Trump inauguration day LIVE: Melania unveils crypto coin as Donald Trump teases Jan 6 ‘hostages’ decision
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Incoming US first lady Melania Trump unveiled her own new cryptocurrency as her husband Donald Trump prepares to be sworn in for his second term in the White House on Monday.
Ahead of today’s inauguration, the president-elect gave a campaign-style speech at a “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at Washington DC’s Capital One Arena, alongside other MAGA world luminaries, including Elon Musk, the Trump family and Megyn Kelly.
Trump again indicated that he plans to pardon many of those convicted for their actions during the attempted insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6 2021 once he takes office.
Freezing cold weather is gripping much of the northeastern US so Monday’s event has had to be moved inside the Capitol’s rotunda.
The last time that happened was at Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985.
On day one, the president-elect has indicated plans to sign more than 200 executive orders – a record – covering everything from border security and energy, to ending diversity hiring programs.
But 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 by day one.
Exclusive: Trump will only have a quarter of the staff he needs in place when he enters office
The second Trump administration will start with fewer key staff in place than when the president entered the White House for the first time eight years ago, with just a quarter of the political appointments made and ready to go when he is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States today.
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 have this report.
Joe Sommerlad20 January 2025 10:05
Trump to sign more than 200 executive orders on first day in office, report says
The president-elect is set to sign more than 200 (!) executive orders into action on his first day in office, according to new reports that emerged last night.
That’s double the total that were previously being anticipated, promising a seriously chaotic news day on Tuesday.
Oliver O’Connell has the very latest.
Joe Sommerlad20 January 2025 09:45
Trump to start ‘two year race’ to change America and the world as he returns to the White House
Donald Trump and his team will be in “a two-year race” to change the US – and the world – from the moment he is inaugurated inside the Capitol on Monday.
Sources close to the 47th president of the United States of America have privately noted that he has until the midterm elections in November 2026 to fulfil his policy agenda while the Republicans still have control of the Congress and Senate.
After that, the tone will probably switch to who will succeed him as the Republican nominee in 2028, with Vice President JD Vance currently in the driving seat but not guaranteed.
David Maddox has this report.
Joe Sommerlad20 January 2025 09:25
Watch: Live view of the White House ahead of Trump’s second inauguration
You can check out a livefeed of the scene at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as the removal men pile in and Joe and Jill Biden hand over to the keys to Donald and Melania Trump.
Joe Sommerlad20 January 2025 09:05
Everything you need to about Trump’s inauguration, from venue to start time
President-elect Donald Trump will become the first American president since Grover Cleveland to enter the White House for a non-consecutive second term when he is sworn-in as the 47th commander-in-chief at the US Capitol’s rotunda in Washington DC on Monday afternoon, the ceremony belatedly forced indoors by sub-zero temperatures for the first time since Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration on January 20 1985.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this historic day.
Joe Sommerlad20 January 2025 08:45
‘It means freedom for Americans’: Four years on, MAGA faithful welcome Trump’s unlikely return to DC
Richard Hall reports from Donald Trump’s victory rally in Washington, D.C., on the eve of his inauguration — the culmination of a dramatic political comeback.
Oliver O’Connell20 January 2025 08:15
Bitcoin price hits new all-time record amid Trump-fuelled frenzy
The price of bitcoin has hit a new all-time-high amid a crypto market frenzy fuelled by incoming US president Donald Trump.
The world’s leading cryptocurrency reached above $108,000 for the first time in its history on Monday morning, just hours before Trump is dues to take office. Bitcoin’s latest price surge follows the launch of Trump’s own cryptocurrency, as well as that of his wife Melania.
Trump has promised the crypto industry that he will make the US the “bitcoin capital of the world” as president.
Our deputy technology editor Anthony Cuthbertson reports:
Andy Gregory20 January 2025 08:05
Inside the scramble to move Trump’s inauguration indoors
Rhian Lubin looks at what happened next.
Oliver O’Connell20 January 2025 07:45
Full report: Melania Trump launches her own cryptocurrency on eve of husband Donald’s inauguration
Hours before the second inauguration of president-elect Donald Trump, incoming first lady Melania Trump has launched her own cryptocurrency.
“The Official Melania Meme is live! You can buy $MELANIA now,” Ms Trump posted on X in the early hours of Monday.
The launch of $Melania comes just days after Mr Trump launched his own meme coin, and appeared to briefly tank the value of $Trump before it then rebounded.
Both the $Trump and $Melania coins have risen in value since launch but are also seeing volatile trade, and their respective websites note that the cryptocurrencies are “not intended to be, or the subject of” an investment opportunity or a security.
Our science and technology reporter Vishwam Sankaran has more details:
Andy Gregory20 January 2025 07:42
Melania Trump launches her own cryptocurrency
Incoming-first lady Melania Trump launches her own crypto coin on the eve of her husband’s inauguration. On Sunday, Melania announced that “The Official Melania Meme is live!” via her official X account. “You can buy $MELANIA now.” The announcement comes a day after President-elect Donald Trump launched the $Trump cryptocurrency.
Sonal Hayat20 January 2025 07:26
