(NEXSTAR) — Former President Donald Trump will return to the Oval Office after securing the presidency in Tuesday’s election, according to projections from Decision Desk HQ on The Hill and the Associated Press.
Victories in Pennsylvania, Alaska and Wisconsin early Wednesday morning pushed Trump over the 270 electoral votes needed to earn him his second term in office.
“We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly. We’re going to fix our borders; we’re going to fix everything about our country. We made history for a reason tonight,” Trump told supporters in Florida after securing his victory.
While his path to the White House is apparently paved, it will be a couple of months before Trump moves back in.
In the coming weeks, state election officials must certify their elections, barring any recounts. Then, the electors of the Electoral College will meet in their states to certify the results. That will happen on Dec. 17 this year.
After the election has been certified, state electors send a certificate to Congress, which will formally count and certify the vote during a special session on Jan. 6, 2025. Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, will preside as the envelopes are opened and verified.
Once Congress certifies the vote, the inauguration will be held on Jan. 20 on the steps of the Capitol.
Work began on the inauguration platform in September as congressional leaders pounded in the first ceremonial nails into the stage. When completed, the stage will hold nearly 1,600 people: the president and vice president-elect, past presidents, foreign dignitaries, Supreme Court justices and congressional leaders.
Tickets are free for those who would like to attend the inauguration and watch on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. A limited number of tickets are made available by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and can be requested from your members of Congress in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.
The transition process will, however, begin this week. The Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022 mandates that the transition process begin five days after the election — even if the winner is still in dispute.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.