What Tone Will Trump’s Inauguration Set For The Next Four Years?

Trump begins his presidency amid large protests and a deeply divided America.

Jake Neher/WDET

Thursday is the the last full day of the Obama presidency. On Friday, we’ll have a new president, one who comes into office under a cloud of controversy, low approval ratings, and an already-contentious relationship with the press.

But President-elect Donald Trump also begins his term with a long list of promises and hopes for many working-class Americans.

A big crowd will descend on Washington D.C. for his inauguration. But it will be a mix of vehement supporters and fervent protesters.

How will the deep divisions in American society affect Trump’s first year in office? And how will the tone of the inauguration — whether it’s Trump’s speech and the mood of the crowd — set a tone for the next four years?

Detroit Today Host Stephen Henderson speaks with Rebecca Sinderbrand, a political editor with the Washington Post, about the inauguration and what she expects.

“Things are going to be different than they’ve been in the past,” says Sinderbrand. She uses the number of Democratic members of Congress who are skipping the address as an example. “We’re up to about five dozen and counting at this point. That, of course, is not typical.”

Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.

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