Washington, United States:

The gesture was controversial enough, but now come the sub-controversies: Elon Musk is trolling Wikipedia and encouraging its defunding after a description of his recent flourish, seen by some as a Hitler salute, appeared on the encyclopedic website.

The fight pits two of the internet’s best-known tech giants against each other — and highlights the starkly different ethos behind Musk’s X social media site and Wikipedia, founded by American entrepreneur Jimmy Wales.

Musk, as the majority owner of X, is behind recent easing of content moderation rules, which has allowed for rampant disinformation across his social media platform, while simultaneously positioning himself as President Donald Trump’s right-hand man.

While Musk’s animosity towards Wikipedia may focus outwardly on the hand gesture, Wikipedia’s goal of factual neutrality makes it a natural adversary to X, a platform increasingly synonymous with heated culture wars, hate speech and disinformation.

Wikipedia and the media at large — which Musk has increasingly criticized — also pose a threat by holding him accountable as he thrusts himself into the center of US politics.

In a December interview with New York magazine’s Intelligencer, Wales said the aim at Wikipedia is for editors to create content that is “clear and acknowledges the different viewpoints out there” even amid “the rise in divisive feelings, partisanship, culture wars, all of that.”

At present, the site is regarded as generally reliable despite being written by a community of volunteers.

The dustup between Musk and Wales began after the billionaire raised eyebrows Monday with his gesticulation at a Trump inauguration event.

Thanking a crowd for returning Trump to the White House, Musk tapped the left side of his chest with his right hand and then extended his arm with his palm open. He then turned around to the crowd behind him and did it again.

As of Wednesday, both Musk’s biographical Wikipedia page as well as the page on the “Nazi salute” mention the episode.

‘Defund’ Wikipedia

On Tuesday, Musk reposted what appeared to be part of that Wikipedia entry, although the wording found on Wikipedia as of Wednesday was slightly different.

The reposted text read: “In his speech during the second Trump inauguration, Musk twice extended his right arm towards the crowd in an upward angle. The gesture was compared to a Nazi salute or fascist salute. Musk denied any meaning behind the gesture.”

Alongside the repost, Musk attacked both Wikipedia and the news media, another favorite target, suggesting that each is a purveyor of disinformation.

“Since legacy media propaganda is considered a ‘valid’ source by Wikipedia, it naturally simply becomes an extension of legacy media propaganda!” Musk wrote.

He additionally called on his supporters to “defund” Wikipedia.

Trolling Musk for his 2022 purchase of X for $44 billion, Wales shot back that: “I think Elon is unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale.”

Run by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, Wikipedia is an outlier among today’s internet landscape, dominated by the likes of Google and Meta — instead harking back to the web’s early, idealistic days when the open-source movement harnessed the talents of volunteers to offer free access to tools and knowledge.

Wales asked Musk whether there was “anything you consider inaccurate in that description?” and added that it wasn’t propaganda but “fact. Every element of it.”

‘Trying to be clear’

Founded on January 15, 2001, the Wikipedia website started in English but within two months had already launched in German and Swedish. It is now available in hundreds of languages.

“I would say the decline of trust in journalism and politics is quite severe, which then, in some cases, translates into people feeling more angry and lost,” Wales told Intelligencer.

But among the Wikipedia community, he said, “we just plug away, trying to be neutral, trying to be clear.”

After Musk’s 2022 purchase of Twitter, rebranded as X, he gutted trust and safety teams and introduced Community Notes, a crowd-sourced moderation tool that the platform has promoted as the way for users to add context to posts.

But researchers say the lowering of the guardrails on X, and the reinstatement of once-banned accounts of known misinformation peddlers, has turned the platform into a haven for misinformation.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India should respond with equal measures if the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump imposes higher tariffs on domestic goods, trade experts say.

They noted that India has previously implemented retaliatory customs duties on several U.S. products, such as apples, in response to what it deemed “illegal” tariffs imposed by America on certain steel and aluminium products.

