President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the next president of the United States on Friday, Jan. 20. While nearly every presidential inauguration can be described as “historic,” this time seems and feels very different.
Trump will be the first president-elect in modern history to be inaugurated who has never previously held elected office, served in any military capacity or held any official position with the federal government.
While some saw this as a vulnerability, it proved to be Trump’s strongest asset during the boisterous 2016 election cycle. In a campaign defined by establishment and anti-establishment status, it was the latter that was ultimately successful.
Despite Trump winning the votes of the electoral college, ergo the election, his Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly three million votes. This is a fact Trump and his supporters would, understandably, like to ignore and quietly sweep under rug, believing that it is inconsequential to direction of this country. But they would be wise to try to reconcile this fact if they want to be able to govern with the will of the majority behind them.
Trump and his team are already experiencing the aftermath of one of the most contentious elections in recent memory. A number of A-list performers have declined to perform at Trump’s inauguration because of the way he conducted himself during the campaign. To date, more people know about who won’t be performing at the inauguration than who will.
According to various reports, those who will not perform at Trump’s inauguration include Elton John, KISS, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Kanye West, Chainsmokers, David Foster and Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil.
Only the Rockettes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and 16-year-old “America’s Got Talent”singer, Jackie Evancho have agreed to perform at the inauguration ceremony.
There is even some controversy with the confirmed performers: One member of the Tabernacle choir member quit in protest, and some Rockettes objected to their participation in the event as well.
Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants and Muslims lead some to protest the businessman’s historic moment.
However, Trump appears not to mind.
“The so-called “A” list celebrities are all wanting tixs to the inauguration, but look what they did for Hillary, NOTHING. I want the PEOPLE!” Trump tweeted last month.
While there may not be many A-list celebrities in attendance, President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have said they plan to attend. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have also announced they plan to attend.
This will be a great show of bipartisanship from the former presidents and a secretary of state who all openly opposed and challenged him during the election. While over half the country did not support him for president and vehemently objected to the policies he espoused, he is the president now, and we must support and respect the office.
We may not want everything he promised during his rallies, but we want him to do well for the sake of our country. A-list celebrities or not, Trump has a lot on his plate. It’s my hope that he will be mindful of the fact that he lost the popular vote and this should mean more to him as he moves forward with his agenda. If not, come Friday, Trump will almost certainly be enjoying his first and last inauguration.
Frederick Bell is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Greensburg, Louisiana.