Donald Trump confirmed that his inauguration as US president on Monday will be held indoors due to expected cold weather, dashing Republican hopes for a grand display to begin his second term.
“The country is having an arctic explosion,” Trump wrote on his Truth social feed on Friday. “Therefore, I have ordered the inaugural address, in addition to the prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda.”
The change in plans means Trump will not stand on the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall, which traditionally hosts large crowds to welcome new presidents. The Rotunda, an ornate, round hall under the dome of Congress, usually seats only a few hundred people.
Temperatures are expected to be well below freezing in Washington on Monday, with gusty winds increasing the cold.
Washington has already been preparing for the huge influx of visitors — including thousands of chairs neatly arranged on the Mall — but most will now have to watch on television.
It is the first time since Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1985 that emergency measures have been taken, also due to dangerously cold weather.
In his post, Trump said “various dignitaries and guests” will take part in events inside the Capitol, including prayers, the inaugural address and the singing of the national anthem.
The Republican, who has built a political brand around his big rallies, said supporters could watch the event on a live feed at Washington’s Capitol One sports arena — and he would head there afterward.
Trump – who at 78 will be the oldest person to hold the presidency – said the ceremony in the Rotunda would be “a very beautiful experience for everybody and especially for the big TV audience!”
“We will open Capital One Arena on Monday to watch this historic event live and host the presidential parade. I will join the crowd at Capitol One after my inauguration.”
Matthew Medill, a Trump supporter visiting Washington from California, said some people will be disappointed, but “we’re expecting a lot of excitement and a lot of jubilation — no matter what the weather.”
Who was bigger?
After his first inauguration in 2017, Trump was angered by reports that his turnout on the Mall was significantly smaller than the crowd that turned out for Barack Obama in 2009.
Trump claimed that more than 1.5 million supporters had gathered on the Mall, far surpassing Obama’s crowd, and his spokesman announced that it was the largest crowd ever at an inauguration ceremony.
However, this was quickly proven to be false, with aerial photographs showing a much smaller crowd at Trump’s event than Obama’s.
The change this time means Trump will miss out on giving the traditional address to a group of people looking toward the Washington Monument altogether.
However, as a former reality TV star, Trump will bring the potential for television-friendly theatrics both in the elegant Rotunda and beyond.
“It will be a very beautiful experience for everyone and especially for the big TV audience!” Trump posted.
Home of the Washington Wizards basketball team and ice hockey’s Washington Capitals, Capital One Arena has a seating capacity of approximately 20,000.
Before the decision to cancel the outdoor event, more than 220,000 tickets had been distributed to the public through the offices of MPs.
Those braving the cold may still catch a glimpse of the newly-sworn-in president as he travels down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
The White House, the Capitol, and parts of the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route are already surrounded by eight-foot-high (2.4 m) metal barriers. According to US Secret Service Special Agent Matt McCollum, about 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel are gathering in Washington.
The nation’s ninth president, William Henry Harrison, chose to ignore the bitter weather at his inauguration in 1841, a sign of his power given that he was, at age 68, the oldest person ever elected to the position. Were expecting to perform.
He went out without coat or hat – and died of pneumonia a month later.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
