Jan 20, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Joe Biden sworn in as 46th president of the United States

Axios

Joe and Jill Biden — Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Joe Biden was sworn in just before noon on Wednesday as the 46th president of the United States, in an inauguration ceremony unlike any other.

Why it matters: The 78-year-old Democrat assumes the presidency at a fraught moment for the country, which remains polarized and in the grips of a coronavirus crisis that has killed more than 400,000 Americans.

The inauguration took place on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, where just two weeks earlier a pro-Trump mob staged a deadly riot to disrupt the certification of Biden's victory.
Former President Trump did not attend the ceremony. He departed Washington on Air Force One for the last time on Wednesday morning, heading to Florida as he awaits a post-presidency impeachment trial on charges of "inciting an insurrection."

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Joe Biden sworn in as 46th president of the United States

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