after a ministerial retreat on the island of Langkawi. Hasan said Myanmar – represented by a low-level official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after its military leaders were barred from formal ASEAN meetings – briefed the gathering about plans for a general election this year. But the bloc wants Myanmar’s government to ensure peace before any polls are held, he said. “We said the election has to be inclusive. The election cannot be in isolation, it has to involve all stakeholders,” he said. “We told them the election is not our priority. Our priority is to stop the violence.” Advertisement Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021 when its military overthrew the elected civilian government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering pro-democracy protests that morphed into a widening armed rebellion that has taken over swaths of the country. Despite being battered on multiple fronts, its economy in tatters and dozens of political parties banned, the military government plans to hold an election this year, which critics have widely derided as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies. Malaysia, chair of the 10-member bloc this year, announced the appointment of former diplomat Othman Hashim as special envoy on the crisis in Myanmar, where the United Nations says humanitarian needs are at “alarming levels”, with nearly 20 million people – more than a third of the population – needing help. Mohamad said Hashim would visit Myanmar “soon” to convince all sides in Myanmar to implement ASEAN’s five-point peace plan, which has made no progress since it was unveiled months after the coup. Regional tensions on the agenda Hasan said the meeting also discussed the likely implications of the second term of incoming US President Donald Trump on the region amid its rivalry with China. He said the ministers raised concerns that competition between the two superpowers may increase regional tensions. He said ASEAN ministers stressed the urgency to bolster regional unity and make economic integration a top priority amid the global uncertainties. Tensions in the South China Sea, one of the world’s vital shipping lanes with about $3 trillion of annual ship-borne trade, were also high on the agenda following violent confrontations in the waters last year. Advertisement Vietnam and Malaysia have also protested over the conduct of Chinese vessels in their exclusive economic zones, which Beijing says are operating lawfully in its waters. China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. But ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, along with Taiwan, have also overlapping claims. China and ASEAN have committed to drafting a code of conduct for the South China Sea, but talks have moved at a snail’s pace. Mohamad said the ministers welcomed progress so far, but “highlighted the need to continue the momentum to expedite the code of conduct”. The foreign minister of the Philippines, a key United States ally, told the Reuters news agency on Saturday it was time to start negotiating thorny “milestone issues” for the code, including its scope, whether it can be legally binding and its effect on third-party states. Hasan said the ministers called for accelerated negotiations between ASEAN and China on a code of conduct in the waterway. “We stressed that the South China Sea must remain peaceful and stable,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
How will DeSantis, Youngkin and other 2028 hopefuls stay relevant outside the Trump administration?
During a busy week in the nation’s capital, far from the action, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had no trouble keeping his name in the political spotlight. “This is a time for action. And a time for Washington, D.C., to deliver results to the American people. There are no more excuses for Republicans,” the conservative two-term governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate said Thursday as he named Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to succeed Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate. Two days earlier, President-elect Trump gave his onetime bitter GOP primary rival a shout-out after the governor called for a special state legislative session to implement Trump’s expected immigration crackdown. “Thank you Ron, hopefully other governors will follow!” the president-elect said in a social media post. VANCE IS THE EARLY FRONTRUNNER, BUT HERE ARE THE OTHER REPUBLICANS WHO MAY RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028 Due to the national profile he’s built over the past four years, the governor of one of the country’s most important states will likely continue to stay in the headlines as he takes a lead on some of the nation’s most consequential issues. The spotlight should help DeSantis if he ends up launching a second straight GOP presidential nomination run in 2028, a race in which soon-to-be Vice President JD Vance will be considered the clear early frontrunner as the perceived America First and MAGA heir apparent to Trump. “He needs to do what he did in 2022, which is pick good fights. And he’s shown a lot of capability to pick good fights with the left both in Florida and nationally,” longtime Republican strategist David Kochel said of DeSantis. RNC CHAIR SAYS GOP HAS ‘DEEP BENCH’ FOR 2028 “I think he’ll be in demand to come do stuff in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina,” Kochel, a veteran of numerous GOP presidential campaigns, predicted, pointing to the three key early voting states in the Republican presidential primaries. “I wouldn’t change a lot from how he did the run-up to his 2024 campaign. The problem was he basically ran against an incumbent president. He didn’t have the wrong playbook. He had the wrong