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Donald Trump, 78, will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, with the ceremony moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda due to an impending polar vortex. The president-elect announced the decision in a Truth Social post on Friday, citing safety concerns amid dangerously cold weather.
"There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don't want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way," he wrote, adding that the conditions could pose risks for law enforcement, first responders, and ers. Trump encouraged attendees to "dress warmly" if they chose to come despite the frigid forecast.
The weather in Washington, D.C., is expected to be bitterly cold, with a high of 22 degrees Fahrenheit and an overnight low of 7 degrees. This decision to move the ceremony indoors mirrors Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985, which was also held in the Capitol Rotunda due to extreme cold.
On that day, temperatures at noon reached just 7 degrees, with wind chills plunging as low as negative 20 degrees. Trump referenced this historical precedent, saying, "I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985."
Only a few hundred guests expected at Capitol
Traditionally held outdoors on the West Front of the Capitol, presidential inaugurations often draw massive crowds stretching back to the Lincoln Memorial. However, this year's adjustments mean only a few hundred special guests, lawmakers, and media will witness the swearing-in ceremony in person.
Trump's team had previously distributed invitations for ers to gather on the National Mall, but now attendees are invited to watch a broadcast of the event at the 20,000-seat Capital One Arena in downtown Washington. The arena will also host an indoor inaugural parade originally planned to proceed up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
Following his oath of office at noon, Trump will participate in a g ceremony in the Capitol's President's Room, where he is expected to approve several executive orders. Later in the day, he will attend three inaugural balls and deliver remarks at each.
Before Monday's events, Trump will spend Sunday night at Blair House and have tea with outgoing President Joe Biden on Monday morning before heading to the Capitol for the ceremony. Preparations for this historic day are well underway as Washington braces for both the cold and a new chapter in leadership.