President Donald Trump, from front row left, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance look on as Rev. Mariann Budde, right, arrives at the national prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral, on January 21, 2025, in Washington.
| Photo Credit: AP

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) demanded an apology from the Episcopal bishop of Washington after she made a direct appeal to him during a prayer service marking his inauguration to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and migrant workers who are in the United States illegally.

Referencing Mr. Trump’s belief that he was saved by God from assassination, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde said, “You have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.”

After he returned to the White House, Mr. Trump said, “I didn’t think it was a good service” and “they could do much better.” But later, in an overnight post on his social media site, he sharply criticised the “so-called Bishop” as a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater.”

“She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart,” said Mr. Trump, a Republican, adding that Rev. Budde did not mention that some migrants have come to the United States and killed people.

“Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job!” Mr. Trump said. “She and her church owe the public an apology!”

A cathedral spokesperson did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Wednesday (January 22, 2025).

The Trump administration has already issued executive orders rolling back transgender rights and toughening immigration policies.

The Washington National Cathedral service was largely focused on national unity. Mr. Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance and their families attended, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Mr. Trump’s Defence Secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth.

In her sermon, Rev. Budde said they gathered “to pray for unity as a people and a nation — not for agreement, political or otherwise — but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division.”

She added, “Unity is not partisan.”

More than a dozen religious leaders spoke during the interfaith service, including those from Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu traditions.

Notably absent from the invited clergy with speaking roles were conservative evangelicals, who are among Mr. Trump’s strongest supporters.

Nonetheless, some of those evangelical supporters were in the pews.

In attendance were Robert Jeffress, a longtime Trump supporter and pastor of Dallas’ First Baptist Church; Paula White-Cain, a televangelist and key spiritual adviser during Mr. Trump’s first term; and Lorenzo Sewell, the pastor of Detroit’s 180 Church, who gave a spirited benediction at Monday’s inauguration.

The Washington National Cathedral has hosted 10 official inaugural prayer services for presidents of both major political parties. The tradition dates back to 1933.

The latest service had a different emphasis than previous ones. Its focus was on the nation instead of the new administration — a plan made before Election Day.

“We are in a unique moment in our country’s history, and it is time to approach this differently,” said the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, dean of the Episcopal cathedral, in an October statement. “This will be a service for all Americans, for the well-being of our nation, for our democracy.”

The texts and songs revolved around themes of compassion and togetherness, including a reading from Deuteronomy 10:17-21, which speaks of taking care of orphans and widows and all who are in need.

Sermons at inaugural services have often been given by ministers aligned with the incoming administration. In 2021, the Rev. William Barber, a progressive civil rights leader, preached before President Joe Biden, a Democrat, at the cathedral.

Rev. Budde, who gave this year’s sermon, has joined other cathedral leaders in criticizing Mr. Trump previously, rebuking his “racialized rhetoric” and blaming him for inciting violence on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to keep him in power.

Rev. Budde was “outraged” in 2020 after Mr. Trump staged an appearance in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is near the White House. He held up a Bible after the area had been cleared of peaceful protesters.

Her sermon directed at Mr. Trump on Tuesday (January 21, 2025) provoked a lively reaction on social media. Austen Ivereigh, a biographer of Pope Francis, wrote on X that the bishop “named the truth” when she spoke to Trump and Vance. “Their expressions of fury and discomfort suggest she nailed it,” Ivereigh said.

Jeffress, in contrast, posted on X that Rev. Budde “insulted rather than encouraged our great president” and that “there was palpable disgust in the audience with her words.”

The one part of Tuesday’s service that seemed tailor-made for Mr. Trump was the inclusion of opera singer Christopher Macchio, who also sang the national anthem at the inauguration.

The tenor sang “Ave Maria,” a favorite song of Mr. Trump and one that Macchio sang at a Trump rally and the Republican National Convention.

Before the service began, Macchio performed hymns like “How Great Thou Art” and another Trump favourite, “Hallelujah,” written by Leonard Cohen.

As the prayer service neared its end, Trump joined others in singing “America the Beautiful.”

Mr. Trump also thanked many of the clergy members who participated as they processed past him — except for Rev. Budde, whom he did not acknowledge.