cycle.” While the initial moves in the 2028 White House run will likely start in the coming months, including some early state visits, most Americans won’t be paying a lick of attention until after the 2026 midterms, when the next presidential campaign formally gets under way. And that’s when DeSantis will be wrapping up his second and final four-year term steering Florida, allowing him to concentrate 100% on a White House run if that’s in his cards. But what about another high-profile Republican governor who likely has national ambitions in 2028? HERE ARE THE DEMOCRATS WHO MAY RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028 The Virginia Constitution doesn’t allow for incumbent governors to run for a second consecutive term, so Gov. Glenn Youngkin will be out of office in Richmond in a year. Compared to DeSantis, who also enjoys large GOP majorities in his state legislature, which will allow him to continue to enact a conservative agenda, Virginia is a purple state where Democrats have a slight upper hand in the legislature. “It might be a little tougher for Youngkin, a little tougher for him to find ways to stay in the news” after he leaves office in a year, Kochel suggested. But, Younkin predicted, “You’re going to see me a lot.” “We’ve got a very aggressive agenda for being governor in the last 14 months,” he said in a Fox News Digital interview in November. “But part of that agenda that I have is to make sure that we have [Lt. Gov.] Winsome Sears as our next governor. [Virginia Attorney General] Jason Miyares is back as our attorney general and a super lieutenant governor who we will pick at our primaries.” Youngkin, who energized Republicans nationwide in 2021 as a first-time candidate who hailed from the party’s business wing, edged former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to become the first GOP candidate in a dozen years to win a gubernatorial election in the one-time swing state that had trended toward the Democrats over the previous decade. He could also potentially end up in the Trump administration after his term in Richmond sunsets in a year. “I told the president when I called him and told him that I wanted to finish my term that I would be available to help him at any time while I’m governor and afterwards,” Youngkin told Fox News Digital, referring to a call he held with Trump right after the November election. But if he doesn’t enter the Trump administration, another route for Youngkin to stay in the spotlight in 2026 would be criss-crossing the country on behalf of fellow Republicans running in the midterm elections. It’s a role Youngkin previously played in 2022, helping fellow Republican governors and gubernatorial candidates. “He’s got to do the blocking and tackling, go state by state, help a lot of candidates, raise a lot of money for them. Get a bunch of governors elected,” Kochel suggested. “That’s the playbook for him.” What about NIkki Haley, the former two-term Republican governor of South Carolina and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Trump’s first administration, who was the last rival standing against Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries? Out of office and shut out of the Trump world while still facing social media zingers by the president-elect, Haley’s ability to grab attention should she seek the presidency again may be a more difficult climb within a party once again on bended knee to the former and future president. Haley does have a weekly national radio show on Sirius XM, where she noted a few weeks ago, “I had no interest in being in [Trump’s] Cabinet.” But a lot can happen in the two years until the next White House race officially gets under way. There could be some buyer’s remorse among voters if the new administration is not successful in enacting
Northern highlights: Alaska’s energy, security policies are the guide feds need amid transition, group says
EXCLUSIVE: Private citizens — right up to the governor himself — are primed to be part of a new Alaskan initiative aimed at promoting policies that have been effective in Juneau at a national level as a new administration signals a willingness to listen and adapt to new strategies. Just as Florida’s education policy under Gov. Jeb Bush served as a blueprint for national education reform, the nonprofit Future 49 aims to position Alaska as today’s model, focusing primarily on national security and energy. Its top funders are a group of Alaskans of all stripes as well as a few Washington, D.C.-based advocates. It is nonpartisan and simply pro-Alaskan, according to one of its proponents. It also seeks to dispatch with what one source familiar with its founding called the “out of sight, out of mind” feeling of some in the Lower 48 when it comes to how far-flung Alaska can translate its own successes in the cold north to a federal government that could benefit from its advice. One of Future 49’s founders is a commercial airline pilot whose family has lived in Alaska for more than 125 years. He said he wanted to show Washington issues Alaska deals with every day. AK GOV: BIDEN SEARCHING FOR OIL ANYWHERE BUT AT HOME Bob Griffin’s family has lived in Alaska since 1899, he said, remarking he is an example of grassroots support behind showcasing Alaska’s potential to be the driving force in key sectors for the rest of the country. Griffin said while there has not been any direct contact yet with the new administration, Gov. Mike Dunleavy is an ally of Trump’s and, in turn, primed to have a role in the group. “We’re focused on not only the Trump administration, but other decision makers, to just highlight and advertise that the successes we’ve had in Alaska in energy, natural resources and other policy priorities are a good fit and benefit to all Americans.” He noted