WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — In the hours after President-elect Donald Trump moved his second inauguration ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol, crews along Pennsylvania Avenue were busy taking down bleachers, speakers and platforms for the press.
Trump cited the forecasted cold weather Monday for the change in Inauguration Day programming, which will move the ceremonial transfer of power inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda.
Out-of-town supporters of the soon-to-be 47th President expressed a mixed bag of emotions following the shakeup for his second swearing-in.
Steve Schumacher drove to D.C. from Minneapolis to meet family members from North Dakota, noting they’re accustomed to the frigid conditions outside.
“We’re at home here with this weather, this is awesome, actually. This is nice and balmy for us,” Schumacher said Friday evening.
Sandra Vanvoorhis, Schumacher’s sister, called the situation, “disappointing, but it’s ok,” adding that despite the forecast, “we’re coming, nothing will stop us. We came this far and we’re gonna keep going.”
Donald Eymann is in town from Colorado, saying he was prepared to brave the cold.
“Four layers of clothes and double hats and warmers, and we were ready to go,” Eymann said.
Those with ticketed seats on the National Mall will now have to find other plans to watch. Details remain limited about whether onlookers will see the ceremony on large screens on the mall, which are typically placed for those far from the stage to view the ceremony in real time.
At around midday on Friday, a stage was being built inside the Capitol to accommodate the transfer of power. A similar sight was seen in 1985 when then-President Ronald Reagan took the oath of office for a second time inside the rotunda; a decision made because of brutal temperatures that day.
“Whatever follow-up we get, we’ll just adjust,” said Jill Howell of Alabama, who says she had ticketed seats for the ceremony.
“Of course we were disappointed, but the biggest thing was if you liken it to a marriage ceremony, a wedding versus a marriage, we are more interested in the marriage with President Trump than just the ceremony,” she added.
The President-elect had already been scheduled to host a rally Sunday night before the Inauguration at Capital One Arena in Chinatown. Trump is slated to return to the arena after being sworn in for a celebration instead of a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Details about tickets for that Monday arena event are unknown, but a Secret Service spokesperson said Friday night that people could see additional impacts for cars, pedestrians and public transit near the arena.
“While these adjustments will undoubtedly affect the people of Washington, D.C., … the goal of the Secret Service and our partners is to provide the most secure environment, while minimizing impact to residents and businesses,” the spokesperson posted on X.