Washington DC:

Indicating the importance Washington gives to New Delhi as the new Trump administration takes office, US Secretary of State Maro Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Walz held their first bilateral and international meets respectively with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is in Washington at the invitation of the US Government to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States. The meeting between the two top diplomats representing the world’s oldest and largest democracies took place at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the US State Department. The bilateral meeting was preceded by the first Quad ministerial meet after Donald Trump became President.

NEW US SECRETARY OF STATE’S FIRST BILATERAL MEETING

Marco Rubio’s decision to have his first bilateral meeting with India’s S Jaishankar assumes significance given that the first foreign outreach of any previous new US administration traditionally has been with its two neighbours Canada and Mexico, or with one of its NATO allies.

The bilateral meeting between new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Dr Jaishankar comes less than an hour after the former officially took office. The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions during which they delved into the entire gamut of the India-US strategic partnership. The meeting, which lasted for over an hour, also had India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, being part of it.

Immediately after the meeting, Secretary Rubio and Dr Jaishankar made a joint appearance before the international press, where they shook hands and posed for the official photographs.

“Delighted to meet @secrubio for his first bilateral meeting after assumption of office as Secretary of State. Reviewed our extensive bilateral partnership, of which @secrubio has been a strong advocate. Also exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues. Look forward to closely working with him to advance our strategic cooperation,” Dr Jaishankar wrote on social media platform X shortly after the meeting.

Delighted to meet @secrubio for his first bilateral meeting after assumption of office as Secretary of State.

Reviewed our extensive bilateral partnership, of which @secrubio has been a strong advocate.

Also exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues.

Look… pic.twitter.com/NVpBUEAyHK

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2025

NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S MAIDEN QUAD MEET

Immediately before the two leaders met for bilateral talks, they joined their counterparts Penny Wong from Australia and Iwaya Takeshi from Japan for the new Trump administration’s maiden Quad meeting – a diplomatic and security partnership set up by the four nations to maintain peace and freedom of navigation under a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting between the four top leaders went on for more than an hour, at the end of which they appeared before the press for a customary photograph. They however, did not take any questions or give any statement.

“Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC. Thank @secrubio for hosting us and FMs @SenatorWong and Takeshi Iwaya for their participation,” Dr Jaishankar wrote, adding that it is “Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump administration. This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states. Our wide-ranging discussions addressed different dimensions of ensuring a free, open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

Attended a productive Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today in Washington DC. Thank @secrubio for hosting us and FMs @SenatorWong & Takeshi Iwaya for their participation.

Significant that the Quad FMM took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration. This… pic.twitter.com/uGa4rjg1Bw

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2025

He further noted that the four leaders “Agreed on the importance of thinking bigger, deepening the agenda and intensifying our collaboration. The meeting today sends a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good.”

MEETING WITH NEW US NSA MIKE WALZ

After these two meetings, Dr Jaishankar held another top meeting – with new US National Security Adviser or NSA Mike Walz. For Mr Walz too, this was his first international meeting since taking office earlier that same day. The meeting took place at the White House.

“Great to meet NSA @michaelgwaltz again this afternoon. Discussed strengthening our friendship to ensure mutual benefit and enhance global stability and prosperity. Looking forward to working together on an active and outcome oriented agenda,” Dr Jaishankar said after the meeting.

Great to meet NSA @michaelgwaltz again this afternoon.

Discussed strengthening our friendship to ensure mutual benefit and enhance global stability and prosperity.

Looking forward to working together on an active and outcome oriented agenda.

pic.twitter.com/LUlc1WBbWm

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 21, 2025

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was seen in the front row as US President Donald Trump delivered his inaugural address at the Capital Rotunda in Washington DC. Dr Jaishankar said it was a “great honour” to attend the ceremony as India’s special envoy. He also met members of the new Trump administration, including the 56th Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and nominee for the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Kash Patel.

He also exchanged a handshake with Vivek Ramaswamy, who quit the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency to possible pursue the race for Ohio Governor.
 

Washington:

India is taking proactive steps to collaborate with the Trump administration in the United States, aiming to avoid a trade war and strengthen bilateral ties. A significant aspect of this cooperation involves the repatriation of Indian citizens residing illegally in the US. Estimates suggest that around 18,000 Indian migrants are set to be deported, although the actual number could be substantially higher due to the challenges in tracking undocumented individuals, Bloomberg reported.

