United States President-elect Donald Trump will be officially sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on Friday, January 20. The 70-year-old has assured through his tweets that this year's presidential inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be "bigger than expected."
Total cost estimate $200 million
We all know that US presidential inaugurations are always expensive and Trump's inauguration will be nothing short of that. So, how much will the ceremony cost exactly? Well, reports suggest that the 2017 presidential inauguration of Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence is said to cost nearly $200 million. This amount is reportedly the biggest shelled out for the event, even though it will not be graced by any A-lister singers.
Donald Trump inauguration: Security heightened as Washington braces for anti-Trump protests
All the expenses for the inauguration come from the official dinner, parties, concerts, the parade, the swearing-in and the inaugural ball. The additional security for the event on Friday will also incur additional expenses.
Trump's inaugural committee has succeeded in raising a record $90 million in private donations to help cover the expenses. The donations come from a circle of private donors who are paying such steep prices to gain access to Trump and his administrative circle.
The total cost estimate of the event ranges from $175 million to $200 million. The biggest chunk of the expense will come from security, transportation and emergency services. The federal government, in the 2009 inauguration, had spent $124 million on these services.
Most expensive inauguration ticket worth $1 million
Wealthy firms and donors can underwrite the inauguration by donating a sum ranging from $25,000 to $1 million. The most expensive package is the ticket to a "candlelight dinner" which will include appearance by Trump, his wife Melania; Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife Karen, according to CBS News.
Taxpayer's money
Apart from the additional money from the inauguration committee and other sources, the taxpayer's money will also be used to cover the rest of the cost of the inauguration which comes to around $100 million.
Trump commemorative license plate
Trump's inaugural committee is also selling licence plates with Trump's name on it. The "Official 58th Presidential Inaugural License Plate" cost $50 and will contain Trump's name in black type on a white plate with the slogan "Make America Great Again" underneath. The contributions made by buying the license plates are, however, not tax-deductible.
Although the presidential inaugural committee has almost raised as much as President Barack Obama's two inaugural committees combined, the Friday event is expected to be low-key with fewer A-listers, celebrities and politicians attending the event.
