Inauguration
An inauguration is the ceremony at which a President takes the oath of office and the presidential term begins. The Twentieth Amendment fixed the timing: the terms of the President and Vice President end at noon on January 20, and the new terms begin — so the oath is administered on that day. Congress has charged the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies with planning the event since 1901.
An inauguration is the ceremony at which a President takes the oath of office and the presidential term begins. The Twentieth Amendment fixed the timing: the terms of the President and Vice President end at noon on January 20, and the new terms begin — so the oath is administered on that day. Congress has charged the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies with planning the event since 1901.
Example: On January 20, 2025, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies hosted the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies, at which the President and Vice President took their oaths at the Capitol (inaugural.senate.gov).
Common misconception: The oath, not the parade or celebrations, is what makes a President. Under the Twentieth Amendment the term begins at the appointed time regardless of ceremony; the oath’s taking (or its timing if delayed) is governed by the Constitution and statute, while the festivities around it are tradition.
Sources: Presidential and Congressional Terms | Constitution Annotated, Amendment 20 | Congress.gov; Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies