Trump’s inauguration – due to take place as close to 12 p.m. ET as possible – was expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of ticketed guests but the event has been moved indoors due to freezing conditions.
if you plan to tune in from home, here's how to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
The inauguration of Donald Trump takes place on Monday, January 20, 2025.
► Time: 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT / 5 p.m. GMT / 4 a.m. AEDT (Tues.)
• WATCH FREE — BBC News (U.K.) / CBC (CAN) / SBS (AUS) / YouTube
• U.S. — Watch on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC News or NBC (via Sling TV or Fubo)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Washington D.C.'s 20,000-seater Capital One Arena will be open on Monday for live TV viewing of the ceremony and as the location of the Presidential Parade. Trump says he plans to join supporters at the arena following the swearing in.
Before that, the 47th President will deliver an inaugural address on Capitol Hill. Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will be among those in attendance. Performers will include Carrie Underwood, who is scheduled to sing "America The Beautiful".
Read on as we explain how to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump online and from anywhere.
How to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump for free
There are many ways around the world to watch Trump's inuguration for free.
In North America, it will be streamed on CBSNews.com, the CBS News App, the CBS News YouTube channel, CBCNews.ca and through CBC Gem in Canada.
You can also tap into free coverage in the U.K. (BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Sky News) and Australia (SBS, 9Now, 10Play).
How to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump from anywhere
Overseas? If you find that free coverage of Trump's inauguration is being geo-blocked where you are, there is a way around this — using a VPN. The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Our favorite is NordVPN.
How to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump in the U.S.
The inauguration of Donald Trump will be broadcast on most the major networks on Monday, January 20. If you don't have cable, Sling TV is a great cable-replacement option, giving you streaming access to a slew of live news channels:
- ABC News coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT. There are several ways you can access ABC News, the most obvious being one of the best TV antennas or a cable plan. ABC News will also stream through ABC News Live website and ABC app, as well as through the Disney Plus and Hulu streaming platforms.
- CNN will have rolling coverage all day. As well as watching on cable, you can live stream CNN on the CNN Max streaming service and CNN.com.
- Fox News coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT and will be anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. It will be available on cable as well as on the Fox News website and app.
- MSNBC prime-time election coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT. It is led, of course, by Rachel Maddow.
- NBC coverage starts at 10 a.m ET / 7 a.m PT and is led by Lester Holt and Savannah Guthrie.
Traveling outside the U.S.? Follow your preferred coverage from anywhere in the world by using NordVPN.
How to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump in the U.K.
Various news channels are offering inauguration coverage in the U.K., including for FREE.
- BBC: Clive Myrie and Sophie Raworth will lead the BBC's coverage. It starts at 3:30 p.m. GMT on BBC One and at 12 p.m. GMT on the BBC News Channel. You can watch for FREE on BBC iPlayer, but remember that you still need to be a licence fee payer.
- Sky News: Chief presenter Mark Austin and world news presenter Yalda Hakim will lead the Sky News coverage from Washington. Coverage begins at 12 p.m. GMT, and you can also tune in on YouTube.
- ITV: Tom Bradby will anchor ITV's coverage, which begins at 4 p.m. GMT. You can watch and stream for free on ITVX.
Not in the U.K.? You can still follow your preferred inauguration live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
How to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump in Canada
In Canada, the the inauguration of Donald Trump will be broadcast live on the CBC News Network, which can also be streamed at CBCNews.ca and through the CBC Gem app.
Dedicated inauguration coverage starts at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT.
Traveling abroad for work or on vacation and want to access this coverage at home? Don't panic. Just use one of the best VPN services, like NordVPN.
How to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump in Australia
Although the time difference means the inauguration will take place at 4 a.m. AEDT in the early hours of Tuesday morning, free-to-air SBS will be providing dedicated coverage, with free streaming available via SBS On Demand.
Overseas and keen to watch through one of these services? You'll find that you can't due to geo-restrictions. To get around these you'll need a service like NordVPN to stream as if you were back home Down Under.
Inauguration of Donald Trump schedule of events
- St. John’s Church Service
- Tea at the White House
- Swearing-In Ceremony
- Farewell to the Former President and Vice President
- US Capitol Departure Ceremony
- The President’s Signing Room Ceremony
- JCCIC Congressional Luncheon
- The President’s Review of the Troops
- Presidential Parade
- Oval Office Signing Ceremony at The White House
- Commander in Chief Ball
- Liberty Inaugural Ball
- Starlight Ball
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