IN IMAGES - Investiture of Joe Biden: relive this historic day

Joe Biden was sworn in on Wednesday and became the 46th President of the United States in a closely watched ceremony after the violence on Capitol Hill. Donald Trump had chosen not to attend the ceremony, and joined Florida and its luxury club in Mar-a-Lago. & Nbsp;

Joe Biden was invested Wednesday and became the 46th President of the United States in a ceremony under close surveillance after the violence on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump, he had chosen not to attend the ceremony, and joined Florida and its luxury club Mar-a-Lago.

It was in a climate of high tension that Donald Trump's presidency ended Wednesday.

In a country torn apart, and still traumatized by the coronavirus pandemic and the violence on Capitol Hill, his successor Joe Biden was invested in Washington and became the 46th President of the United States.

Europe 1 returns in pictures to this historic day.

Trump leaves White House, but warns: "I'll be back"

Four years after his surprise election, and more than two months after his defeat against Joe Biden, Donald Trump left the White House in the morning, without waiting to welcome his successor.

The Presidential Marine One helicopter carrying Donald and Melania Trump took off shortly after 8.15 a.m. (2.15 p.m. in France) from the gardens of the White House.

Before his departure, the billionaire spoke of a "fantastic four-year" term.

Donald Trump leaving the White House.

© Eric Thayer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Then, from the Andrews military base, he only wished the new administration "good luck" without ever mentioning Joe Biden's name.

Before promising to come back "one way or another".

He then arrived in Florida aboard Air Force One to begin his new life at his club in Mar-a-Lago.

For Biden, a mass to start the day

Meanwhile, the president-elect was attending mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington.

To symbolize the rally after post-election tensions, he was joined by Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Chuck Schumer, Democratic Majority Leader in the Senate, as well as Republican leaders in the upper house. Mitch McConnell and lower house Kevin McCarthy.

Joe Biden and his wife attended mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington.

© CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

An investiture ceremony under close surveillance

While the violence that took place on the Capitol on January 6 is still in everyone's mind across the Atlantic, the inauguration ceremony was therefore held under very high security.

Some 25,000 soldiers of the National Guard and thousands of police officers from all over the country were thus deployed, while high gates, sometimes topped with barbed wire, protected the "red zone" between Capitol Hill and the White House.

High gates protected the place.

© allison dinner / AFP

And far from the usual crowds, it was in front of 190,000 flags planted to represent the public absent due to the coronavirus that Joe Biden spoke after his inauguration.

Trump absent, but not the other former presidents

If Donald Trump was absent from the ceremony, unlike his vice-president Mike Pence, former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton had a front row seat on Capitol Hill.

Couples Obama and Clinton were present at the ceremony.

© Drew Angerer / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

Lady Gaga sings a vibrant American anthem

In 2017, Donald Trump could not count on the presence of any American star at his inauguration.

This year, for Joe Biden's swearing-in, pop star Lady Gaga sang the national anthem, wearing a puffy red and black gown and sporting a large gold brooch depicting the Dove of Peace.

Lady Gaga performs the national anthem at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden https://t.co/tcmAzrzqTxpic.twitter.com/sQZv08Twjk

- CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2021

Then Jennifer Lopez sang

This land is your land

("This country is your country").

Jennifer Lopez sang after Lady Gaga.

ROB CARR / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Kamala Harris becomes first female vice president

After Lady Gaga's performance, Kamala Harris was sworn in before Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

The ex-senator and former prosecutor aged 56, with her hand on a bible held by her husband Doug Emhoff, thus became the first woman but also the first black person and of Indian origin to occupy the position of vice-president. the United States.

Kamala Harris became the first Vice President of

Invested, Joe Biden promises to be the president "of all Americans"

Then, it was Joe Biden's turn to take the oath, and be invested, becoming the 46th President of the United States.

"I, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr, solemnly swear that I will faithfully perform the duties of President of the United States and that I will do my best to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States", he declared , hand resting on the family bible, facing Supreme Court President John Roberts.

Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States.

In a speech of about twenty minutes, the former right-hand man of Barack Obama then called for “unity” the Americans, while welcoming a “day of history and hope” for the country.

Joe Biden, who posed as "president of all Americans", warned that the United States, already bereaved by more than 400,000 deaths due to the pandemic, would enter "the deadliest phase of the virus" .

"We must put politics aside and finally face this pandemic as a Nation," he insisted.