Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, January 20, during an inauguration ceremony not attended by his predecessor Donald Trump, who had left for Florida a few hours earlier.
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Left hand on the Bible, right hand raised, the former vice-president of Barack Obama, who acceded to the White House at the age of 78 after a very long political career, was sworn in as was done before him George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt or John F. Kennedy.
“I 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 from the steps of the Capitol.
The day will remain in the history books also because of the accession, for the first time, of a woman to the vice-presidency of the first world power.
Ex-black and Indian senator Kamala Harris, 56, was sworn in just before Joe Biden in the presence of their husbands, Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff.
Kamala Harris takes an oath on the Bible in the presence of her husband Doug Emhoff.
POOL / REUTERS
Unprecedented for 150 years, outgoing President Donald Trump shunned the inauguration ceremony of his successor.
Unlike the outgoing president, his vice-president Mike Pence and ex-presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are in the front row during this high point of American democracy with a very high security system that makes the unrecognizable American federal capital.
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