In December last year, Mr. Trump has said India charges “a lot” of tariffs, reiterating his intention to impose reciprocal tariffs in retaliation for what New Delhi will impose on the import of certain American products.

“India should respond firmly and in equal measures,” economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivastava said.

In 2018, when the U.S. taxed Indian steel and aluminium, India retaliated by raising tariffs on 29 U.S. products, recovering equivalent revenue.

“This measured response showed India’s capability to protect its trade interests while staying balanced,” Mr. Srivastava said.

He added that Indian exporters may face high customs duties for goods like automobiles, textiles and pharmaceuticals if the new U.S. administration decides to pursue the ‘America First’ agenda.

He also said that if Mr. Trump would tighten H-1B visa rules, it may impact the growth of Indian IT firms.

Over 80% of India’s IT export earnings come from the U.S. The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner, accounting for over $190 billion of annual trade.

Sharing similar views, international trade expert Abhijit Das said that additional duties by the U.S., if implemented, will lock the market for Indian goods.

“Of course, India should retaliate with equal measures,” Mr. Das said, adding that imposing retaliatory customs duties would strengthen India’s position in negotiating the removal of “illegal” tariffs in the future.

“In the case of imposition of duties by the U.S., India should explain why those are illegal and if not withdrawn, we should not hesitate in taking retaliatory measures,” he said adding Mr. Trump has complaints in several sectors like agri goods, industrial products, services, intellectual property rights and digital trade.

Consult stakeholders

Another expert said that the Indian government should do a comprehensive consultation with the stakeholders and prepare itself to deal with any such move by the new American authorities.

Trade experts further stated that Mr. Trump’s claim that India is an “abuser” of import tariffs is unfair as many nations including America protect their domestic industries by imposing high customs duties on certain products. In October 2020 also, Mr. Trump labelled India as the ‘tariff king’.

According to WTO’s World Tariff Profiles 2023, the U.S. also imposes high duties on items like dairy products (188%), fruits and vegetables (132%), coffee, tea, cocoa and spices (53%), cereals and food preparations (193%), oilseeds, fats and oils (164%), beverages and tobacco (150%), fish and fish products (35%), minerals and metals (187%), and chemicals (56%).

International trade expert Biswajit Dhar also said that Trump would increase tariffs in various sectors as he has to follow his call for MAGA (Make America Great Again).

“India has a trade surplus with the US and they have flagged this issue earlier several times. We have always favoured consultations, we have not done things unilaterally. But if things do not work out, we should also consider proportionate measures,” Mr. Dhar said.

However, certain exporters are of the view that Mr. Trump will not go ahead with its threat as a number of U.S. companies have shown interest to invest in India and any move to impose duties will impact them also.

“I think, India-US trade relations will be strengthened further,” Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ashwani Kumar said.

The exporters added that in fact, India will get an opportunity to increase exports to the U.S. if America would impose higher duties on Chinese goods.

Going by the data, during 2001-23, at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), India’s exports to America rose by 10.48%. In this period, the US imports from the world have grown by 4.76 per cent.

They added that the two economies have strongly integrated with each other through various agreements, including the IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) and other bilateral mechanisms.

The U.S. is the largest trading partner of India in 2023-24. India’s exports stood at $77.51 billion, while imports aggregated at $42.2 billion in the last fiscal.

During April-December this fiscal, the country’s exports to America rose by 5.57% to about $60 billion, while imports grew by about 2% to $33.4 billion.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, on January 20, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Donald Trump said Monday (January 20, 2025) he will issue a raft of executive orders aimed at reshaping how the United States deals with citizenship and immigration.

The 47th president will set to work almost immediately with a series of presidential decrees intended to drastically reduce the number of migrants entering the country.

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“First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border,” Mr. Trump said minutes after his inauguration.

“All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.”

He will send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border “to repel the disastrous invasion of our country,” he said.

