--- title: Trump Inauguration: Decorators Are at Work in the White House description: The task of making the White House ready for its next occupant began in earnest. canonical: https://time.com/4641368/trump-inauguration-white-house-decorators/ author: Zeke Miller article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-20T19:00:45.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T07:14:15.389Z article:section: Politics og:title: Decorators Are Already at Work in the White House og:description: Dozens of painters, electricians and cleaners moved quickly og:url: https://time.com/4641368/trump-inauguration-white-house-decorators/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt10557a57484e33cf/6988b66b656a3fe690bce771/gettyimages-632192238.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: A moving van pulls into the back of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2017. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Decorators Are Already at Work in the White House twitter:description: Dozens of painters, electricians and cleaners moved quickly twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt10557a57484e33cf/6988b66b656a3fe690bce771/gettyimages-632192238.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Decorators Are Already at Work in the White House > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=c92ca0de-a2c8-496d-995d-fa584ecf5180&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch President Trump's Inaugural Address [Watch (HLS stream): Watch President Trump's Inaugural Address](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bL9xqRfb.m3u8) (3:46)  _Published 2017-01-20. Donald Trump delivered his first speech as President of the United States on Friday morning._ by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Jan 20, 2017 7:00 PM UTC by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Jan 20, 2017 7:00 PM UTC Moments after President Obama took [his last lap around the Oval Office](http://time.com/4640464/barack-obama-white-house-final-hours/) and left his letter for his successor on the Resolute Desk, the task of making the White House ready for its next occupant began in earnest. Dozens of General Services Administration staff, including painters, electricians, and cleaners moved into the West Wing to begin [removing Obama’s things](http://time.com/4641318/barack-obama-white-house-donald-trump-inauguration/) to make way for President Trump’s. In the White House Residence, nearly everyone but the kitchen staff were marshaled to help [move the former First Family’s belongings out to waiting trucks](http://time.com/4617422/barack-obama-private-citizen-after-white-house/), and to bring in the new one’s. The sounds of vacuums were audible throughout the West Wing, as staffers worked to prepare offices for their new occupants. At noon, the White House’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts were turned over to Trump’s team. A new website for the administration was live seconds later. (The @POTUS account briefly used a photo from Obama’s inauguration, before being replaced with an American flag.) A handful of top Obama aides lingered in the West Wing until about 11:15, when they departed for the ex-president’s departure ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. Just after noon, the first members of Trump’s transition team made their way over to the White House from the transition headquarters three blocks away. Senior officials were set to arrive later in a shuttle from Capitol Hill. ## Transcript Every four years we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power. And we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for the gracious aide throughout this transition. They have been magnificent, thank you. [ APPLAUSE ] Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning, because today we are not merely transferring power From one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington DC and giving it back to you the people. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished But the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. We've made other countries rich, while the wealth, strength and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon. But that is the past. And now, we are looking only to the future. [ APPLAUSE ] We assembled here today or issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power. From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first. America first. We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism which we will eradicate complete from the face of the Earth [ APPLAUSE ] At the bedrock of our politics, we'll be a total allegiance to the United States of America and thru our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. Together, we will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again. And yes Together we will make America great again. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. [ APPLAUSE ] Thank you. God bless America. 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