SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Whether Donald Trump has been sworn in by noon on Monday, January 20, 2025, that is the exact time he officially becomes the President of the United States.

The 20th Amendment of the United States Constitution states that a president-elect officially becomes the sitting president at the stroke of noon on January 20th. This is true regardless of whether the president has taken the oath of office or not.

However, every Inauguration Day is meticulously planned to ensure the oath has been taken by or as close to noon as possible.

This is the exact text of the 20th Amendment, Section 1: “The terms of the President and the Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3rd day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.”

Inauguration Day is planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) and the Presidential Inaugural Committee. The major beats generally go as follows:

• Swearing-in ceremony
• President’s room signing ceremony
• Inaugural luncheon
• Review of the troops
• Presidential parade and reception
• Inaugural balls