‪Trump Swearing In Moved Indoors To Capital Rotunda Due To Extreme Winter‬

Washington D.C. — President-elect Donald Trump has decided to shift his inauguration ceremony indoors to the Capitol rotunda, citing an “Arctic blast” forecast for Monday. The announcement was made via Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, marking a significant deviation from the traditional outdoor festivities due to expected dangerously low temperatures.

The forecast for Inauguration Day predicts highs of only about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows dipping to six degrees, accompanied by strong winds. This harsh weather prompted the decision to emulate Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985, which was also moved indoors due to similarly cold conditions.

Trump expressed concern for the safety of attendees, particularly law enforcement, first responders, and even the horses used for crowd control. “I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” Trump stated, emphasizing the perilous conditions expected on the day.

The last time a U.S. president took the oath of office inside was Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1985. Temps outside were around 7 degrees.

The move indoors means that the traditional spectacle at the National Mall, where presidents typically address large crowds, will not occur as planned. Instead, Trump has arranged for supporters to gather at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington. Here, they can watch the ceremony live on Monday, and the arena will also host the Presidential Parade. The arena’s capacity is limited to 20,000, significantly less than the potential hundreds of thousands who might have attended at the Mall.

However, logistical adjustments are already underway. Fencing around the National Mall is being dismantled, and there are no plans to set up screens for public viewing there, according to a senior administration official.

This indoor shift reflects a pragmatic approach to extreme weather but alters one of the most visually impactful elements of the inauguration tradition. Trump’s focus on safety over spectacle could be seen as a nod to his administration’s commitment to public welfare, though it also underscores his sensitivity to public perception of crowd sizes, a topic he has often highlighted in the past.

As the nation prepares for this historic transition, all eyes will be on how this unprecedented indoor inauguration unfolds, balancing tradition with the harsh realities of winter weather.

During the inauguration on January 20, Trump will be sworn in as the forty-seventh President of the United States. He previously served as the forty-fifth President between 2017 and 2021.