Washington DC – Trump stood inside the warm Capitol Rotunda on Monday to take the oath of office. A few miles away, supporters in fur hats and parkas gather outside. Some tried to win one of the 20,000 seats in the Capital One area. There were also plenty of bars and coffee shops.
But most remained abandoned on the streets in sub-zero temperatures. Some people watched Trump's inauguration as the 47th president on their cellphones, while others pressed their faces against restaurant windows to catch a glimpse of the new president on television screens.
There was no sense of disappointment among the crowd at not being able to attend the inauguration, nor any frustration or anger that the Capitol building had been moved to the Capitol Rotunda.
Part of that may be due to the fact that most Trump supporters won't use the cold weather as an excuse to move the inauguration indoors. Of the more than a dozen advocates The Daily Caller spoke to, nearly all believed safety was the main reason for changing Monday's plans.
“[It was] Safety reasons. I knew right away,” Tony Lenten, a self-proclaimed “American patriot” from Tampa, Florida, told a telephone reporter.
“They are our heroes and they are leading the movement now and they are trying to kill him and will continue to try to kill him. I don’t want to go out in public,” Lenten continued.
Donald Trump-related merchandise is sold outside Capital One Arena during Donald Trump's victory rally in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2025. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance will be sworn in on January 20th. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Just about 72 hours before he was sworn in as president, Trump announced via Truth Social that he had decided to hold his swearing-in ceremony indoors due to weather concerns. The low temperature on Monday is expected to be around 11 degrees and the high around 20 degrees.
Unable to enter the Capitol arena, large crowds of Trump supporters have gathered in bars and restaurants. Some people pressed their faces against the windows to catch a glimpse of President Trump on the TV screen. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/t0qefAQKmj
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) January 20, 2025
“I don't want to see people hurt or injured in any way,” Trump wrote about the weather in a post on Truth Social.
The move made about 250,000 tickets for the outdoor event “commemorative.” Still, Trump supporters continued to gather in droves on Monday to get a little closer to the president as he took the oath of office for the second time.
MAGA supporters were elated, feeling that the new arrangement would best ensure the president's safety, even though it was unlikely they would even see President Trump's motorcade roll through.
“We love our president and we're very, very excited about the golden age coming,” said Janine, a middle-aged woman from Boston, Massachusetts, who crosses the 2-mile line to enter Capitol One Arena. He spoke to this newspaper while passing by. “Protecting the president's safety is the most important thing. They said it was because of the weather, but…I believe it was more of a security issue.”
People line up in the snow at Capital One Arena for Donald Trump's victory rally on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance will be sworn in on January 20th. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
The Trump campaign previously referred callers to the President's Truth social posts when asked about security concerns being a factor, claiming the real reason for the switch was the weather. RealClearPolitics National Political Correspondent Susan Crabtree reported Most of her Secret Service officials echoed that sentiment, but one well-placed source told reporters there are concerns among law enforcement officials about security perimeters and open areas that are accessible to the public. he said. (Related: Exclusive: Local police refuse to help Washington, D.C., secure President Trump's inauguration)
At the time of the swearing-in, the line to Capital One Arena (about a half-mile from here) was still moving.
One Cap officer said he believed the line was two miles long at one point. The arena has a maximum capacity of 20,000 people. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/URPDxTJnPi
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) January 20, 2025
There was a general atmosphere of selflessness among the Trump supporters who spoke with Caller. Many people have chosen the opportunity to experience a piece of history on the streets of Washington, DC, traveling from places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City.
“It could be for security reasons, it could be for better reasons. It doesn't matter to people like us,” said Fred, a Trump supporter from Canada who traveled 10 hours to celebrate America's new leader. Ren said. “We want to be a part of this historic event and moment.”
People watch the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump from Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. Donald Trump will be inaugurated for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Supporters wait outside Capital One Arena before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Donald Trump will be inaugurated for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)
The gratitude for the president's safety was comparable to the emotions felt by supporters at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, days after Trump was shot in the head in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Obviously I was disappointed, but I think there's a lot we don't know. And if there's another concern besides the weather, obviously it's very important to keep ourselves and the American people safe.” Kylie McEnroe, 24, who descended from Los Angeles, California, with her family, told the Telephone. .
Even if MAGA supporters weren't able to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the 47th president, the streets of Washington, D.C., resembled one of President Trump's popular rallies. The chants of “USA” and “Trump” echoed throughout the city. “YMCA” was blaring from various speakers in the car, and people were dancing around. A giant flag read, “Trump 2024, no more bullshit.”
“I think they moved it indoors because they wanted the head,” said a street vendor as he handed out MAGA beanies to shivering Trump supporters.