Joe Biden sworn in as 46th US President as he takes over from Donald Trump

Joe Biden has officially been sworn in as 46th President of the United States, ending Donald Trump’s single term in office.

The new president took the oath on his family’s Bible, from US Chief Justice John Roberts, at the US Capitol in Washington DC shortly after midday EST Wednesday. Vice President Kamala Harris, who had been sworn in minutes earlier, looked on.

Biden immediately launched into an impassioned speech tackling the Covid pandemic, racism and white supremacy.

He said: ‘This is America’s day, this is democracy’s day…a day of history and hope. The will of the people has been heard. And the will of the people has been heeded….Democracy has prevailed.’

‘We have much to do in this winter of peril … much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain. My whole soul is in this, bringing America together uniting our people …And I ask every American to join me in this cause.

Biden also took aim at his immediate predecessor, saying: ‘We must meet this moment at the United of America. Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire, destroying everything in its path.

‘Every disagreement doesn’t have to be a total war. We must reject the culture in which facts themselves are manipulated.’

But he also extended an olive branch to Trump supporters who rejected his win, saying: ‘I will be a president for all Americans.’ Biden went on to warn that America faced its ‘darkest winter’ as Covid continues to ravage the country, but urged people to come together as ‘one county,’ adding: ‘We will get through this.’

The 78 year-old leader – who is the oldest US president ever to take office – was also watched by his wife Jill, son Hunter and daughter Ashley. President Biden was officially inaugurated after of a star-studded ceremony featuring performances from Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez. Harris was sworn in moments before the president…democracy has prevailed.’

Around 1,000 people watched the ceremony in-person, with a ‘Field of Flags’ consisting of 200,000 emblems set up in the National Mall in place of specators barred from attending in person because of Covid. Biden started the day by attending mass at a Catholic cathedral in Washington DC, before tweeting: ‘It’s a new day in America.’

Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton – as well as their wives – were also in attendance.

The other living former president, 96 year-old Jimmy Carter, declined to attend this year’s ceremony for practical reasons, but sent Biden his ‘best wishes.’

One guest notably absent was Donald Trump, who flew to Florida shortly three-and-a-half hours earlier instead of attending the inauguration. He became the first outgoing president since 1869 not to attend his successor’s inauguration, after making baseless claims that Biden had stolen the election.

Former Vice President Mike Pence – who declined to attend Trump’s ‘farewell’ ceremony earlier on Wednesday, was in attendance at the Biden inauguration with his wife Karen.

Wednesday’s event saw 200,000 flags planted on the National Mall, in place of spectators who would normally attend.

While President Trump’s inauguration crowd proved to be a never-ending source of ire for the former Commander-in-Chief, Biden actively sought to have the smallest crowd ever, to try and tackle the ongoing Covid pandemic.

Last night, he, Harris and their spouses attended a memorial service to commemorate Covid victims in the US, with the official death toll passing 400,000 on Tuesday.

Biden has scrapped the traditional inauguration ball, where past presidents addressed a glittering crowd of supporters, and danced with the First Lady.

He will instead appear on a TV program where he sets out his plans for the next four years.

Biden is set to undo a raft of controversial Trump rules on his first day, including scrapping the president’s travel ban from Muslim-majority countries, rejoining the Paris Accord on climate change, and rejoining the World Health Organization.

Former President Trump touched down in Palm Beach around an hour before Biden was sworn in, with wife Melania swapping a somber black outfit she wore to say farewell for a bright summery outfit

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