Okay, am I dumb? I thought he was supposed to be inaugurated at 12 noon?

[phylny]

Although it couldn't be soon enough.

[AnnieBW]

1. Ten minutes less of Mango Mussolini

Is all right by me.

[Lars39]

2. Just heard commentary that the football switch takes place at noon!

[Sympthsical]

3. He doesn't assume official powers until 12:00p

But they can administer the oath before then.

[phylny]

10. Thank you!

[Wednesdays]

4. Just watch. The loonies will be all over it

saying his inauguration is invalid!

[regnaD kciN]

4. He may have sworn the oath...

...but he doesn’t become President until precisely noon.

[phylny]

7. Thank you!

[phylny]

6. OK they said his presidency begins in 9 minutes.

I'm hella confused.

[exboyfil]

8. 9 minutes and counting

[SharonClark]

9. Brian Williams said it's official in 9 minutes.

[RockCreek]

11. Me too!! N/t

[sarisataka]

12. Since the outgoing has essentially abdicated

The job, I will not complain if there is a small breach and the change is completed early

[Mariana]

19. It's not a "breach" for him to swear the oath early.

He still becomes President at noon.

[SlogginThroughIt]

13. This is a ceremony

Everything becomes official at noon.

[malaise]

14. He takes over formally at noon

The swearing in always takes place a few minutes before

[Retrograde]

15. I know - I got up early for me

and almost missed it. Turned on the TV just before Kamala Harris took the oath.

Ten fewer minutes of the Orange One is fine with me.

[unblock]

16. He becomes president at noon regardless of the ceremony or when he takes the oath

I suppose if he took the oath at 12:03 pm, there would have been a few minutes where he "was" president but couldn't exercise any of the powers of office.

In any event, the idea of taking the oath shortly before noon is so that there's no such gap, he's already taken the oath by the moment he becomes president at noon.

[phylny]

17. Thanks everyone!

[Maeve]

18. Technically, he's not president until noon + 1 minute

But you want him in place before the moment