Trump transition highlights: Protesters rally days ahead of the inauguration
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Thousands of people are in Washington, D.C., for a joint protest organized by several activist groups.
What's happening ahead of Trump's second inauguration
- Thousands of protesters marched through Washington, D.C., for the People's March before converging at the Lincoln Memorial. The protests were organized by several groups, including the organizers of the Women's March and Planned Parenthood.
- President-elect Donald Trump will kick off his second inauguration with a reception and fireworks at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.
- Trump's inauguration ceremony will take place indoors as the D.C. area braces for frigid temperatures and strong winds on Inauguration Day.
Rod Wave, Antonio Brown and Kodak Black: How Trump’s inauguration guests reflect his new popularity this time
In 2016, amid a dearth of prominent entertainers willing to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, Trump disavowed the very idea of celebrities attending the event.
“The so-called ‘A’ list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!,” Trump wrote on Twitter at the time.
This time, things appear to be different. Trump has A-list attendees lined up for his inaugural events, including a number of high-profile Black and Latino celebrities, as the soon-to-be-47th president flexes his increased standing with communities of color.
Several well-known athletes, including football’s Antonio Brown, boxing’s Mike Tyson and hockey’s Evander Kane, are also expected to attend, according to a source familiar with the attendance list.
So are the Billboard chart-topping rappers Rod Wave, Kodak Black and Fivio Foreign, with Black and Foreign publicly backing Trump through event appearances and explicitly in their music.
Capitol riot memories linger on the ground where Trump will take the oath of office
No matter what path President-elect Donald Trump takes to the Capitol rotunda before he says his oath on Monday, he’s guaranteed to pass sites of chaos, violence and destruction wrought by supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
If Trump comes through the Senate carriage entrance, as he did en route to the inauguration stage when he took his first oath of office eight years ago, he would have two paths to choose from. The first left, going up the stairs toward the Senate chamber, would trace the path where a mob chased a Capitol Police officer toward the floor of the Senate on Jan. 6.
Trump arrives at his golf course outside of D.C.
Trump arrived at the Trump golf club outside of D.C., where his inauguration weekend festivities are set to kick off.
He landed in D.C. shortly before and arrived at the golf club by motorcade.
Photo: People gather at Lincoln Memorial for the People’s March.
People gather at Lincoln Memorial for the People’s March on Saturday. Maansi Srivastava for NBC News
Trump's newly launched meme coin skyrockets in value
Trump launched the $TRUMP meme coin yesterday, and it has already skyrocketed in value.
The total value of all $TRUMP coins in circulation ballooned by billions of dollars overnight, and as of 5:30 p.m. sat at around $5.3 billion.
The cryptocurrency market features little transparency about its investors. People who purchase the $TRUMP coin do not have to reveal their identities.
Trump is headed to Washington for his inauguration
The president-elect, along with his wife and youngest son, has boarded a plane from Palm Beach to Washington for his inauguration festivities, which begin tonight.
Mike Pence expected to attend Trump's inauguration
Mike Pence is planning to attend Monday’s inauguration, according to a spokesperson for the former vice president.
A person familiar confirmed the plan had been for Pence to attend the inauguration before it was moved indoors, noting that the seating chart is now in flux.
The inauguration has now been moved to inside the Capitol, the site where on Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of rioters stormed the building, some calling for Pence to be hanged as he presided over the session that ratified Joe Biden's 2020 victory.
Pence ran in the 2024 Republican primary. He did not endorse Trump after the president-elect won the party's nomination.
Trump and Pence saw each other for the first time since the Capitol riot at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral earlier this month, where the two shook hands.
A Trump transition spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Pence's attendance.
Rapper Nelly to perform at inaugural ball
The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee on Saturday announced that hip-hop and country star Nelly, famous for hits including "Air Force Ones" and "Hot in Herre", will perform at the Liberty Ball on Monday, after Trump's inauguration.
He joins a list of artists performing at various inauguration events that includes Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts and the Village People.
People’s March attendees say they're 'anxious about what's coming' during second Trump administration
Nathan Carver and Sarah Worthington said they traveled from New York City to "gather together" with other like-minded people before a second Trump administration begins.
