Cincinnati’s JD Vance to be sworn in as VP

Welcome to The Enquirer and Cincinnati.com’s live coverage of the inauguration

The Enquirer is here to provide live updates as Cincinnati’s JD Vance is sworn in as Vice President of the United States today, Inauguration Day. Ceremonies begin at noon with the swearing-in ceremony.

The Enquirer sent a team to Washington DC to cover the events, including reporters Victoria Moorwood and Haley BeMiller and photographer Sam Greene.

Follow USA Today’s live inauguration coverage and detailed schedule of today’s events here.

Photos of JD Vance, others at inauguration events

Vance and his wife Usha made their first public appearance this morning. We will update this gallery as the photos come in.

Freezing wind chill greets Trump supporters at the inauguration

Trump supporters began lining up outside Capital One Arena on Monday before

The inauguration ceremony and other events were moved indoors due to the extreme cold, invalidating thousands of tickets that had been issued for the inauguration. That inaugural committee said it expected 250,000 ticketed guests to attend the swearing-in at the Capitol and National Mall. The Capitol Rotunda, where the swearing-in ceremony was moved, seats only 600 people, and the arena seats 20,000.

Imani Torres, a Middletown native who traveled to DC from New York to support Vance, lined up outside the arena around 6:30. The temperature was 21 degrees early Monday morning, with gusts of wind making it feel like 14 degrees.

“We are very excited and very cold,” Torres said in an early morning text message to The Enquirer. “This plan certainly won’t save us from the cold—unless we get in!”

Bitter cold and mostly sunny skies are in the forecast. Temperatures will be around 20 degrees, with gusts of wind that will make it feel even colder. Freezing wind chills as low as minus 5 degrees are expected until Tuesday morning, the weather service informs a cold road advisory.

Here’s what you need to know

President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on Inauguration Day.

His running mate, Vice President-elect JD Vance, a native of Middletown, will also be sworn in Monday, marking the closest Cincinnati has come to producing a president in more than 100 years. At 40, Vance will be the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon served in the 1950s.

Trump makes history as the oldest elected president at 78 and the first to be convicted as a felon as he prepares to enter his second presidency. The day’s events kick off with the swearing-in ceremony, where Trump will take the presidential oath of office at noon ET.

The ceremonies, which will be broadcast across multiple television networks, including ABC, CNN and Fox News, will feature the swearing-in, the commencement address, an opening luncheon, a review of the troops and live performances from Carrie Underwood and other artists.

While we await the inauguration festivities, here is some of The Enquirer’s past Vance coverage.

Who is JD Vance?

Vance is a former Ohio GOP senator who first gained national attention for his best-selling 2016 memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” in which he described a childhood ravaged by poverty and abuse.

He earned his undergraduate degree at Ohio State University before earning a law degree from Yale Law School. He briefly practiced as a corporate lawyer and then worked as a venture capitalist before embarking on his political career. Vance was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 after defeating former Democratic Representative Tim Ryan for an open seat in Ohio.

Where was JD Vance born?

Vance was born in Middletown, Ohio, about 40 miles north of Cincinnati. He wrote about his Middletown childhood in his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” drawing both praise and criticism from his fellow Ohioans.

While Vance painted a bleak picture of the Cincinnati suburb in the memoir, it has seen significant economic development in recent years, the Enquirer previously reported.

Who is JD Vance’s mother?

Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, was raised by Kentucky-born parents in Middletown. She has two children: Vance and his sister, Lindsay.

Aikins is 10 years sober, something Vance often mentions during his stump speeches. She has also traveled with him on the campaign trail. Despite going through a health scare in late December where she was hospitalized for heart problems, Aikins still plans to attend Vance’s inauguration.

Is JD Vance Married?

Yes, Vance is married to Usha Chilukuri Vance. The couple met when they were both students at Yale Law School. She had worked as a litigator at Munger, Tolles and Olson and left the firm in 2024 amid her husband’s vice presidential nomination, a spokesman previously said.

After Vance’s inauguration, Usha Vance becomes the first Indian American second lady in the White House. She will also be the first Hindu second lady.

Where does JD Vance live?

Vance currently owns a home in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood, where he has lived since 2018. The vice president-elect also bought a $1.5 million house in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2023, Politico reporter Daniel Lippman said posted on social media.

While serving as vice president, Vance’s official residence will be located at United States Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, according to the White House.