WASHINGTON — Due to forecasts predicting extremely cold weather, President-elect Donald Trump will take his oath of office indoors in the Capitol Rotunda instead of the previously planned outdoor ceremony. This decision marks a significant deviation from months of careful preparations aimed at hosting a large-scale event with crowds expected to fill the National Mall.
Trump shared his concerns regarding the weather on his Truth Social platform, stating, “The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows. There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt or injured in any way.”
The Rotunda is always set up as an alternative location for inaugurations in case of inclement weather, a measure that was last utilized in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated for his second term. According to current forecasts, Monday will witness the lowest temperatures on Inauguration Day since Reagan’s swearing-in.
While outgoing President Joe Biden and members of Congress, along with other dignitaries, will be present to view the ceremony from within the Capitol Rotunda, many ticketed guests will be unable to join them due to space limitations. Plans are being organized to ensure that as many people as possible can witness the event. Over 250,000 guests have been allotted tickets for various locations on Capitol grounds, and countless more are expected to frequent general admission areas or line the inaugural parade route leading to the White House.
Trump mentioned that some supporters would be afforded the opportunity to watch the ceremony from Washington’s Capital One Arena, which he is scheduled to visit after the oath-taking ceremony. The arena, accommodating roughly 20,000 individuals, will also host a modified inaugural parade.
Despite the adjustments, Trump confirmed that other inaugural events, including the Sunday rally and his participation in three official inaugural balls planned for Monday night, will go ahead as intended. The U.S. Secret Service is collaborating with event organizers to modify security plans in light of the recent schedule changes.
The National Weather Service forecasts a temperature of approximately 22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-6 degrees Celsius) at the time of the inauguration, which would be the coldest since the 1985 ceremony featuring Reagan when temperatures dropped to 7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-14 degrees Celsius). For context, Barack Obama’s swearing-in in 2009 recorded a temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-2 degrees Celsius).
A spokesperson for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies confirmed on Friday that they would honor the request from the President-elect and his inaugural committee to relocate the ceremonies indoors to the Rotunda. However, this adjustment will significantly limit in-person attendance, stating that “the vast majority” of ticketed guests would no longer be able to participate directly.
Understanding the impact of this change, the committee recommended that attendees in Washington take advantage of other indoor events at different venues to watch the inauguration. Plans are underway for the Presidential Inaugural Committee to designate specific locations for viewing and will issue further details soon.
The Capitol Rotunda was one of the areas stormed during the January 6, 2021, insurrection, when Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the confirmation of Biden’s victory. The intended location for Trump’s outdoor oath was a focal point of some of the most intense clashes between rioters and law enforcement during that tumultuous day.
On a related note, Trump’s inaugural committee shared that he would once again be sworn in on a family Bible given to him by his mother, along with the Bible used by President Abraham Lincoln during his first inauguration in 1861. Vice President-elect JD Vance will also take his oath using a family Bible presented to him by his great-grandmother.