Mr. Trump, who campaigned on a platform of curbing migration and whose policies are popular with people who fret over changing demographics, also intends to end the centuries-old practice of granting citizenship automatically to anyone born in the United States.

“We’re going to end asylum,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told reporters, and create “an immediate removal process without possibility of asylum. We are then going to end birthright citizenship.”

The U.S. Constitution grants citizenship to anyone born on US soil.

Ms. Kelly said Mr. Trump’s actions will “clarify” the 14th Amendment, which addresses birthright citizenship.

“Federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States,” she said.

Appointments cancelled

The first effects of Mr. Trump’s stance became apparent minutes after his inauguration when an app unveiled under president Joe Biden to help process migrants went offline.

“Effective January 20, 2025, the functionalities of CBP One that previously allowed undocumented aliens to submit advance information and schedule appointments at eight southwest border ports of entry is no longer available, and existing appointments have been cancelled,” said a notice on the landing page.

U.S. media reported 30,000 people had appointments scheduled.

Mr. Trump’s key adviser and noted immigration hardliner Stephen Miller took to social media to announce that the doors were shut.

“All illegal aliens seeking entry into the United States should turn back now,” he wrote.

“Anyone entering the United States without authorization faces prosecution and expulsion.”

Ms. Kelly said the administration would also reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy that prevailed under Trump’s first administration.

Under that rule, people who apply to enter the United States at the Mexican border were not allowed to do so until their application had been decided.

Court challenges

Ms. Kelly said Donald Trump would seek to use the death penalty against non-citizens who commit capital crimes including murder.

“This is about national security. This is about public safety, and this is about the victims of some of the most violent, abusive criminals we’ve seen enter our country in our lifetime, and it ends today,” she said.

Many of Mr. Trump’s first-term executive actions were rescinded under Biden, including one using so-called Title 42, implemented during the Covid pandemic preventing almost all entry to the country on public health grounds.

The changes under Mr. Biden led to an influx of migrants, with images of thousands of people packing the border area.

Mr. Trump frequently invoked dark imagery about how illegal migration was “poisoning the blood” of the nation, words that were seized upon by opponents as reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

Court challenges

While U.S. presidents enjoy a range of powers, they are not unlimited. Analysts say any effort to alter birthright citizenship will be fraught.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said the 14th Amendment was “crystal clear” in granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States with the exception of children of foreign diplomats.

“We have had birthright citizenship for centuries, and a president cannot take it away with an executive order,” he told AFP. “We expect rapid court challenges.”

Cris Ramon, immigration senior policy advisor at civil rights group UnidosUS, said the administration was “using a ‘throw spaghetti at the wall’ approach.”

“We don’t care whether this is legal or not,” he said of the apparent attitude. “We’re just simply going to do it and see if it survives the courts.”

President Donald Trump on Monday cast himself as a peacemaker in his second inaugural address, but immediately vowed that the United States would be “taking back” the Panama Canal.

Trump issued the threat, without explaining details, after weeks of refusing to rule out military action against Panama over the waterway, which the United States handed over at the end of 1999.

“Above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama. And we’re taking it back,” Trump said after being sworn in inside the US Capitol.

Panama maintains control of the canal but Chinese companies have been steadily increasing their presence around the vital shipping link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Panama denies that China has any role in running the canal, and has repeatedly asserted its sovereignty over the waterway since Trump first threatened to take it over after he was elected in November.

At his inauguration, Trump said that the United States has been “treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made.”

“The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form, and that includes the United States Navy,” he said.

Marco Rubio, Trump’s choice for secretary of state, stopped short of threatening military action during his confirmation hearing last week but warned that China through its influence could effectively shut down the Panama Canal to the United States in a crisis.

“This is a legitimate issue that needs to be confronted,” Rubio said.

Trump has also not ruled out force to seize Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark where Russia has been increasingly active as ice melts due to climate change.

The Panama Canal was built by the United States mostly with Afro-Caribbean labor and opened in 1914.

