The 2025 Inauguration

by Marilyn Muir, LPMAFA

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It is 11:59 AM Saturday, January 18, 2025. U.S. President Joseph Biden’s term of office is ending and re-elected President Trump’s second term is about to begin. I have puzzled over the charts for months now, wondering about the best approach to take for the transition.

President Biden is about to become a historical figure. The current free world leader and U.S. president will be turned back into an ordinary U.S. citizen at this moment on Monday, two days from this pondering. Why this moment? Because of how and when the power of the Presidency passes according to the U.S. Constitution. Any existing presidency ends when the newly elected presidency begins. The legal time is noonmark according to the Constitution. At the beginning of the U.S. Constitution itself on that date, March 4, 1789 noon was set for the power of the presidency to transfer. A later Congress changed that date constitutionally with President Roosevelt’s 2nd term moving the inauguration date to January 20,1937. Why?

1776 Declaration of independence is now nearly 250 years ago. Communication and transportation for the colonies and emerging nation were difficult at best. Extra time to organize had to be allotted to accomplish the transition from election to inauguration. As transportation and communication improved over the centuries, Congress felt the three-month transition period was unnecessary and scaled back the date of inauguration.

  • If you look at the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776),
  • and the chosen beginning of the Constitution and presidency (March 4, 1789),
  • and the election for that original office (the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November the year prior to inauguration, 1788 would be the first election).
  • You can see an astrological grand water trine in play: Cancer (Declaration of Independence), Scorpio (first election) and Pisces (first inauguration).

Our founding and framing Fathers gave the new nation the advantage of a grand water trine for the most important dates for that new nation. A later Congress decided to change the date… and we lost the astrological grand trine effect; just as Europe erupted into World War II. America was slow to enter the conflict, but did eventually join the ongoing war on the side of the allies. (For more technical information, see the references listed at the end of this article.)

When you have a specific repeating date set in stone (such as a political inauguration), some facets of each associated diurnal chart will be similar. For example: when the inauguration was March 4th, the diurnal Midheaven was always close to 11 Pisces, and the diurnal Ascendant was always close to 04 Cancer. The balance of the planets were individualized to the day of charting. When the date was changed to January 20th, the Midheaven became close to 24 Sagittarius and the Ascendant became close to 20 Pisces. Again, the balance of the planets are always individualized to the year of charting. Those angles are closely connected to the 1776 Declaration of Independence natal chart placements!

The inauguration is not about a person. It is about a position or office, the chair of authority. The inauguration chart does not look at gender, nationality, color, religion or other personal features. Usually, the inauguration chart is a profile for the emergence of a four-year term of office for the presidency of our country. While it is not the whole of the nation’s participation (there are other important dates outside of presidential limitations), it is the chart of the character of that nation’s current participation under the supervision of the sitting president. Transits and progressions can help you fine tune any activation, but the core of the leader’s impact is shown in that national inauguration chart for the ensuing four-year term. That could be interrupted and changed by an unexpected or superseding inauguration such as would be caused by the death of the sitting president. Any such major interruption to the term should be visible in the primary inaugural chart.

If I should wonder what the presidency means to the person occupying the chair of the presidency, it would be better to look at the inaugurated president’s personal workup. If I wonder what that presidency means to the nation, I will stay with the inauguration chart. An inauguration and its chart has limited life. It lasts for four years in automatic mode and then gives way to the new inauguration, whether or not the person in the chair of power has changed. Currently the U.S. does have presidential term limits.

My chartwork uses the U.S. Declaration of Independence (D of I) Virgo Rising chart for 9:36 AM LMT, July 4, 1776 at Philadelphia, PA as a base. There is a lot of controversy about the time, and I have discussed my comparison between the chart choices in my article on my website (see following list). I have used the diurnal (transit) inaugural charts for that base as my primary charts. Because of the war footing, the location of the government center changed. The actual Constitution birth chart would show New York City as the temporary location and a chart can be set for that base as well. All the various chart choices can contribute to your overall knowledge – but is not easy to handle multiple charts. I chose the most consistent base for examination.

  • Amazingly, the power passing for the New York Constitution location has 11:25 Pisces for a Midheaven, with the D of I Philadelphia, PA Ascendant at 11:46 Virgo.
  • The NYC Ascendent is 4:20 Cancer and the natal D of I Venus / Jupiter conjunction is 2:43 and 05:52 Cancer, right on the midpoint of that conjunction (midpoints do work)!
  • The NYC Mercury is 22:27 Pisces Rx and the D of I Neptune is 22:25 Virgo.

Since I had the opportunity to compare 2017 to 2025, I looked at the first D of I diurnal inauguration of President Trump (2017) as it related to the impending 2025 D of I diurnal inauguration, particularly the angles (because so much of the action of any diurnal chart involves angular activations).

  • The 2017 chart has a cluster of planets on the diurnal Ascendant at 20:03 Pisces.
  • Neptune is widest at 10:16 Pisces, Venus at 17:38 Pisces, and Mars at 24:17 Pisces.
  • That Mars is also square the diurnal Midheaven at 24:39 Sagittarius closely conjunct diurnal Saturn 23:30.

What does the 2025 chart reveal? (Note that the diurnal angles travel approximately one degree per day in applying or separating effect.)

