Today, January 20th, 2021, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Between the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic and the potential threat of violence, this particular Inauguration ceremony has been scaled down for safety reasons. Though Biden and his Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will indeed take their oath live at the West Front of the Capitol, they will not be doing so in front of the crowds that have historically come out to spectate and celebrate the historic event.
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Instead, Biden and Harris's inaugural committee have arranged for the crowd to be replaced by hundreds of thousands of American flags, a symbolic representation of those unable to attend. That's not to say it will be entirely quiet; CNN cites spokesman Major Aaron Thacker, who confirms that over twenty-five thousand National Guard troops will be on-foot across Washington D.C. As it stands, Joe Biden is set to become President at 12PM EST, though he will not be met by former President Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump.
For those interested in checking out today's Inauguration ceremony, we've compiled a few places interested parties can live stream the event, as well as the ensuing virtual festivities organized by the Biden camp. CNN has already begun their live stream coverage; The Biden Presidential Inaugural Committee will also be streaming it on their official website and on YouTube; CBS News provides coverage right here; ABC's coverage is here; and for those of a Republican bent, Fox News coverage is right here. We've also embedded the Inaugural Committee's stream for your convenience.
Though Biden will be taking the stage at 12 PM, the National Anthem will be performed by Lady Gaga at 11:30 AM Est, with an additional musical performance from Jennifer Lopez. Later tonight, beginning at 8:30 PM EST, Tom Hanks will be hosting an Inauguration Day Special, featuring appearances from celebrities like Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato Justin Timberlake, and Ant Clemons. That special will be live-streamed at many of the aforementioned sources, as well as Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, Amazon Prime Video and more.