Biden, 78, took the presidential oath of office with his hand on a family heirloom Bible, becoming the oldest US president in history. The inauguration ceremony, which was significantly smaller than usual due to the coronavirus and security concerns following the Capitol assault on Jan. 6, saw Biden vow to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Outgoing President Donald Trump, who broke tradition by refusing to meet with Biden or attend the inauguration, did not mention Biden by name in his final remarks before leaving for his retreat in Florida. Top Republicans, such as Vice President Mike Pence and the party's congressional leaders, attended Biden's inauguration, along with former US Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate and the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, made history by becoming the first Black person, first woman, and first Asian American to serve as vice president. She was sworn in by US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the court, and used two Bibles, one of which belonged to Thurgood Marshall, the first Black US Supreme Court Justice. Biden takes office during a time of national unease, facing multiple crises including the pandemic, economic downturn, climate change, and racial inequality. He has pledged immediate action, including a series of executive orders on his first day in office. The event on Wednesday took place at a heavily guarded US Capitol, where a group of Trump supporters broke into the building two weeks prior, following his baseless claims of election fraud. This violence led to Trump being impeached for a second time by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. After the attack, thousands of National Guard troops were deployed to the city, resulting in five deaths and lawmakers having to hide briefly. Instead of a crowd of supporters, the National Mall was adorned with flags and pillars of light to symbolize people from different US states and territories. Biden, who has promised to heal the country, will address the need for unity in his inaugural speech. His inauguration marks the peak of a fifty-year career in public service, with over thirty years spent in the US Senate and two terms as vice president under former President Barack Obama. Despite his extensive experience, he is now faced with challenges that would test even the most seasoned politician. The pandemic in the United States hit grim milestones on Trump's last day in office, with 400,000 US deaths and 24 million infections - the highest numbers globally. Many Americans are unemployed due to pandemic-related closures and limitations. Biden has promised to use the full resources of the federal government to address the crisis. His main focus is a $1.9 trillion proposal that would improve unemployment benefits and give direct cash payments to households. However, this plan will need to be approved by a Congress that is deeply divided, with Democrats holding slight majorities in both the House and Senate. On Wednesday, Harris was set to swear in three new Democratic senators, resulting in a 50-50 split in the chamber with her as the deciding vote. Biden will quickly move to move past the Trump administration, with advisers indicating that he will sign 15 executive orders on Wednesday covering various issues such as the pandemic, economy, and climate change. These orders will include requiring masks on federal property, rejoining the Paris climate agreement, and ending Trump's travel ban on certain Muslim-majority countries. Despite Biden's ambitious plans for his first 100 days, the Senate may be preoccupied with Trump's impeachment trial, which is set to proceed even though he is no longer in office. This trial could be an early test of Biden's commitment to promoting bipartisanship in Washington. Before leaving office, Trump granted over 140 pardons and commutations, including one for his former adviser Steve Bannon, who is facing charges related to an alleged scheme to defraud Trump supporters. Notably, Trump did not grant preemptive pardons for himself or his family members, despite speculation that he might.