NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Donald Trump as he took oath on Monday as the 47th president of the United States.
“Congratulations my dear friend President Donald Trump on your historic inauguration as the 47th President of the United States! I look forward to working closely together once again, to benefit both our countries, and to shape a better future for the world. Best wishes for a successful term ahead!” PM Modi wrote on X.
Donald Trump was sworn in as president of the US by Chief Justice John Roberts in a ceremony held indoors at the Capitol Rotunda, a rare occurrence only previously seen in 1985 when Ronald Reagan took the oath for his second term. This marked Trump’s return to the presidency, making him the second US president after Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms.
Trump and outgoing president Joe Biden rode together to the Capitol for the ceremony following a traditional tea gathering at the White House, where they were joined by their wives, Jill Biden and Melania Trump, as well as vice president Kamala Harris and her successor, JD Vance, along with their spouses. Notably, Jill Biden and Melania Trump shared a separate car ride to the Capitol, as did Kamala Harris and JD Vance.
The ceremony drew prominent figures, including tech leaders such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Apple’s Tim Cook, Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk, and Google’s Sundar Pichai. Former presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama also attended, along with their spouses, except for Michelle Obama, who was notably absent. This upheld the tradition of former presidents attending, which Trump himself broke in 2021 by skipping Biden’s inauguration.
The event also featured Trump’s cabinet nominees, including Marco Rubio, the incoming secretary of state, who is anticipated to be confirmed swiftly. Before the swearing-in, Trump attended a private service at St. John’s Church with Melania Trump, JD Vance, Usha Vance, and several cabinet members.
During the White House tea ceremony, Biden reportedly greeted Trump with the words, “Welcome home,” symbolizing the transition of power.