On Friday, President-elect Donald Trump announced that his inauguration ceremony would be held indoors at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda due to dangerously low temperatures forecasted for Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day. According to CNN, this marks the first indoor inauguration since Ronald Reagan’s second term in 1985.
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“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for LIVE viewing of this Historic event, and to host the Presidential Parade. I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In,” he continued. However, moving indoors may be challenging in accommodating the massive crowd.
Forecasts indicate temperatures in the low 20s, with wind chills around 10 degrees. Trump urged his supporters to dress appropriately for the weather and expressed concern for attendees and first responders who will be enduring the frigid temperatures.
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The Capitol Rotunda, which holds about 700 people, will be reserved for members of Congress, their spouses, and select VIPs. Over 200,000 ticketed guests had planned to attend the outdoor ceremony. Capital One Arena, with a capacity of over 20,000, will serve as the primary viewing site for the public. Inaugural tickets will still be distributed as commemorative items for those unable to attend.
The outlet also reported that security measures among law enforcement agencies must be adjusted since the event is designed as a National Special Security Event, with over 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel involved. Officials are now adapting plans initially designed for an outdoor event, which included more than 30 miles of fencing and extensive crowd control measures.
