Due to cold weather forecast for Washington DC on Monday, Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony will be moved indoors.
Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the oath of office will now be taken inside the Capitol Rotunda building, where dignitaries and guests will gather for prayers and speeches.
This change means that the approximately 250,000 ticket holders who planned to watch the inauguration around the Capitol grounds will no longer be able to do so.
Thousands more were expected to be in general admission areas or lining the route from the Capitol Building to the White House.
Preparations had been well under way for the inauguration to take place outdoors. Pic: Reuters
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Trump mentioned that the Capital One Arena in Washington will open for a live viewing of his swearing-in ceremony and to host the Presidential Parade.
“I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my swearing-in,” he said.
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Explaining the decision to move the swearing-in ceremony indoors, Trump cited the severe record lows in temperatures forecasted for Washington DC with the wind chill factor.
“I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” he stated in his Truth Social post.
“It is dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of law enforcement, first responders, police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters that will be outside for many hours on the 20th.
“In any event, if you decide to come, dress warmly.”
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Security preparations are taking place in Washington DC. Pic: AP
Trump assured that all other events related to his inauguration will proceed as planned, including the Victory Rally at the Capital One Arena on Sunday and all three Inaugural Balls on Monday evening.
“Everyone will be safe, everyone will be happy, and we will, together, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he concluded.
A spokesperson for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) confirmed in a statement that the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies will now be held inside the US Capitol Rotunda as per the President-elect’s request.
The last time a swearing-in ceremony was held indoors was Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985. Monday’s forecast suggests the lowest inauguration day temperatures since that day.
The National Weather Service is predicting the temperature to be around -6C at noon during the swearing-in, the coldest since Mr Reagan’s second inauguration saw temperatures plunge to -14C.
Barack Obama’s 2009 swearing-in was -2C. Adding to the bite, the wind is forecast to be 30-35mph.
Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration, left, compared to Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Pic: Reuters
In the days after his first inauguration in 2017, Trump accused the media of lying about the turnout at the ceremony.
The president insisted that crowds at the event stretched back all the way to the Washington Monument, even though photographs and footage from the scene showed large, empty spaces around the landmark.
His then press secretary Sean Spicer went one further during a heated White House briefing, describing it as “the largest audience ever to witness an inauguration, period”.
Although the National Park Service no longer provides estimates of crowds at inaugurations, photographic evidence shows substantially more people turned out for Obama’s ceremony in 2009.