“The journey begins and I will be working and fighting very hard to make it a great journey for the American people,” Trump tweeted before leaving Trump Tower, his Manhattan home.
The 70-year-old president-elect traveled aboard an official government jet to a military base near Washington with his wife Melania. The pair exited the plane and headed into the nation’s capital for a day of pre-inaugural festivities.
“It is a momentous day before a historic day,” said Vice President-elect Mike Pence, as Washington put its finishing touches on the downtown area where hundreds of thousands of Americans will congregate for Trump’s inauguration.
Trump will place a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery at 3:30 pm (2030 GMT) before crossing the Potomac River to speak at the Lincoln Memorial, the epicenter of Thursday’s events complete with a concert and fireworks.
Trump’s swearing-in, on the steps of the Capitol at noon Friday — a date and hour set by the US Constitution — will be carried live on screens around the globe. Rain is forecast.
Tens of thousands of Trump supporters — and anti-Trump protesters — have converged on the capital for the democratic ritual. Numerous dignitaries, including his unsuccessful Democratic rival for the presidency Hillary Clinton, and three former presidents will be in attendance.
