President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural events will be held indoors due to dangerously cold weather expected in Washington, D.C. on January 20. The decision follows forecasts predicting extremely low temperatures, including a low of -11°C (12°F) and a high of -5°C (23°F), with wind chills making it feel even colder. This marks the first indoor inauguration since Ronald Reagan’s in 1985, when similar cold conditions forced a change of plans.
Key Changes:
- Inaugural Address: Originally planned to take place outside on the steps of the US Capitol, the address will now occur inside the Capitol’s rotunda.
- Inaugural Parade: The parade will no longer be outside but will instead be held indoors at Washington’s Capital One Arena, located about a mile from the Capitol.
- Inaugural Balls: All three inaugural balls will also take place indoors.
Trump confirmed the decision on his Truth Social platform, stating he did not want attendees, including law enforcement and first responders, to be exposed to dangerous conditions. He encouraged anyone planning to attend to dress warmly.
Other Events:
- Capital One Arena Viewing: The arena will be open for live viewing of the inaugural address, and Trump is expected to visit the venue after his swearing-in.
- Rally and Balls: Trump’s rally on Sunday and the three official inaugural balls on Monday evening will proceed as planned.
Impact on Attendees:
- Reduced Capacity: With the switch to indoor venues, the number of attendees at Trump’s swearing-in will be much smaller than originally expected. Around 220,000 tickets were initially distributed for the outdoor ceremony at the Capitol, but now alternate plans will be necessary for those without tickets.
- Crowd Size: Trump has often emphasized crowd sizes at his events. For context, during his first inauguration in 2017, he claimed 1.5 million attendees, though estimates from crowd-size experts suggested about 800,000 to 1 million people attended Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
Historical Note:
The last time an inauguration was held indoors due to cold weather was in 1985 when Reagan took office. Cold weather during William Henry Harrison’s 1841 inauguration led to his death a month later, marking the shortest presidency in U.S. history.
With the indoor events, Trump aims to ensure safety while continuing to mark the occasion, despite the harsh weather.