This move is seen as a strategic effort by India to appease the Trump administration, which has been vocal about its intentions to crack down on illegal immigration. In fact, President Trump has already begun to fulfill his campaign promises, pushing to end birthright citizenship and deploying troops to the US-Mexico border. India hopes that by cooperating on the issue of illegal migration, the Trump administration will reciprocate by protecting legal immigration channels, including student visas and the H-1B program for skilled workers.

India’s cooperation on migration issues is also driven by its desire to maintain a strong relationship with the US, which is crucial for its economic and strategic interests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been actively engaging with various countries to sign migration agreements, including Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Israel. These agreements aim to promote legal migration and deter illegal migration, while also addressing the issue of labour mobility.

The Indian government’s efforts to cooperate with the US on migration issues are also influenced by its concerns about secessionist movements overseas. For instance, the Khalistan movement, which seeks to establish a separate Sikh state on Indian soil, has been a subject of concern for Indian authorities. By taking back illegal migrants, India hopes to disrupt the support networks of such movements and prevent them from gaining traction.

While India’s cooperation with the US on migration issues is a positive development, there are concerns about the potential risks and challenges involved. For instance, the deportation of large numbers of Indian migrants could lead to social and economic disruptions in India, particularly if the returnees are not provided with adequate support and rehabilitation. Moreover, there are concerns about the potential impact on India’s labour and mobility agreements with other countries, which could be affected by the country’s cooperation with the US on migration issues.

In conclusion, India’s decision to cooperate with the US on migration issues reflects its desire to maintain a strong relationship with the US and avoid a trade war. While there are potential risks and challenges involved, India’s efforts to promote legal migration and deter illegal migration are likely to have a positive impact on its economic and strategic interests.
 

Donald Trump and Melania Trump dance

| Video Credit:
The Hindu

Shortly after being sworn-in as the 47th President of the United States of America, Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump danced during the Commander-in-Chief Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre in Washington.

They were joined by Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance. Later, Mr Trump and Mr Vance cut a large cake with swords.

Mr Trump then danced to the hit “Y.M.C.A” by 1970s disco band Village People, a staple in many of his campaign rallies.

U.S. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Vance attend the Commander in Chief Ball in honour of Mr. Trump’s inauguration in Washington, U.S. on January 20, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he would have chosen Usha Chilukuri Vance, J.D. Vance’s wife, as his Vice-President as “she is smarter but the line of succession did not work that way”.

Ms. Usha, 39, on Monday (January 21, 2025), became the first Indian-American and Hindu Second Lady after her husband J.D. was sworn in as the 50th Vice-President of the U.S.

On Monday, wearing a pink coat, she held the Bible in one hand and their daughter Mirabel Rose in the other, as Mr. Vance placed his left hand on the religious text, and raising his right hand took the oath of office.

Trump inauguration LIVE updates

As a lawyer who is the daughter of Indian immigrants— her parents’ ancestral village is Vadluru in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh— Ms. Usha is also one of the youngest second ladies assuming the position.

She is the youngest Second Lady since 38-year-old Jane Hadley Barkley, the wife of former President Harry Truman’s Vice-President Alben Barkley.

After Mr. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States with J.D. as his deputy, the 78-year-old Republican addressed a crowd in the overflow room, calling them “beautiful”.

Mr. Trump praised his team, especially J.D., for his successful re-election bid.

“I watch J.D. over a period of time. I endorsed him in Ohio. He was a great senator and a very, very smart one,” said Mr. Trump, but added, “The only one smarter is his wife”.

This reference made everyone around the hall laugh.

Mr. Trump then looked at J.D. and said, “I would have chosen her but somehow the line of succession didn’t work that way, right?” “She is great and he is great. This a great, beautiful couple and an unbelievable career,” he continued.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a mentor to Ms. Usha, administered the oath to her husband J.D.

Ms. Usha had clerked for Supreme Court justices Kavanaugh and John Roberts.

Her rise as Second Lady comes as Indian-Americans have become more politically active during recent election cycles and have stood as candidates on the national stage, including several who ran for president in 2024, the Hill reported.

“My background is very different from J.D.’s,” she said at the Republican National Convention in July.

“I grew up in San Diego, in a middle-class community with two loving parents, both immigrants from India, and a wonderful sister. That J.D. and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country.” Ms. Usha is Hindu, raised by Indian immigrant parents in California. Her husband credits her with helping him return to his faith.

