The United States National Guard said it would deploy 8,000 of its service members, coming from approximately 40 states, to Washington DC to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration.

Born on June 14, 1946, the incoming President Donald Trump served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.

Having won the 2024 presidential election as the nominee of the Republican Party, he will be inaugurated today as the 47th president.

Earlier on Saturday,  before Trump arrived in Washington DC, thousands of protesters took to the streets for women’s rights, racial justice, and other causes they believe are likely to be under threat from the incoming administration.

A similar, albeit much-larger, protest march took place in 2017, ahead of Trump’s first inauguration.

Demonstrations against the incoming president are much smaller this time, as many progressive voters are navigating feelings of exhaustion, disappointment and despair after Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in the November election. Many activists share that as a result, women’s rights movements seem more fractured after Trump’s victory against Harris.

Inauguration day is largely a traditional ceremony to mark a new president getting sworn into office, and moving into the White House.

This came as  majority of Americans are optimistic about the next four years with Trump, even more so than they were in 2017 before his first term.

And most are hopeful about the coming year.

That’s bolstered by Americans’ expectations for a good economy in 2025 — higher than they currently rate it — along with wide belief among his voters that Trump will bring down grocery prices, make them financially better off and bring more peace and stability to the world.

It all echoes many of the reasons Trump won in the first place.

However, Trump pledged he would sign a stack of executive orders starting on his first day in office.

The swearing-in of the president usually takes place on the steps of the Capitol, but a last minute decision to move the ceremony indoors was made as freezing temperatures were forecast.