US President Jimmy Carter, who died last month, negotiated its return in 1977, saying he saw a moral responsibility to respect a less powerful but fully sovereign nation.

‘Peacemaker and unifier’ 

Trump pledged an “America First” policy of prioritizing US interests above all else. He has put a top priority on cracking down on undocumented immigration and said he will deploy the military to the border with Mexico.

But Trump also cast himself as a peacemaker and pointed to a Gaza ceasefire deal whose implementation began Sunday.

“My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That’s what I want to be — a peacemaker and a unifier,” he said.

The Gaza ceasefire, which includes an exchange of hostages and prisoners, follows the outlines of a proposal outlined in May by then-president Joe Biden, but it was pushed through after intensive last-minute diplomacy by envoys of both Biden and Trump.

Trump has also promised to end the war in Ukraine by pushing for compromises — a contrast to Biden’s approach of supporting Kyiv to a potential military victory.

Despite Trump’s vow to be a unifier, he immediately fired a symbolic but provocative shot above the bow to Mexico.

Trump in his address said that the United States would start referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” — making the water body the latest in the world whose name is disputed between neighbors.

“America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world,” Trump said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

US President Donald Trump vowed Monday that the world’s biggest economy would again see itself as “a growing nation” that expands its territory, adding that the country would plant its flag on Mars.

“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” he said in his inauguration speech at the US Capitol in Washington.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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.

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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.”

President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a rally ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration
| Photo Credit: Evan Vucci

Donald Trump is set to take the oath of office as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, January 20, alongside Vice President-elect JD Vance. The Republican leader will formally return to the White House for the second time after winning the 2024 presidential race against outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris. The official swearing-in ceremony will take place at 12 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) and 10 p.m. IST on January 20, 2025. President Trump will be administered the oath of office by Chief Justice John Roberts, marking the start of his second term. 

Also Read: Early Modi-Trump meet, Quad summit, trade, immigration, and tariffs on Jaishankar’s Washington agenda

Where to watch the inauguration?

The swearing-in ceremony is a public event, and thousands of people are expected to gather on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to watch the ceremony unfold on large video screens. For those who cannot make it to Washington, the event will be broadcast live on major news channels like ABC, NBC, and CNN. Additionally, live streaming will be available on multiple platforms, ensuring global access to this event.

You can watch the YouTube live at Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies’ channel.

Also Read: Donald Trump’s inauguration: Schedule and other key details 

Major news networks will provide live coverage, including Fox News and MSNBC, and international channels like BBC and Al Jazeera. Additionally, the White House will stream the ceremony on its official website, enabling viewers worldwide to watch the event. You can also read The Hindu’s live blog coverage from the event.

FILE – Former President Donald Trump speaks at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women Lilac Luncheon, June 27, 2023, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
| Photo Credit:
Steven Senne

Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States (U.S.) on Monday (January 20, 2025) at 12 p.m. EST (1700 GMT). The oath-taking will be administrated by the Chief Justice of the U.S. John Roberts.

Also Read: Donald Trump’s inauguration: Schedule and other key details

Incoming Vice President J.D. Vance will also be sworn in with Mr. Trump.

The outgoing President, Democrat Joe Biden, has said he plans to attend the ceremony to witness the transfer of power, a courtesy that Mr. Trump, as the then outgoing President, did not afford him four years earlier.

Also read: Trump meets with GOP senators as supporters cheer his return on eve of inauguration

All living former presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — will attend the function, as will their wives, except for Michelle Obama.

Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, a strong supporter of Trump, has said he will attend, according to reports. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said she hopes to attend. Chinese President Xi Jinping is not attending, despite an invitation, but is sending a senior envoy.

Trump adviser Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Jeff Bezos, executive chairman of Amazon and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms, are also attending.