Mr. Vance told the Megyn Kelly Show podcast in 2020: “If I maybe get a little bit too cocky or a little too proud, I just remind myself that she is way more accomplished than I am. People don’t realise just how brilliant she is.” Ms. Usha and Mr. Vance met at Yale Law School while studying and later married in 2014 in Kentucky. The ceremony was blessed by a Hindu priest at a different event, according to a New York Times profile.

The Vances have three children: sons Ewan and Vivek, and a daughter named Mirabel.

After Mr. Vance was chosen as Mr. Trump’s running mate, Ms. Usha’s Hindu roots soon became the talk of the town. Mr. Vance has said on several occasions that his wife is not a Christian but was “very supportive” of deepening his faith.

Asked about the challenges of an interfaith marriage, Ms. Usha said, “There are a lot of things that we just agree on, I think, especially when it comes to family life, how to raise our kids. And so I think the answer really is, we just talk a lot.”

The canal is an 82-km artificial waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through Panama and is critical to U.S. imports. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

Newly sworn-in President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States would take back the Panama Canal as he delivered an inauguration speech in which he invoked the 19th century expansionist doctrine of “Manifest Destiny.”

Doubling down on his pre-inauguration threat to reimpose U.S. control over the canal, Trump again accused Panama of breaking the promises it made for the final transfer of the strategic waterway in 1999 and of ceding its operation to China – claims that the Panamanian government has vehemently denied.

Trump signs slew of executive orders on Day 1: A full list

“We didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,” Trump said.

He gave no further details on when or how he intended to do that but had previously refused to rule out possible use of military force, which drew criticism from Washington’s Latin American friends and foes alike.

Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino on Monday responded on X that his country has administered the canal responsibly for world trade, including for the U.S., and that it “is and will continue to be Panamanian.”

Trump’s reiteration of his threat about the Panama Canal as he began his second term was his most blatant mention of an agenda for territorial expansion that he has laid out in recent weeks.

In the run-up to his inauguration, he had also said he wanted to acquire Greenland, portraying the overseas Danish territory as crucial for U.S. national security interests, and mused about turning Canada into a U.S. state.

Possible encouragement for Russia, China ambitions

Critics have accused Trump of language that evokes modern-day imperialism, suggesting such rhetoric could encourage Russia on its war in Ukraine and give justification to China if it decides to invade self-ruled Taiwan.

Some analysts have questioned whether Trump is serious about pursuing what critics say would be a land grab, speculating he may be laying down an extreme negotiating position to squeeze out concessions later on. Also, Trump, in first term from 2017-2021, was known for issuing some headline-grabbing threats and pronouncements that he failed to deliver on.

While Trump made no mention of Greenland or Canada in his inaugural address, he offered hints of territorial aspirations during his second four-year term.

“The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons,” he said.

“And we will pursue our Manifest Destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars,” Trump added.

Manifest Destiny, a phrase originally coined in the mid-1800s, was the belief in a God-ordained right of the U.S. to expand its control throughout North America, and was used to justify the seizure of lands from Mexico and from Native Americans.

In Monday’s speech, Trump also repeated his promise to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Trump said the U.S. had “foolishly” given the Panama Canal to Panama.

The United States largely built the canal and administered territory surrounding the passage for decades. But the United States and Panama signed a pair of accords in 1977 that paved the way for the canal’s return to full Panamanian control. The United States handed it over in 1999 after a period of joint administration.

“We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made, and Panama’s promise to us has been broken. The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated,” Trump said.

He said U.S. ships are “being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form.” Panama has insisted that it treats fairly all vessels that transit the canal, and has said China has no control over its administration.

China does not control or administer the canal, but a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings 0001.HK has long managed two ports located on the canal’s Caribbean and Pacific entrances.

The canal is an 82-km (51-mile) artificial waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through Panama and is critical to U.S. imports of autos and commercial goods by container ships from Asia, and for U.S. exports of commodities, including liquefied natural gas. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose, Katharine Jackson in Washington, Elida Moreno in Panama City; writing by Matt Spetalnick; editing by Don Durfee and Alistair Bell)

Washington DC:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended Donald Trump’s grand inauguration ceremony at the US Capitol. He is among a select few world leaders who were extended an invitation by Donald Trump’s incoming administration. Mr Jaishankar is reportedly carrying a letter on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for President Trump, who returned to the White House today for his second term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also became one of the first leaders in the world to congratulate Donald Trump after he took oath on Monday, saying “Congratulations my dear friend President Donald Trump on your historic inauguration as the 47th President of the United States! I look forward to working closely together once again, to benefit both our countries, and to shape a better future for the world. Best wishes for a successful term ahead!”

