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President-elect Donald Trump is taking a victory lap at a rally in Washington, D.C., a day before he is sworn in for his second term, four years after losing re-election.
The “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at the Capital One Arena is just one of the many events celebrating the incoming administration. The president-elect gave a campaign-style speech alongside other MAGA world luminaries — including Elon Musk, the Trump family, and Megyn Kelly.
There were also musical performances from Kid Rock, Lee Greenwood, and the Village People, who joined Trump on stage.
Freezing cold weather is gripping much of the northeastern U.S., so the inauguration ceremony on Monday has been moved inside to the Capitol’s rotunda. The last time this happened was at Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985.
On day one, the president-elect plans to sign more than 200 executive orders — a record — covering everything from border security and energy to ending DEI programs.
The Independent has learned that Trump will begin his term with only one-quarter of the staff he needs — a notable failure of the Project 2025 plan to fill all roles from day one.
Exclusive: Trump will only have a quarter of the staff he needs in place when he enters office
The Independent has learned that only 1,000 people have been hired to fill a fraction of the 4,000 important presidentially appointed roles atop the federal bureaucracy, many of which can be put in place without the need of Senate confirmation. That’s roughly 300 fewer than the number of appointees hired during Trump’s chaotic 2016-2017 transition effort.
David Maddox and Andrew Feinberg report from Washington, D.C.
Oliver O’Connell20 January 2025 00:10
Watch: Trump’s Middle East envoy hails release of first three hostages by Hamas
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:50
In pictures: Trump dances with Village People on eve of inauguration
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:38
Dave Chappelle issues plea to Trump in last SNL before inauguration
Chappelle began his monologue by discussing the Los Angeles fires before moving on to his absence from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “freak offs” — and giving Trump advice for returning to his old gig on Monday.
Michelle Del Rey reports.
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:30
-Watch: The Village People join Trump on stage for the YMCA
Yes, America, this is happening…
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:22
Trump confirms report he will visit areas devastated by LA wildfires
During his remarks at his victory rally, Donald Trump confirms he will visit the site of the Los Angeles wildfires that devastated the suburbs of the city and left at least 25 dead.
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:10
Watch: Trump teases decision on Jan 6 ‘hostages’ tomorrow
“Tomorrow everyone in this arena will be very happy with my decision on the J6 hostages. I think you’ll be very, very happy. I would say about 99.9% in this beautiful arena,” says Trump at his victory rally.
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:03
‘We’re going to make a lot of money’: Trump boasts about saving TikTok at DC rally day before inauguration
President-elect Donald Trump boasted about his efforts to “save” TikTok during his pre-inauguration rally.
“As of today, TikTok is back,” Trump said. “So, you know, I did a little TikTok thing. We have a guy…he’s a young kid, like 21 years old, and we hired this guy, and I went on Tiktok. Can you believe what I’ll do to win an election?”
“So whether you like Tiktok or not, we’re going to make a lot of money,” he added.
Katie Hawkinson reports from Washington, D.C.
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 23:00
Trump says he will released records on assassinations of JFK, RFK, and Martin Luther King Jr
Donald Trump says he’s going to declassify records on the assassinations of John F Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, in addition to other classified documents of national interest.
“We are going to make public remaining records relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other topics of great public interest. It’s all going to be released, Uncle Sam.”
As Allan Smith of NBC News recalls, Trump tried this in his first term:
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 22:58
Musk says teases lots of ‘significant’ changes in his role at DOGE
Elon Musk, whom Donald Trump has appointed to head up the Department of Government Efficiency, made brief remarks on stage at the victory rally.
“We’re looking forward to making a lot of changes.. What matters going forward is to actually make significant changes.. and set the foundation for America to be strong forever.”
The president-elect then offly said: “He knows those computers better than anybody. All those computers. Those vote-counting computers. And we ended up winning Pennsylvania like in a landslide.”
Oliver O’Connell19 January 2025 22:55