Also read: Mukesh Ambani, wife Nita meet U.S. President-elect Trump ahead of inauguration

During a rally on Sunday (January 20, 2025), Mr. Trump said he would sign several executive actions on Monday (January 21, 2025) covering a range of issues, from ending government programs aimed at ensuring gender and racial diversity in the workplace to securing the southern border with Mexico.

A source familiar with the planning said Trump is preparing to sign more than 200 executive actions on Day One.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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Ahead of Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, an Ohio artist has unveiled a giant 15-foot-tall, $1 million bronze statute of the Republican leader. Titled “The Patriot Statue of Donald J. Trump,” the statue was created by sculptor Alan Cottrill. It depicts the Presdient-elect’s iconic moment from July 13, when he defiantly pumped his fist after surviving an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The statue will tour across the country before being displayed at a future Trump presidential library, the New York Post reported. 

The statue was commissioned by several dozen wealthy crypto-currency investors as a tribute to Donald Trump, who they hope will be a friend of the industry. “We’re so proud of the statue we all worked so hard to complete. It turned out exactly as planned and is truly fit to match the man it’s dedicated to! Larger Than Life!!!” crypto community Patriot Token wrote while sharing the picture of the bronze statue on X. 

Take a look below: 

The first image of the finished PATRIOT Statue of @realDonaldTrump was published today.

We’re so proud of the statue we all worked so hard to complete. It turned out exactly as planned and is truly fit to match the man it’s dedicated to!

Larger Than Life!!! pic.twitter.com/CycaYX0K5l

— Patriot Token (@Patriot_Erc20) January 18, 2025

The six-ton statute was commissioned just a week after the shooting, as per the Post. It is set to be unveiled at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C, and It’s then expected to tour the country.

“People will be making a pilgrimage to see this thing. Trump has a fan base that I don’t think we’ve seen in a politician in a very long time,” said Brock Pierce, a crypto-billionaire who helped finance the project.

“We do expect President Trump to be with the statue at some point during the inauguration,” added Dustin Stockton, a conservative activist and unofficial spokesperson for the investors.

Notably, Donald Trump will formally return to the White House after his second inauguration as president of the United States on January 20. He won the US presidential elections with a landslide victory after defeating outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris. He is set to take over from the incumbent President Joe Biden.

 Along with Mr Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance will also be sworn into office on Monday. This day, traditionally known as Inauguration Day, is marked by events filled with pomp and celebration. The inauguration day events will include a formal swearing-in ceremony, musical performances, a celebratory parade and several formal balls.

The Washington, DC will shine bright on January 20 as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House with a series of celebratory inaugural balls. Trump, who officially becomes the 47th US President in less than a week, is expected to attend three prestigious events that form a key part of the inauguration festivities.

The Commander-in-Chief Ball, Liberty Inaugural Ball, and Starlight Ball will be the centrepiece of the evening’s celebrations, with Trump expected to attend all three. These formal gatherings provide an opportunity for the new president to address supporters and the American public.

What The Balls Represent

The inaugural balls are not just social events. They signify unity, celebration, and the peaceful transition of power. Dressed in their finest, attendees – including political leaders, dignitaries, and invited citizens – will gather to celebrate a new era under Trump’s leadership.

History Of The Inaugural Balls

Since 1789, inaugural balls have been a regular feature of the celebrations surrounding presidential inaugurations. These events are both official and unofficial, with the president traditionally attending the official balls.

Over time, inaugural balls have become more formal. The first official inaugural ball, held in 1809 under President James Madison, took place at a hotel in Washington, where guests paid $4 for admission.

Each president has left their mark on the tradition, with most balls featuring formal attire, dance, and the participation of donors and supporters. However, the tone of the event varies depending on the president. Like, the Carters labelled their inaugural balls as “parties,” while the Reagans introduced a sophisticated white-tie event.

The 2025 inauguration events for Donald Trump will span four days, from January 18 to January 21, with various ceremonies and celebrations. Key events include a reception and fireworks, a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery, a victory rally, and the swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol. The events will culminate with a National Prayer Service on January 21.