Congratulations my dear friend President @realDonaldTrump on your historic inauguration as the 47th President of the United States! I look forward to working closely together once again, to benefit both our countries, and to shape a better future for the world. Best wishes for a…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 20, 2025

At Donald Trump’s inauguration, Mr Jaishankar was seated in the front row immediately in front of Presindet Trump as he gave his first speech as the 47th President of the US. India and US share a special, privileged, and strategic partnership.

Mr Jaishankar also attended the special prayer ceremony organised for Mr Trump ahead of his oath ceremony.

“Privileged to represent India as External Affairs Minister and Special Envoy of PM at the swearing-in ceremony of the 47th President of the United States of America today in Washington DC. Attended the Inauguration Day Prayer Service at St John’s Church this morning,” the minister wrote on X.

Privileged to represent as External Affairs Minister and Special Envoy of PM at the Swearing-In Ceremony of the 47th President of the United States of America today in Washington DC.

Attended the Inauguration Day Prayer Service at St John’s Church this morning.

pic.twitter.com/ktod8SdbpI

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 20, 2025

During the visit, Mr Jaishankar will hold meetings with key representatives of the incoming Trump Administration, as well as other senior dignitaries visiting the US on the occasion. The External Affairs Minister’s presence at the presidential inauguration was in line with India’s general practice to send special envoys to attend the swearing-in ceremony of heads of state and government.

Mr Jaishankar reached a day earlier and held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya where both ministers took stock of salient issues in bilateral cooperation, including in the political, security, economic, technological, and people-to-people domains.
 

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with former President Joe Biden after taking the oath on the day of Trump’s Presidential Inauguration at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 20, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The Trump administration Monday (January 20, 2025) ended use of a border app called CBP One that has allowed nearly 1 million people to legally enter the United States with eligibility to work.

A notice on the website of Customs and Border Protection on Monday just after Mr. Trump was sworn in let users know that the app that had been used to allow migrants to schedule appointments at eight southwest border ports of entry is no longer available. The notice said that existing appointments have been cancelled.

Follow Trump inauguration LIVE updates on January 20 here

The move adheres to a promise Mr. Trump made during his campaign and will please critics who say it was an overly generous magnet for more people to come to Mexico’s border with the United States.

The CBP One app has been wildly popular. It is an online lottery system to give appointments to 1,450 people a day at eight border crossings. They enter on immigration “parole,” a presidential authority that Joe Biden used more than any other president since it was introduced in 1952.

President Joe Biden, center left, and first lady Jill Biden, left, speak with President-elect Donald Trump, center right, and Melania Trump, right, upon arriving at the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
| Photo Credit: AP

Donald Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, will be sworn in as the 47th president Monday, taking charge as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country’s institutions.

Mr. Trump will act swiftly after the ceremony, with executive orders already prepared for his signature to clamp down on border crossings, increase fossil fuel development and end diversity and inclusion programs across the federal government.

He plans to declare the beginning of “a thrilling new era of national success” as “a tide of change is sweeping the country,” according to excerpts of his inaugural address.

Follow Donald Trump inauguration LIVE updates here

The executive orders are the first step in what Mr. Trump will call “the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.”

Frigid weather is rewriting the pageantry of the day. Mr. Trump’s swearing-in was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda — the first time that has happened in 40 years — and the inaugural parade was replaced by an event at a downtown arena. Throngs of Trump supporters who descended on the city to watch the inaugural ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol from the National Mall will be left to find somewhere else to view the festivities.

“We needed a change. The country was going in the wrong direction in so many ways, economically, geopolitically, so many social issues at home,” said Joe Morse, 56, of New Jersey, who got in line with his sons at 11 p.m. Sunday and secured a spot on the main floor at Capitol One Arena to watch a livestream of the inauguration.

Mr. Trump began the day alongside much of his incoming Cabinet with a prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church. He and his wife, Melania, were later greeted at the North Portico of the executive mansion by outgoing President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for the customary tea and coffee reception. It was a stark departure from four years ago, when Mr. Trump refused to acknowledge Mr. Biden’s victory or attend his inauguration.

“Welcome home,” Mr. Biden said to Mr. Trump after the President-elect stepped out of the car.

