United States President, DONALD TRUMP, is spending his last day in the White House, after four years in office.
Security is tight in the US capital for the inauguration, with thousands of National Guard reserve soldiers on duty as a lockdown is extended beyond the Capitol complex.
President TRUMP will not be taking part in the traditional handover ceremony when the incoming President and his wife arrive at the White House.
Instead, a video recording of TRUMP’s last address is expected to be released, while he would attend a send-forth by the military at the Andrew Air Force Base.
One of President TRUMP’s final decisions in office, which is the lifting of Covid-19 travel restriction on visitors from Europe and Brazil is already being challenged by the incoming administration.
President TRUMP has also decorated the King of Bahrain with the Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, over the Gulf state’s normalisation of relations with Israel.
TRUMP also praised Bahrain for hosting of a June 2019 conference on the economic dimensions of his Middle East peace plan, which was boycotted by the Palestinians.
Meanwhile; US President-elect, JOE BIDEN, is expected to arrive in Washington DC, ahead of his inauguration.
BIDEN and his wife JILL are traveling from Delaware after a farewell ceremony there, and would be joined by Vice President-elect, KAMALA HARRIS.
Together, they would be attending an event at the Lincoln Memorial in honour of victims of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Part of BIDEN’s first assignments after his inauguration by midday tomorrow would be to scale up the US response to the coronavirus pandemic.
BIDEN is also expected to issue a couple of Executive Orders, including taking the US back to the Paris Accord on Climate Change.
He is also expected to reverse the ban on migrants from predominantly Muslim countries, and introduce police reforms, with standard use of firearms.
The incoming President is also expected to use his inaugural speech to try and unify the American people, following the deep divisions created by the Trump Administration.