Donald Trump vows to make America ‘greater than ever before’ as thousands turn out for inaugural concert at Lincoln Memorial
PRESIDENT-elect Donald Trump promised he would make America "greater than ever before" at his inaugural concert at Washington DC's Lincoln Memorial on Thursday.
He was given a very warm welcome at the event, where he could be seen beaming with pride while greeting thousands of fans lined along the Washington Mall in the afternoon.
The President-elect had arrived in Washington in a military plane at Maryland's Joint Base Andrews at around 12pm local time to kick off the festivities early.
Trump could be seen fist-bumping members of the crowd as he arrived at Lincoln Memorial with his wife Melania.
The concert started with a speech from actor Jon Voigt, and included performances with Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down and The Piano Guys.
Trump's four oldest kids and three oldest grandchildren were in attendance, though his son Barron was not present.
Voight, who has been a vocal supporter of Trump, addressed the crowd.
"We have all been witness to a very gruelling year and a half for the president-elect," he said.
"We have all been witness to a barrage of propaganda that left us all breathless with anticipation, not knowing if God could reverse all the negative lies against Mr Trump whose only desire was to make America great again.
"We will be part of history, all of us," he said.
"President Lincoln, who sits here with us, I'm sure is smiling knowing America will be saved by an honest and good man who will work for all the people, no matter their creed or colour."
Watching the concert, friends Ron Coughlin and Karen Jones, from New Jersey, said they hoped Trump's speech would touch subjects he had covered during his election campaign.
Describing anti-Trump protesters as "ignorant", Coughlin said: "I hope he reiterates most of the things he said in the campaign. That's what people want to hear.
"The protesters are ignorant. Trump has done more since the election than Obama achieved in eight years."
When asked why she chose to attend, Jones said: "We want to see our president."
Speaking to local reporters, brothers Paul and Donald Brown were wearing T-shirts displaying the phrases "Donald Trumps Hillary" and "The Witch Is Dead" as they watched the spectacle.
Paul, 58, said: "The response to the T-shirts has been positive.
"I think it will offend some but it echoes the sentiment of the American people.
"The American people were fed up with the political establishment and wanted it to change."
The crowd broke out in cheers of "Trump, Trump, Trump" as the President-elect was introduced on stage by his wife Melania.
Appearing on stage, Trump promised to "unify" America.
He said: "We're going to make American great for all our people."
"On the campaign I called it 'the forgotten man and the forgotten woman'. You're not forgotten any more.
"We're going to do things that haven't been done for our country for many, many decades. It's going to change.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I don't care frankly if it's going to be beautiful or if it's going to rain like crazy. It makes no difference to me.
"I have a feeling it's going to be beautiful."
Trump was flanked by wife Melania and other members of his family as he arrived in Washington in the early afternoon on Thursday.
The First Family was the first to exit the plane, closely followed by the President-elect himself and his wife.
Inaugural events are well under way in DC, with Trump currently speaking at a "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" being held at the Lincoln Memorial.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence laid wreaths at the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to pay their respects to fallen soldiers.
Donald Trump's pre-inaugural speech
“Thank you very much.
“Thank you very much everybody and thank you Tom.
“I'd like to congratulate our incredible entertainers tonight. Toby and Lee Greenwood and all of the great talent it was really very special.
“I also have to thank our incredible military talent right here, stand up please, you guys were great.
“So this journey began 18 months ago I had something to do with it but you had much more to do with it than I did. I'm the messenger, I'm just the messenger.
“We all got tired of seeing what was happening and we wanted change but we wanted real change and I am so looking forward to tomorrow.
“We're going to see something that is going to be so amazing, so many people have poured into Washington DC.
“This started out tonight being a small little concert - then we had the idea maybe we'll do it in front of the Lincoln memorial and the people came by the thousands and thousands and here we are tonight.
“It's a movement that began, that started, it's a movement like we've never seen anywhere in the world - they say there's never been a movement like this and it's something very, very special and we're going to unify our country.
“And our phrase, you all know it, half of you are wearing the hat, make America great again.
“But we're going to make America great for all of our people, everybody throughout our country.
“That includes the inner cities, that includes everybody and we're going to do a special job and I can only tell you that 18 months ago, we never knew, some people didn’t know, some had a feeling but a lot of people didn't give us much of a chance but we understood what was happening.
“That last month of the campaign when I traveled around to every place you can imagine, state after state, speech after speech, and we had 10,000, 20,0000, 30,000 people.
“There was never an empty seat just like tonight, we didn't know if anybody would come tonight. We all knew that last month of the campaign, a lot of us knew the first week of the campaign, but that last month of the campaign, we knew that something special was happening.
“I can only tell you this – the polls starting going up, up, up, but they didn't want to give us credit because they forgot about a lot of us.
“On the campaign I called it the forgotten men and the forgotten women. Well, you're not forgotten anymore.
“I want to thank my great family, my incredible wife Melania, they’ve been so supportive and it wasn't easy for them. They have been so supportive
“I want to thank you most importantly. I promise you, I will work so hard. We're going to get it turned around, we're going to bring our jobs back, we're not going to let other countries take our jobs anymore.
“We're going to build up our great military, we're going to build it up, we’re going to strengthen our borders, we're going to do things that haven't been done for our country for many, many, decades.
“It's going to change - I promise you. It's going to change. So I'll see you tomorrow and I don't care frankly if it's going to be beautiful or if it’s going to rain like crazy. It makes no difference to me. I have a feeling it’s going to be beautiful, though.
“I will see you tomorrow and I'm going to be cheering you on. You'll be cheering me on but I'll be cheering you on. What we have done is so special. I love you folks and we're going to work together and we are going to make America great again. And I'll add, greater than ever before.
“Thank you very much and enjoy the fireworks!”
Writing on Twitter before his arrival, Trump said: "Getting ready to leave for Washington, D.C.
"The journey begins and I will be working and fighting very hard to make it a great journey for the American people.
"I have no doubt that we will, together, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Onlookers could be seen gathering across from the Trump International Hotel where the President-elect attended a leadership luncheon immediately after arriving in Washington.
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On the big day, Trump will attend a private prayer service in the morning, before meeting with President Obama and First Lady Michelle at the White House.
The two families will then travel to the Capitol Building, where he will be sworn in after taking the oath of office at around noon local time.
A parade will follow the traditional ceremony.
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