𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

If it were not for the thousands of security barriers placed around nearly every important building in central Washington DC, you’d be forgiven for not realising we are just days away from Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

The sense of ‘quiet before the storm’ is felt heavily in America’s capital, as the country and the world waits with baited breath for the return of Mr Trump to the White House.

We’re now just three days away from the moment Joe Biden is formally replaced by his predecessor, with America still reeling from the Republican’s seismic election victory in November.

Over the coming days the Express will be on hand to guide you through the key moments, and bring you interviews from top experts and politicians.

Read on to discover the essential Presidential inauguration guide.

Key events aren’t just confined to Monday 20th itself, when Mr Trump will become America’s 47th President.

On Saturday Donald Trump will play host at his golf course just up the road in Virginia, with a big celebratory fireworks display for lucky guests.

His incoming Vice President JD Vance will also host a reception and dinner for Mr Trump’s Cabinet-to-be.

On Sunday Mr Trump will head just south of Washington to Arlington Cemetery, America’s largest cemetery established after the Civil War, where he will lay a wreath to commemorate fallen US soldiers.

Donald Trump will host a MAGA victory rally at the Capitol One Arena for supporters, including a performance by his favourites the Village People, with cap-wearing loyalists hoping to see his iconic fist-pumping dance moves.

He will also host a candlelight supper for donors.

Monday is the main day itself, when all the world’s cameras are pointed squarely at the United States Capitol building as Donald Trump makes the Pledge of Allegiance.

Around 250,000 people are expected to visit Washington for the inauguration, with gates opening at 5am for the 12pm ceremony.

Even despite the weather on Monday, which is set to range between -12 and -5 celsius, it’s expected tens of thousands of Donald Trump supporters will fill the park behind the US parliament.

Mr Trump will attend a church service at a local church before heading to the main venue.

Carrie Underwood will perform before Donald Trump takes the oath of office at midday in front of former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton.

Advisors and politicians will then head inside for the signing in ceremony, before a lunch attended by the country’s top senators.

He will drive back to the White House in the traditional open-top presidential parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, before he undertakes a signing in ceremony at the Oval Office.

The newly-installed President will then spend the evening flitting from ballroom to ballroom, delivering speeches at three: the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball, and the Starlight Ball.

Donald Trump sparked something of a diplomatic nightmare for world leaders after he once again broke precedent by inviting certain premiers to the inauguration ceremony itself.

Typically his fellow leaders forego the main event, and wait for one-on-one meetings in the following weeks and months.

However Donald Trump sent invitations to certain select friends, including Italy’s Georgia Meloni, Argentina’s Javier Milei, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and Hungarian President Viktor Orban.

This sparked humiliation for those snubbed, including China’s President Xi, Russia’s President Putin and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen.

However the most bruised will be Keir Starmer, who as well as not receiving an invitation to the big day is going to be upstaged by Nigel Farage who is not only beating Labour in some opinion polls but will now be Britain’s closest friend to the new leader of the free world.

Michelle Obama is also dodging the ceremony, which her office claim is due to a scheduling conflict but is widely being interpreted as her own snub towards Donald Trump.