  • Again, the diurnal Ascendant is 20:09 Pisces. And look at the cluster!
  • Diurnal Saturn is 16:15, diurnal Venus is 17:33, conjunct (both separating) that Ascendant. Separating places it in the past of the inaugural moment. Now!
  • Diurnal Neptune at 27:40 Pisces is conjunct diurnal North Node at 29:00.
  • That diurnal Ascendant is applying (activating and quickly) to the wider conjunction.
  • It is also square the diurnal Midheaven at 24:42 Sagittarius.
  • Note also diurnal Jupiter is 11:39 Gemini Rx square the D of I natal Ascendant.

Since we are talking about two days from today when the power passes and very tight angular activations, this is immediate to the event (inauguration). It is a very eventful time for this inauguration as the political melee about the confirmation hearings is dizzying to follow!

Apart from the diurnal angles, I am concerned about the diurnal Sun / Pluto conjunction and its opposition from diurnal Mars 24:26 Cancer retrograde. I don’t trust this aspect. Mars is retrograding, which causes it to be separating from the diurnal Sun (not apparently or currently active). But as it transits, it will turn direct and eventually oppose that diurnal Pluto (the diurnal Sun will have moved on in its travel). That leaves diurnal Mars opposed Pluto still possible to activation. Mars turns direct at the end of February, the 24th, and will slowly catch up to and activate (by opposition) transiting Pluto on April 27, 2025. Two things catch my attention. Remember that Mars commonly opposes Pluto every couple of years by transit (Mars has a two-year orbit, and Pluto moves very slowly). By itself, this segment of the opposition does not indicate an unusual activity.

  • The Sun / Pluto conjunction illustrates the current power and control issues swirling around this inauguration. When Mars reconnects in April, it might trigger specific activation of a Mars / Pluto nature. Retrograde also can indicate a repeat or similar activation. A failed attempt comes to mind, so I choose caution as my viewpoint.
  • In addition, that diurnal Mars is triggering a strategic and difficult opposition between D of I Mercury 24:20 Cancer retrograde and Pluto 27:33 Capricorn retrograde. That is an ugly “power of persuasion” aspect in our D of I natal chart. Can you imagine someone resorting to lies or deception to exercise power?

Reminder (see resource list following) that at the time of the Declaration of Independence the outer three planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) had not been astronomically discovered, and would not have been known to the astrologers of that time. Unseen, they would have been invisible, unconscious energies that eventually came to light (discovered / became conscious) in following years. These outer planets have put us through some amazing experiences as we have developed new understandings in our personal lives and our collective participation through our government.

What does the 2017 inauguration chart itself tell us about the 2017 presidency? 

  • Pisces is rising along with three planets and the lunar South Node. Piscean energy is at the end of our chosen zodiac with the implication that we have had full experience and must incorporate or gestalt those lessons into our national self-expression. Which lessons?
  • Ascendant: the way we project out into experience, our spirituality as a group. Or, when we have not learned our lesson, fakery, subterfuge, deceit, the village idiot.
  • Venus (closest to Ascendant, separating), our relating ability, to acknowledge one another, to care, or not (flip side of Venus coin).
  • Mars (next closest, applying), our assertive / aggressive tendencies, combative in nature, uncompromising.
  • Neptune (separating), our spirituality or understanding of sacrifice and the Age of Pisces; or the repeat of the negative Piscean Ascendant energy above.
  • South Node (separating), old habits and reactions from prior experience.
  • Square (challenges, obstacles) to or from Saturn (authority and rules).
  • Square the diurnal Midheaven, our aim or goal for this experience.
  • Saturn and Midheaven in Sagittarius, the world beyond our immediate environment. This is not just about us, it is about our place in the world and the effect we have on that world.
  • One more important aspect in the 2017 diurnal: Jupiter 22:42 Libra opposed Uranus 20:46 Aries, both T-square diurnal Pluto, wide but grand square to our natal D of I Mercury / Pluto opposition. Expect the unexpected from the powers of persuasion. Sound like the 2017-21 presidency?  

2017 was yesteryear. What does the 2025 inauguration chart tell us about the upcoming four presidential years?

  • Look again at that planetary cluster around the Ascendant. Lessons are repeating themselves. Will we be smarter this time or are we doomed to repeat our old patterns and deny or delay our good? The 2017 Piscean patterns are repeating!
  • 20:09 Pisces rising and the clustering of Saturn 16:15, Venus 17:33, Neptune 27:40 and North Node 29:09 Pisces. We are spiritual beings living a physical life. We must learn to progress and develop positive Piscean characteristics. The Piscean message is to gestalt what we have learned into a cohesive workable mechanism. The universe has all the time in the world to repeat our lessons whenever necessary.
  • Diurnal Jupiter is in the 3rd house of communication conjunct our D of I natal Midheaven 8:52 and Uranus 8:54 Gemini. Breakthroughs in communication can be our aim or goal this go-round. Hmmm, wondering about the ongoing AI evolution!
  • Uranus 23:18 Taurus retrograde is on the square to D of I Moon 22:37 Aquarius, which politically represents “We, the people”. A form of rebellion? The public (voters) might have something to say about this. Stir us up and you never know what the outcome might be.

This current inaugural chart deserves your attention as it will set the stage for our future as a country. Ignorance is never your friend. Watch, listen, learn, and contribute as it is your (and our) future as a country that is at risk or revalued!

For deeper discussion, please refer to the following articles available on my website:

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