Indoors Moved Inauguration Amid Dangerously Cold Temperatures
The National Weather Service forecasts clear skies at the National Mall on Monday, expecting a high temperature near 23 degrees.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump and JD Vance are set to be sworn in inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, steering clear of the outdoor setting due to dangerously cold temperatures, according to a post by the president-elect on Truth Social.
The complete inauguration ceremony, which will feature prayers and speeches, has been relocated indoors. The last occasion when frigid weather disrupted an outdoor inauguration was in 1985 during Ronald Reagan's second-term swearing-in. Additionally, James Monroe’s second inauguration took place inside the Capitol’s House chamber due to a snowstorm.
The National Weather Service forecasts sunny conditions for the National Mall on Monday, with temperatures peaking at around 23 degrees.
In his post, Trump noted that an “Arctic blast” posed a risk of “dangerous conditions” and “severe record lows” for his supporters, as well as the numerous law enforcement and first responders expected to be present.
“This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!” Trump stated.
He also mentioned that he would open Capital One arena in downtown Washington for a live viewing of the event and for the presidential parade, promising to join the audience at the arena following the ceremony.
Notably, the weather will be significantly colder than in previous inauguration ceremonies, even chillier than in March 1841 when William Henry Harrison delivered a two-hour inaugural address in rain. Harrison's speech is still the longest on record and is linked to the shortest presidency, as he contracted a cold that developed into pneumonia and resulted in his death a month later.
With the president not taking the oath and addressing the crowd from the Capitol's West front, the gathering on the National Mall—typically stretching for several blocks—may be somewhat diminished and potentially less of a focal point for Trump.
Eight years ago, at the start of his term, his then-press secretary, Sean Spicer, faced reporters in the briefing room and criticized them for highlighting that Trump's inauguration crowd did not cover as much ground on the Mall as Barack Obama's in 2009.
The decision to hold the ceremony inside the Capitol carries an ironic note, especially considering that it comes four years after Trump's supporters violently breached police barricades and invaded the building, vandalizing offices and forcing lawmakers into lockdown.
Inaugurating Trump in the very location his supporters stormed will starkly illuminate a political turnaround that, just four years prior, felt almost unimaginable.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
The complete inauguration ceremony, which will feature prayers and speeches, has been relocated indoors. The last occasion when frigid weather disrupted an outdoor inauguration was in 1985 during Ronald Reagan's second-term swearing-in. Additionally, James Monroe’s second inauguration took place inside the Capitol’s House chamber due to a snowstorm.
The National Weather Service forecasts sunny conditions for the National Mall on Monday, with temperatures peaking at around 23 degrees.
In his post, Trump noted that an “Arctic blast” posed a risk of “dangerous conditions” and “severe record lows” for his supporters, as well as the numerous law enforcement and first responders expected to be present.
“This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!” Trump stated.
He also mentioned that he would open Capital One arena in downtown Washington for a live viewing of the event and for the presidential parade, promising to join the audience at the arena following the ceremony.
Notably, the weather will be significantly colder than in previous inauguration ceremonies, even chillier than in March 1841 when William Henry Harrison delivered a two-hour inaugural address in rain. Harrison's speech is still the longest on record and is linked to the shortest presidency, as he contracted a cold that developed into pneumonia and resulted in his death a month later.
With the president not taking the oath and addressing the crowd from the Capitol's West front, the gathering on the National Mall—typically stretching for several blocks—may be somewhat diminished and potentially less of a focal point for Trump.
Eight years ago, at the start of his term, his then-press secretary, Sean Spicer, faced reporters in the briefing room and criticized them for highlighting that Trump's inauguration crowd did not cover as much ground on the Mall as Barack Obama's in 2009.
The decision to hold the ceremony inside the Capitol carries an ironic note, especially considering that it comes four years after Trump's supporters violently breached police barricades and invaded the building, vandalizing offices and forcing lawmakers into lockdown.
Inaugurating Trump in the very location his supporters stormed will starkly illuminate a political turnaround that, just four years prior, felt almost unimaginable.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
