Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are scheduled to be sworn in at noon Wednesday in Washington DC.
The latter will then officially become the 46th President of the United States.
Faced with fear of tension, the capital has been barricaded and 25,000 men of the National Guard are deployed.
Donald Trump will not be there to welcome his successor to the White House, a first for 150 years.
Follow the situation live.
LIVE
A historic day.
This January 20, 2021 marks the end of Donald Trump's presidential term and the inauguration of his rival Joe Biden.
The Democrat, former vice-president of Barack Obama, and his running mate Kamala Harris will be sworn in on Wednesday at 12 p.m. local time, or 6 p.m. in France, during a ceremony at the Capitol, seat of the US Congress, in a barricaded Washington DC.
For the first time in 150 years, the outgoing president will not be present at this ceremony and Donald Trump will not welcome Joe Biden when he arrives at the White House.
Follow the evolution of the situation live.
The main information to remember:
Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris will be sworn in at 6 p.m. (French time)
Donald Trump will not be present at the ceremony
Donald Trump touted his record in pre-recorded speech
Billionaire could pardon Julian Assange
A millimeter day ...
After spending the night with his wife at Blair House, the official residence of the US President's foreign guests, Joe Biden will begin “inauguration day” by attending a mass at St. Matthew the Apostle, patron saint of officials. .
This Mass "is an important part of respecting tradition," Senator Chris Coons told
CNN
, a close friend of the president who is a devout Catholic.
It was not until noon local time (6 p.m. in France) that Joe Biden would officially become the 46th President of the United States, during an inauguration ceremony which was to take place on a large platform set up in front of the vast esplanade of the "National Mall".
He will be sworn in after his vice-president Kamala Harris, before making his inaugural address in which he must affirm his vision to "beat the pandemic, better rebuild and unify and heal the nation", according to the organizing committee.
Then the national anthem will be sung by pop star Lady Gaga.
Singer Jennifer Lopez will also perform a "musical performance".
Coronavirus obliges, the organizers of the ceremony have decided to limit the number of guests and, on the immense esplanade of the "National Mall", where thousands of Americans traditionally come to see their new president take the oath, more than 190,000 flags have been planted to represent this absent audience.
After laying a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC in the early afternoon, the newly appointed President of the World's First Power will head in a convoy to Home -White.
The latter will stop a few dozen meters from the building to let Joe Biden enter on foot, surrounded by a military escort.
>> READ ALSO -
What will be the first decisions of Joe Biden when he comes to power?
... under high security
After the invasion of the Capitol on January 6 by supporters of Donald Trump, the authorities fear overflows during "inauguration day".
To prevent an incident from spoiling the party, the city of Washington DC was barricaded: fences, barbed wire and watchtowers were deployed.
The National Guard has mobilized 25,000 men, more than the total troops currently stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
They must protect a large "red zone" from the Capitol, where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be sworn in, to the White House.
In addition, twelve soldiers of the same US National Guard were removed from the security system of the ceremony as part of a procedure to search for possible links with extremist groups, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
For his part, Mayor Muriel Bowser, warned that the city will be almost cut off from the world until Wednesday.
She invited the population to follow the nomination on television, instead of going to the outskirts of the White House and the Capitol.
Trump touts his record in video
In one of his last speeches, Donald Trump on Tuesday evening invited Americans to "pray" for the success of the future Biden administration.
"This week, a new administration will be invested and we pray that it succeeds in keeping America safe and prosperous," said the outgoing president according to excerpts from a pre-recorded speech broadcast by the White House .
In the same speech, the Republican billionaire also boasted of having "united" the world against China and of not having launched a new war during his tenure.
“We have revitalized our alliances and united the nations of the world to face China like never before,” he said.
"I am particularly proud to be the first president in decades not to have started a new war", also boasted the Republican billionaire.
"Four years ago, we launched a great national effort to rebuild our country, to renew its spirit, and to restore the allegiance of this government to its citizens.
We did what we came here to do — and so much more."
President Trump's Farewell Address: https://t.co/bW2jFTngy5
- The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 19, 2021
The billionaire's last hours in the White House
By the time he becomes an average citizen again, Donald Trump will have already returned to his home in Florida.
A first, since for 150 years each president has been there to welcome his successor to the White House.
>> READ -
United States: Donald Trump's last hours in the White House
But before losing power, the outgoing president will have completed one last day in the costume of President of the United States.
His latest decision could be to pardon dozens of people.
The list of these presidential pardons is not yet known.
But according to several sources, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, rapper Lil Wayne, who faces up to 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm, a famous Florida doctor convicted of fraud, or his fallen former advisor. disgrace Steve Bannon are concerned.