"We are anxious about what’s coming, and one thing that we know to be true is when we gather together with other people, that we get energy from them and hope and ideas of what steps to take. And just very grateful that organizers have gotten these happening," Worthington told NBC News.
A coalition of advocacy groups march toward the Lincoln Memorial for the People’s March on Saturday. Maansi Srivastava for NBC News
"We were here four years ago for the Women’s March, and I think what I’ve learned is that you keep fighting, you keep showing up. And that’s a lot of why we’re here. To keep showing up," Carver added.
Deportations, TikTok, Israel-Gaza: Trump weighs in on his Week 1 priorities
President-elect Donald Trump said he’s planning to sign a “record-setting” number of executive actions when he takes office, and that mass deportations and a trip to Los Angeles to visit the wildfire damage will be on the agenda in his first week in office.
Trump talked about his inauguration and early administration plans in a wide-ranging phone interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Saturday, just two days before he’s set to become president.
Trump said the theme of his inauguration speech will be “unity and strength, and also the word ‘fairness.’”
“Because you have to be treating people fairly. You can’t just say, ‘Oh, everything’s going to be wonderful.’ You know, we went through hell for four years with these people. And so, you know, something has to be done about it. ... You can’t have that happen, and we shouldn’t have that happen.”
Photos: Protesters march toward the Lincoln Memorial for the People’s March in D.C.
A coalition of advocacy groups march toward the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday. Maansi Srivastava for NBC News
The police presence at the People’s March in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Maansi Srivastava for NBC News
Trump says he will ‘most likely’ give TikTok a 90-day extension to avoid a ban
President-elect Donald Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker in a phone interview Saturday that he will “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from a potential ban in the U.S. after he takes office Monday.
Trump said he hadn’t made a final decision but was considering a 90-day extension of the Sunday deadline for TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell to a non-Chinese-buyer or face a U.S. ban.
“I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because it’s appropriate. You know, it’s appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. It’s a very big situation,” Trump said in the phone interview.
“If I decide to do that, I’ll probably announce it on Monday,” he said.
People's March protesters begin march to Lincoln Memorial
Protesters from a wide spectrum of progressive groups have begun marching to the Lincoln Memorial for a "People's March" ahead of Trump's inauguration on Monday.
A coalition of advocacy groups prepare for the People’s March on Saturday at Farragut Square in Washington, D.C. Maansi Srivastava for NBC News
Trump’s second inauguration to see smaller protests and fewer Democratic boycotts
Donald Trump’s first inauguration was marked by riots in the streets of Washington and spurred global counterprotests that included millions, including what was estimated to be the largest single day of protest in U.S. history. The turnout set the stage for four years of vociferous demonstrations against a president whose victory was seen as a fluke.
This year, ahead of Trump’s second inauguration, which falls on Monday’s Martin Luther King Day holiday, thousands are expected to turn out at demonstrations to honor King and protest Trump. But their numbers are expected to be far smaller than they were eight years ago as the burning intensity of the anti-Trump “Resistance” movement cooled to a smolder in the wake of his second victory — the first time Trump has won the popular vote.
Former Trump aides are warning newbies: Buy legal insurance or risk a hefty bill
As Republicans gear up for new jobs in the second Trump administration, people who worked for Donald Trump the first time around are dispensing advice about a must-buy item for those coming to Washington.
It’s not an article of clothing or a trendy apartment, and it is something most hope they will never use.
Trump's inauguration festivities to kick off with reception and fireworks
Trump's inauguration weekend festivities are set to kick off today at Trump National Sterling, outside of D.C.
The day's events will include a reception for the president-elect and fireworks, according to Trump's inaugural committee's events schedule.
The committee also announced that it will hold a Cabinet reception and vice president-elect dinner today.
What to expect from the People's March
Thousands of people are set to begin marching from three separate points around Washington, D.C., this afternoon before converging at the Lincoln Memorial for a rally.
The event is being led by several national activists groups including the organizers of the 2017 Women's March.
According to the event's organizers, protesters will meet at three separate locations, each focusing on a specific set of causes including issues facing D.C., democracy, immigration and women's issues.
