3 Things That Would Happen Before Donald Trump’s Inauguration

With the recent victory of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, there’s a period of transition before he officially takes office on January 20, 2025. During this time, important steps need to be completed to finalize the election results and prepare the incoming administration. 

Here’s a look at three important steps that will happen before Donald Trump officially becomes the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025

Election results certification (Until December 11, 2024)

Following the election, each state goes through a certification process to finalize and verify the results. This process involves officials carefully reviewing and confirming the vote counts. While media outlets have projected Trump as the winner, each state’s local authorities still need to confirm this by law. 

The certification deadlines differ across states. For instance, Arizona and Michigan need to finish by November 25, while Wisconsin has until December 1.

By December 11, all states must submit their finalized election results to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the U.S. Congress. Each state’s chosen electors are also formally registered at this stage. This certification is a critical step to confirm that Trump won the required electoral votes for his presidential victory.

Electoral college vote (December 17, 2024)

On December 17, the 538 members of the Electoral College will meet in their respective state capitals to officially vote for president and vice president. This step formalizes the results certified by each state. 

After voting, the electors send these official votes to the president of the Senate. This year, the deadline for this submission is December 25.

The Electoral College vote usually aligns with the popular vote in each state, as it’s a “winner-takes-all” system in most states. Although rare, there have been instances of “faithless electors” who didn’t vote according to their state’s popular choice, though these instances are few and generally don’t affect the outcome.

Congress certifies the results (January 6, 2025)

On January 6, Congress will hold a joint session to formally count and certify the Electoral College votes. The president of the Senate, Kamala Harris who was also Trump’s opponent in this election will oversee the proceedings. 

During this session, Harris will officially confirm Trump as the president-elect by announcing the final count.

This session is historically significant. In 2021, during the certification of Joe Biden’s victory, a group of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, disrupting the process. Despite the interruption, the session resumed later that night to finalize Biden’s win.

Once Congress certifies the results, Trump’s path to the presidency will be official, setting the stage for his second inauguration on January 20, 2025.

What Comes Next?

After Congress certifies the results, the Biden administration will start its final preparations to hand over power. Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, will see Trump sworn in, marking the official start of his term as the 47th president of the United States.