the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge region spans the size of West Virginia, but the part of it federally budgeted for exploration in a recent fiscal year was only an area half the size of Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, illustrating how Juneau must guide Washington. FLASHBACK: ALASKAN F-35s PREPARE FOR MAJOR SUB-ZERO ARCTIC WARFARE A source familiar with the founding of Future 49 told Fox News Digital how the group’s launch comes at a key juncture as one advice-averse administration transitions into one that has signaled its openness to undertake recommendations from states and local groups. “The resources our nation needs to be energy-dominant are in Alaska, not in unfriendly nations like Russia and Iran who despise what we stand for and commit egregious environmental offenses on a daily basis,” the source said. ALASKA OUTRAGED AT BIDEN OIL LEASE SALE SETUP BEING ‘FITTING FINALE’ FOR FOSSIL FUEL AVERSE PRESIDENCY While the group is primed to express a pro-development approach to energy, it will remain nonpartisan and offer Washington successful strategies to develop both green and traditional energy based on work done in Alaska. Dunleavy has offered a similarly two-fold approach, saying in a recent interview that opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to responsible development may yield just as much economic growth for the nation as emerging green technology, such as a proposal to harness the second-strongest tides in the world churning in Cook Inlet outside Anchorage. Those parallels show why Future 49’s advent is coming at the right time, a source told Fox News Digital. Future 49’s plan to use Alaska’s long-term goal to utilize its energy resources as a roadmap was a sentiment also voiced in another confirmation hearing Thursday. Interior nominee Doug Burgum highlighted the need for domestic “energy dominance” for both economic and security reasons. With Russia having invaded Ukraine, Dunleavy said most sensitive national defense assets are housed in Alaska, so the state has a deep background in what is needed to deter malign actors. “We’re very close to the bear,” he said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Lessons learned from managing a National Guard force so closely tied to top-level national security concerns is another avenue Future 49 will likely seek to aid Washington in. The group plans to commission a survey of Lower 48 Americans on their view of the Last Frontier and how they perceive Alaska from thousands of miles away, said Alaska pollster Matt Larkin.
ISKCON Mayapur elephants to receive lifelong care at Anant Ambani’s Vantara
Vantara, a state-of-the-art animal rescue and rehabilitation organization founded by visionary philanthropist Ahant Ambani, is set to welcome two cow elephants, 18-year-old Bishnupriya and 26- year-old Lakshmipriya, from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Mayapur.
Youngkin orders flags to be raised for Trump’s inauguration amid mourning period for Jimmy Carter’s death
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, ordered flags to temporarily fly at full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday. “I hereby order that the flags of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia are to be flown at full-staff on all state and local buildings and grounds in the Commonwealth in recognition of the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States,” Youngkin said on Saturday. Youngkin’s directive comes despite President Biden’s order after the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29 that flags at all government and public buildings and grounds across the country should fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period, which just happens to include Inauguration Day. It is a tradition when a former president dies to order a 30-day mourning period and order flags to be displayed at half-staff. WASHINGTON GOVERNOR ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP INAUGURATION DESPITE MOURNING PERIOD FOR JIMMY CARTER Biden said the U.S. flag “should be displayed at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions.” Flags in Virginia will return to half-staff to honor Carter on Tuesday following the presidential inauguration, Youngkin said. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring former President James Earl Carter, Jr. and remain at half staff through January 28, 2025,” the governor wrote. Youngkin joins several Republican governors who have also broken tradition and ordered flags to be raised on Monday, including Idaho Gov. Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. DESANTIS ORDERS FLAGS AT FULL-STAFF FOR TRUMP’S INAUGURATION DESPITE 30-DAY MOURNING PERIOD FOR JIMMY CARTER A trio of Democratic governors — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson — have also ordered flags to fly at full-staff for Trump’s inauguration before the mourning period ends Jan. 28. House Speaker Mike Johnson also ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day. Trump has criticized the idea of flags being displayed at half-staff for his inauguration following Carter’s death. “The Democrats are all ‘giddy’ about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at ‘half mast’ during my Inauguration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. “They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves.” “Look at what they’ve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years – It’s a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast,” he continued. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Flags were flown at half-staff when former President Nixon was sworn-in for his second term in 1973 after Nixon ordered the flags to be lowered following the death of former President Truman.
