Carrie Underwood goes a cappella, Melania’s air kiss, and other moments

It’s a rite of passage in the United States: A newly-elected president takes the oath of office before his people.

On Monday, Trump was sworn in for a second time, assuming his role as the 47th president of the United States amid pomp and circumstance.

But no inauguration day is without its surprises, and no program of events – no matter how meticulously planned – can account for the weird, the wacky and the fascinating moments. Here’s what you might have missed – and what people might still be talking about for days to come.

After Trump’s inaugural address concluded, country singer Carrie Underwood arrived on stage to sing the patriotic song America the Beautiful.

Ms Underwood, who was launched to fame after winning the singing competition television series American Idol in 2005, had faced backlash for her decision to perform at the ceremony, particularly among critics of Trump.

“I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” she said in a media statement last week. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

Ms Underwood’s performance didn’t start out smoothly – a technical malfunction cut off backing music just as she was to perform.

“You know the words, help me out here, ” she said after a few moments waiting for the music to return.

The crowd in the rotunda joined her in signing an a cappella version of America the Beautiful that ended with applause.

What’s an inauguration day without a little romance?

Melania Trump arrived in a dark blue and white ensemble, complete with an eye-catching hat. As our fashion writer noted, hats have long been a staple of First Lady inauguration dressing and Monday’s hat was a fresh addition to the genre.

The wide brim hid the famously inscrutable first lady’s eyes, putting literal distance between her and other attendees, including her husband.

In one of the more awkward moments of the day, Donald Trump greeted his closest allies as he walked on stage to his swearing-in at the Capitol. When he reached his wife, he leaned in for a kiss, only to find the brim made it hard to get close enough to Melania’s face.

The couple settled on an air kiss instead.

Is it possible to fit the entire “manosphere” on a single bus? Probably not, but if there was a time to try, it was the 2025 Trump inauguration.

YouTuber-turned-wrestler Logan Paul and his brother Jake Paul, a professional boxer and influencer, spent the morning documenting their trip to Washington DC on Instagram. The brothers shared video from inside a chartered bus where Trump’s boys-club was celebrating. Among them were Theo Von, the mulleted comedian and podcast host who interviewed Trump this autumn, internet prankster Kyle Forgeard and Conor McGregor, the controversial Irish mixed-martial arts fighter.

They were some of the VIPs invited to watch the ceremony in a viewing area in the Capitol complex’s Emancipation Hall.

A group of hyper-masculine, ultra-online young men dubbed the “manosphere” has emerged as a growing faction amongst Trump’s diverse mix of supporters.

Trump ultimately won the election 56% to 42% among male voters ages 18-29 — a demographic he lost by 15 percentage points in 2020. The manosphere helped deliver him the presidency — so it’s not much of a surprise to see its prominent figures sharing in the celebration.

Inauguration style is always a buzzy topic, from coats to hats to figures with style all their own – like Kamala Harris’ step-daughter Ella Emhoff; Melania Trump; and former Trump advisor Roger Stone, who has a style blog and a love of elaborate menswear, external.

But sometimes it’s the lack of style that draws the most attention – the anti-fashion.

In 2020, independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders stole the show with his utilitarian coat and patterned mittens – a gift from a constituent – that went viral for their contrast to a day of pomp and circumstance.

But mittens? That’s so 2020. This year, Senator John Fetterman donned perhaps the most unique outfit of the day – his signature oversized hoodie, long, loose athletic shorts and sneakers.

It’s a look the Pennsylvania Democrat is famous for — he wears it almost daily and even prompted a change in Senate dress code.

Much of the chatter focused on why Fetterman eschewed a coat and opted for shorts on a day so frigid, the inauguration events were moved indoors. Forecasters have predicted lows of -11C (12F).

In 2017, Fetterman explained to CNN that he dressed out of comfort and found it challenging to find more formal attire for his 6-foot-8-inch frame. “Nobody has come to me directly and said the world will burn if you wear a hoodie,” he said, adding that his work spoke for itself.

Inauguration Day for Donald Trump kicked off with a visit to church.

But the traditional service isn’t just about worship — it’s also about who the incoming president chooses to fill the pews with him at a more intimate event.

The morning service was a who’s who of the faces that will help shape Trump’s second administation — like his children and cabinet picks including Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and Department of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth.

Beside them, the giants of America’s tech industry filled out a billionaire’s pew: Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg; Amazon head Jeff Bezos; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet; and Tim Cook, the Apple CEO that Trump once referred to as “Tim Apple”.

They later accompanied Trump to the Capitol’s rotunda, again as part of a select group given near-front row access to the incoming president. Tesla/X/SpaceX mogul Elon Musk, a close Trump confidant who will soon run his own cost-cutting advisory group for his administration, joined them.

Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAl, was also seen at the Capitol.

Notably, the inauguration overlaps with this year’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland – typically a gathering place for tech executives to mingle and assert their influence. Seems the place to be this year wasn’t Davos – it was Washington DC.

On Friday, forecasts of bitter cold and punishing winds prompted Trump to call for a venue change, turning the traditionally-outdoor event into a more private indoor affair. Public ticketholders were instead directed to gather at Washington DC’s Capital One Arena, an indoor sports and concert venue.

But some were not expecting the bag-size rules that come with the venue shift. As the arena filled up, images flowed out of piles of discarded bags, water bottles and other items deemed too large or too risky to be allowed inside.

Initial guidance provided by Capitol Police prohibited bags larger than 12″x12″x5″ from the Capitol grounds for the inauguration, but the arena appears to have stricter requirements.

Purses and backpacks of all sizes were heaped on the street outside, apparently abandoned. Some appeared to be from designer brands, including Coach and Louis Vuitton.