The inauguration of Joe Biden

By Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani, Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 12:42 a.m. ET, January 21, 2021
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11:25 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Harris arrives for her swearing-in

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was just introduced at the inauguration ceremony. She's being escorted by Capitol Police office Eugene Goodman, who has been hailed as a hero after video emerged of him guiding the violent mob away from the Senate chamber during the Capitol riot.

Harris is taking her seat alongside her husband, Doug Emhoff.

Harris will soon take the oath of office, becoming the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president.

Watch moment:

11:08 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Harris will be sworn in by the country’s first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor

From CNN’s Maureen Chowdhury

Getty Images
Getty Images

Kamala Harris will make history as the first woman, the first woman of color, the first Black person and the first South Asian to be Vice President.

In addition, Harris will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Justice in the court’s history.

Sotomayor was nominated to the Supreme Court by former President Barack Obama in 2009. Like Harris, Sotomayor broke barriers throughout her career. She is the third female justice in US Supreme Court history, and she was the first Hispanic person to be appointed to the federal bench in New York.

Harris honored Sotomayor in 2019 during Hispanic Heritage Month with the following tweet:

11:11 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Vice President Mike Pence was just announced

Rob Carr/Getty Images
Rob Carr/Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence arrives at the inauguration ceremony.

President Trump is not there. He is the first outgoing president to skip his replacement's inauguration in more than 150 years.

Watch moment:

12:32 p.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Meanwhile, Trump just landed in Florida

President Trump and the first lady have just landed in Florida. 

Trump had a short farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews earlier this morning. In brief, unscripted remarks, he promised to "always fight" and wished the incoming Biden administration "great luck."

“You are amazing people. This is a great, great country. It is my greatest honor and privilege to have been your President,” Trump said to a crowd of his family and staff.  

Trump will be in Florida when President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are sworn in at noon, at which point he will no longer be president.

10:59 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Pence also left a note for Harris

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

Vice President Mike Pence left a note for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. This was expected to happen.

Harris and Pence spoke on the phone last week.

President Trump also wrote a note for President-elect Joe Biden. A source described it as a “personal note” that continues the theme he had in his farewell address, praying for the success of the country and the new administration to care for the country.

11:07 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

SCOTUS judges have arrived at the swearing-in ceremony

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Win McNamee/Getty Images
Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Supreme Court justices were just introduced at the inauguration ceremony at the US Capitol.

Chief Justice John Roberts will swear in Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. Justice Sonia Sotomayor will swear in Kamala Harris as Vice President.

Watch moment:

11:04 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Former Presidents Obama, Clinton and Bush have arrived

Rob Carr/Getty Images
Rob Carr/Getty Images

Former President Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton were just introduced at the inauguration ceremony at the US Capitol.

Moments later, Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush were also announced.

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are also at the Capitol for the event.

Former President Jimmy Carter, the oldest living former President, is not expected to attend today's ceremony.

President Trump left the White House earlier this morning and will also not attend Biden's inauguration.

Watch moment:

10:51 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Joe Biden tweets a message to his wife as they arrive at the Capitol

Moments after arriving at the US Capitol for the inauguration, Joe Biden's account sent a tweet with a message to his wife, soon-to-be first lady Jill Biden.

The tweet said: "I love you, Jilly, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have you with me on the journey ahead." It included a short video of the Bidens holding hands as they arrived for the ceremony.

10:56 a.m. ET, January 20, 2021

Lawmakers are starting to take their seats ahead of the inauguration

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Image
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Image

Senate leaders were just announced at the US Capitol, and senators then took their seats ahead of the inauguration of Joe Biden.

A band is playing as other lawmakers and VIPs make their way to their seats at the Capitol. Usually, crowds of supporters would be gathered on the National Mall, but today — due to coronavirus and security concerns — the Mall is filled with American flags instead.

Biden is set to take the oath of office at noon ET, officially becoming the 46th president of the US.