United States: President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed that his inaugural address on January 20 will be held indoors, following forecasts of dangerously cold weather in Washington, D.C. The inaugural address, along with other speeches, will now take place inside the US Capitol’s rotunda rather than outside.
The inaugural parade, traditionally a highlight of the ceremony, will also be moved indoors to Washington’s Capital One Arena, located approximately one mile from the Capitol. All three inaugural balls will be held at the same venue. This observes the first time in over three decades that the event will take place indoors, with the last instance being in 1985, when Ronald Reagan’s swearing-in was also impacted by cold temperatures.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump highlighted the safety of attendees, stating that the extreme weather conditions posed a risk to thousands of law enforcement officers, first responders, and the general public. Trump added that, “It is dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of law enforcement, first responders, police K9s and even horses, as well as hundreds of thousands of supporters.”
Trump also reminded potential attendees to wrap warmly if they choose to come, as Washington is predicted to experience some of its coldest temperatures in history on Inauguration Day, with lows of -11°C (12°F) and highs of -5°C (23°F). Wind chill factors will make it feel even colder. The weather is part of an enormous polar vortex sweeping across the United States.
The Capital One Arena will be open to the public for a live viewing of the inaugural address. Trump, who has a rally planned at the arena, said he plans to visit the venue after being sworn in at the Capitol.
Organisers had originally planned for 220,000 tickets to be distributed to those attending the event on the grounds of the Capitol. With the change to an indoor venue, alternative viewing options will be made available for those without tickets. Trump also comforted the public that other events, including his rally and the three inaugural balls, will proceed as scheduled.
The shift to an indoor venue will restrict the capacity for the swearing-in ceremony, which has been known to attract large crowds. After his first inauguration in 2017, Trump asserted that around “a million and a half people” attended the event on the National Mall, though crowd size experts estimated the number was closer to 800,000 to one million. For Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, attendance was severely restricted due to COVID-19, with only around 1,000 people present.
The cold weather also brings to mind the 1841 inauguration of President William Henry Harrison, who delivered the longest inauguration speech in U.S. history in similar conditions. He contracted pneumonia shortly thereafter and passed away a month later, holding the record for the shortest presidency.
Despite the weather challenges, Trump remains optimistic, stating that, “Everyone will be safe, everyone will be happy, and we will, together, Make America Great Again.”
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