The two men and their spouses will head to the Capitol in a joint motorcade ahead of the swearing-in.

When Mr. Trump takes the oath of office at noon, he will realize a political comeback without precedent in American history. Four years ago, he was voted out of the White House during an economic collapse caused by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Trump denied his defeat and tried to cling to power. He directed his supporters to march on the Capitol while lawmakers were certifying the election results, sparking a riot that interrupted the country’s tradition of the peaceful transfer of power.

But Mr. Trump never lost his grip on the Republican Party and was undeterred by criminal cases and two assassination attempts as he steamrolled rivals and harnessed voters’ exasperation with inflation and illegal immigration.

“I am ready for a new United States,” said Cynde Bost, 63, from Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Now Mr. Trump will be the first person convicted of a felony — for falsifying business records related to hush money payments — to serve as President. He will pledge to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution from the same spot that was overrun by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. He’s said that one of his first acts in office will be to pardon many of those who participated in the riot.

Eight years after he first entered the White House as a political newcomer, Mr. Trump is far more familiar with the operations of federal government and emboldened to bend it to his vision. Mr. Trump wants to bring quick change by curtailing immigration, enacting tariffs on imports and rolling back Democrats’ climate and social initiatives.

He has also promised retribution against his political opponents and critics, and placed personal loyalty as a prime qualification for appointments to his administration.

Hours before the inauguration, Mr. Biden issued preemptive pardons to current and former government officials who have been the target of Mr. Trump’s anger, shielding them from the possibility of prosecution. Mr. Biden said in a statement that “these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”

Mr. Trump has pledged to go further and move faster in enacting his agenda than during his first term, and already the country’s political, business and technology leaders have realigned themselves to accommodate Mr. Trump. Democrats who once formed a “resistance” are now divided over whether to work with Mr. Trump or defy him. Billionaires have lined up to meet with Mr. Trump as they acknowledge his unrivaled power in Washington and ability to wield the levers of government to help or hurt their interests.

Long skeptical of American alliances, Mr. Trump’s “America First” foreign policy is being watched warily at home and abroad as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will soon enter its third year and a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding in Gaza after more than 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas.

At the Capitol, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance will be sworn in first, taking the oath read by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a bible given to him by his great-grandmother. Mr. Trump will follow, using both a family bible and the one used by President Abraham Lincoln at his 1861 inauguration as Chief Justice John Roberts administers his oath.

The inaugural festivities began Saturday, when Mr. Trump arrived in Washington on a government jet and viewed fireworks at his private golf club in suburban Virginia. On Sunday, he laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery and rallied his supporters at Washington’s downtown Capital One Arena.

A cadre of billionaires and tech titans who have sought to curry favour with Mr. Trump and have donated handsomely to his inaugural festivities, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, will be in attendance.

Also present will be the head of TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned social media app deemed a national security risk by the U.S. Mr. Trump has promised to lift an effective ban on TikTok through one of many executive orders expected to be issued on Monday as the new president attempts to show quick progress.

Mr. Trump is planning to swiftly reinstitute his 2020 playbook to crackdown on the southern border — again declaring a national emergency, limiting the number of refugees entering the U.S. and deploying the military. He’s expected to take additional actions — including constitutionally questionable ones — such as attempting to end birthright citizenship automatically bestowed on people born in the U.S.

Mr. Trump will also sign an executive order aimed at ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government. The order will direct federal agencies to coordinate with the White House on identifying and terminating DEI programs. Conservatives have long criticized programs that give preference based on race, gender and sexual orientation, arguing they violate the Constitution.

Others orders are expected to allow more oil and gas drilling by rolling back Biden-era policies on domestic energy production and rescind Biden’s recent directive on artificial intelligence.

More changes are planned for the federal workforce. Mr. Trump wants to unwind diversity, equity and inclusion programs known as DEI, require employees to come back to the office and lay the groundwork to reduce staff.

“Expect shock and awe,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“What I’ve been urging the president, and my colleagues, to do is stay laser-focused on delivering on our promises,” Mr. Cruz said. “And that’s what I expect that we’re going to do.”

With control of Congress, Republicans are also working alongside the incoming Trump administration on legislation that will further roll back Biden administration policies and institute their own priorities.

“The President is going to come in with a flurry of executive orders,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “And we are going to be working alongside the administration and in tandem.”