Trump hours away from world's most powerful job

Donald John Trump, a billionaire with no experience of government or the military, will be sworn in as America's 45th President and commander-in-chief later today.

The businessman, who became well known to millions of Americans as the star of his reality TV series The Apprentice, steps up to his new job at the age of 70 - breaking Ronald Reagan's record as the oldest man to assume the Presidency.

On Thursday, the trappings of high office were already evident.

He dispensed with his familiar personal jet and its Trump branding, and he arrived in Washington DC aboard a US military plane.

Mr Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence later laid a wreath at Arlington Cemetery, accompanied by members of his family including the soon-to-be First Lady Melania Trump.

At an inaugural concert held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he saluted the statue of Abraham Lincoln before giving a thumbs up to the crowd.

He descended the steps accompanied by the Rolling Stones song Heart Of Stone, which begins with the lyrics:

"There's been so many girls that I've known I've made so many cry, and still I wonder why"

Given the controversy over his remarks about women during the campaign, it may have seemed an odd choice of song.

But after numerous tweets in recent days attacking his critics, his Twitter contributions on the eve of becoming President were uncharacteristically non-partisan.

Mr Trump wrote: "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!"

After listening to performances from singers including Three Doors Down and Toby Keith, Mr Trump told the crowd: "We are going to unify our country and make America great again for all our people.

"A lot of people didn't give us much of a chance, but we knew what was happening.

"We are going to get it turned around. We are going to build up our great military, strengthen our borders, we are going to do things that haven't been done for our country for many decades. It's going to change."

The incoming White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, told reporters that Mr Trump would be busy from the moment he arrived in the Oval Office.

"He is committed to not just day one, but day two, day three of enacting an agenda of real change, and I think that you're going to see that in the days and weeks to come."

Addressing supporters at a lunch in his Washington DC hotel, Mr Trump let slip some news about who he plans to appoint as his ambassador to the UK.

Pointing to the owner of the New York Jets NFL team Woody Johnson, a big donor to his campaign, he referred to him as "Ambassador...going to (the Court of) St James" and offered his congratulations.

Mr Trump is expected to sign a raft of Executive Orders overturning Barack Obama's policies, and make an early start on key pledges on immigration, including the building of a new wall or fence on the Mexican border.

Princeton University presidential historian Julian Zelizer said: "It sends two messages.

"The first is that he wants to show he will take action and not be stifled by Washington gridlock. The second is that he will move forward on reversing policies that he believes to be broken and bad."

Security for the inauguration is likely to cost around $100m (£81m), with 28,000 uniformed personnel working under the direction of the US Secret Service.

Up to a million spectators are expected to watch events including a parade in which the new President traditionally walks at least part of the route back to the White House.

Several demonstrations are planned to coincide with the official celebrations.

Mr and Mrs Trump will visit the outgoing President and First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama, at the White House before riding together in a limousine to Capitol Hill where the President will be sworn in.

His defeated opponent Hillary Clinton, who polled nearly three million more votes but lost the Electoral College, will attend the ceremony along with former President Bill Clinton.

But dozens of Democratic members of the House of Representatives have said they will boycott the inauguration amid allegations that Democratic Party computers were hacked by Russians in the weeks before the election.

Read more:

:: Obama era - Sky News specialists give their verdict
:: What will Trump's impact on the world be?
:: How Trump ripped up the foreign policy playbook
:: Your guide to Trump's inauguration

:: Watch live coverage of the inauguration on Sky News from 3pm and Sky Atlantic from 4pm on Friday.

Adam Boulton is in the US presenting a special Sky News programme - Trump: America's President - at midnight tonight.