When does Donald Trump become US President? Timeline explained and exact date he takes power

was elected the 47th president of the United States yesterday and will soon move back into the White House.

The Republican Party leader, 78, on Wednesday and became the first former president to be reelected in over 130 years. At 78 years old, Trump is the oldest man to ever be elected to office.

Vice President Kamala Harris and promised a "peaceful transfer of power". She vowed to her fans: "The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people, a fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best. That is a fight I will never give up."

READ MORE:

But when does Trump officially start his new role? Currently, is legally still president until Trump - who is known as the president-elect - is sworn in at the presidential inauguration. This is set to take place on Monday, January 20, 2025.

From that point on, Trump will legally hold the powers and responsibilities that come with the presidency. Between now and then, Trump and his vice-president-elect JD Vance will organise the handover from Biden's outgoing administration.

Trump and JD Vance will recieve protection from the US Secret Service from immediate effect, and recieve classified national security briefings to keep them up-to-date with threats and military operations. They will also begin vetting for new roles.

It is expected that former Republican presidential candidate Robert J Kennedy will be given a healthcare role and Tesla owner and tycoon Elon Musk will join Trump's new administration and be be tasked with tackling government waste. The outgoing president usually invites the incoming president to the White House in the days after the election, and attends the inauguration to symbolise the peaceful transfer of power.

It is likely Biden will do this, though Trump chose to boycott the ceremony in 2021. He did, however, follow the tradition to leave a handwritten letter in the Oval Office, which Biden told reporters at the time was a "very generous letter". After the inauguration, the new president begins work immediately.

It was a devastating defeat for Harris yesterday, who shattered hopes that she could rescue Democrats' chances and beat Trump, whom she described as an existential danger to the country's foundational institutions. But Trump stole the victory, even after two impeachments, felony convictions and his attempt to overturn his previous election loss.

In her speech to tearful voters, Harris reached for optimism and said: "It is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it's going to be OK." Meanwhile, former President broke his silence and said "this is obviously not the outcome we hoped for". Obama and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, had campaigned for Harris during the election trial.

In their joint speech, they congratulated Trump on his victory and said: "But living in a democracy is about recognising that our point of view won't always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power. Michelle and I could not be prouder of Vice President Harris and Governor Walz — two extraordinary public servants who ran a remarkable campaign."

The statement added: "In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won't always see eye-to-eye on everything. But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace — even to people with whom we deeply disagree. That's how we've come this far, and it's how we'll keep building a country that is more fair and more just, more equal and more free."