Inauguration Day is tomorrow – Here’s a complete guide to Fox News Channel’s coverage and what to expect
Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital will be your home for wall-to-wall coverage of the 60th Presidential Inauguration – the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Start your day with “Fox & Friends First” at 5AM ET when hosts Todd Piro and Carley Shimkus will preview the events of the day, including the latest updates since Trump ordered most inaugural events be held indoors due to the Arctic chill forecasted to overtake the District of Columbia on Monday. Follow up with “Fox & Friends” at 6 AM ET. Hosts Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade, Lawrence Jones and Ainsley Earhardt will have up-to-the-minute coverage of the lead-up to Trump’s inauguration. DUFFY CONFIRMATION HEARING MARKED BY BIPARTISANSHIP Dana Perino and Bill Hemmer take the reins at 9 AM ET for “America’s Newsroom.” Hemmer will broadcast live from Capitol Hill and Perino will co-host from elsewhere in the District. Fox News Channel’s Washington, DC-based coverage will continue at 11 AM ET when Harris Faulkner hosts “The Faulkner Focus” – with last-minute news and updates ahead of the constitutionally prescribed 12 NOON ET inauguration. At 11:30 AM ET, Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier and anchor Martha MacCallum will begin Fox News Channel’s main inauguration coverage. They will be joined by Faulkner and Hemmer as well as Sandra Smith and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn. Trump will be inaugurated from inside the Capitol, a rare occurrence over the past few decades. ZELDIN GRILLED BY DEMOCRATS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AT CONFIRMATION HEARING Only Presidents Ronald Reagan – for his second inaugural – and John F. Kennedy had their oath of office administered indoors in the contemporary era. Ford and his regular colleagues will host “The Five” at 5PM ET with the latest reaction to the historic events of the day. Baier anchors “Special Report” from Washington at 6 PM ET and hands off to Laura Ingraham at 7PM ET. Ingraham’s “The Ingraham Angle” will broadcast live from the Commander-in-Chief Ball, as will “Jesse Watters Primetime,” and its eponymous host, at 8PM ET. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP At 9PM, Sean Hannity will take over Fox News Channel coverage and offer both his own and his guests’ reaction and analysis from inside the Liberty Ball. Greg Gutfeld will host “Gutfeld!” at 10PM ET from the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall just southwest of the White House at 10PM ET. Anchor Trace Gallagher wraps up Fox News Channel’s live coverage of Trump’s Second Inauguration at 11PM ET – broadcasting from Washington instead of Los Angeles.
Trump inauguration: Who is expected to attend, and who is boycotting?
Former presidents, politicians, tech giants, world leaders and others will convene in Washington, D.C., on Monday for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration – while a few key figures will skip the event altogether. Traditionally, most departing presidents do attend the inauguration of those taking over the White House. Outgoing President Biden told MeidasTouch network last month he would attend Trump’s second inauguration – even though Trump didn’t show up to Biden’s inauguration four years ago. Additionally, the White House confirmed first lady Jill Biden will attend. Likewise, all three living former presidents, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, confirmed they will partake in the inauguration festivities, the Associated Press reports. Former first ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton will also join their spouses for Trump’s second inauguration. But some prominent Democrats will not appear at the inauguration. Former first lady Michelle Obama and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced this week that they will skip the event. MICHELLE OBAMA SKIPPING TRUMP INAUGURATION TO AVOID HAVING TO ‘PRETEND FOR PROTOCOL’S SAKE:’ REPORTS A spokesperson for the Obamas did not provide additional information to the AP regarding Michelle Obama’s absence, although the former first lady also did not attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral earlier this month. Likewise, tech giants including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Chew will attend and sit up front on the dais alongside other VIP guests. A source familiar with the plans told Fox News Digital Chew received an invitation from the Inaugural Committee. The New York Times broke the news that Chew would attend. CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO PERFORM ‘AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL’ AT TRUMP INAUGURATION Trump also extended invites to several world leaders – including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told “Fox & Friends” in December that Xi had received an invitation after Trump said that he would “love to have” the Chinese leader there at the inauguration. “This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too. We saw this in the first term, before,” Leavitt said. “He is willing to talk to anyone, and he will always put America’s interests first.” Although Jinping will not attend, China’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng would visit Washington for the occasion. The AP also reported that Trump had invited Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, and Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador. Likewise, CBS first reported that Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was invited to the inauguration, but Hungarian media reported he would not make the trip, according to Politico. However, Milei is expected to attend, as is Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Politico reports. TRUMP SWEARING-IN TO MOVE INDOORS DUE TO COLD WEATHER, SOURCE TELLS FOX NEWS Such appearances are unique. The AP previously reported that no foreign leaders have attended any U.S. inaugurations, according to State Department historical records. Musical performances by Carrie Underwood, the Village People and Lee Greenwood are also scheduled for the inauguration. Underwood is slated to perform “America the Beautiful” during the swearing-in ceremony for Trump and President-elect JD Vance, a Trump Transition spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Trump and former first lady Melania Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Other presidents have also missed their successors’ inaugurations. Six other former presidents, dating back to John Adams, also skipped inaugurations for the incoming president, according to the White House Historical Association. Fox News’ Michael Dorgan, Brooke Singman, and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.