The inauguration of United States President-elect Donald Trump as the 47th President of the U.S. will be held indoors on Monday, January 20, 2025.
Bad weather forecasts mean Trump will take the oath of office from inside the US Capitol Rotunda and people visiting Washington from around the country won’t be able to see it in person.
The decision to move Monday’s event indoors marks the first time in 40 years that such a change has been made.
Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday: “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, also because of very cold weather.
“We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for LIVE viewing of this Historic event, and to host the Presidential Parade. I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In.”
Trump’s inauguration was expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of ticketed guests and involve roughly 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel.
As of Friday morning, more than 30 miles of fencing – more than has ever erected for such an event – was still being set up and was meant to filter crowds through security checkpoints in anticipation for Trump’s now-scrapped outdoor inauguration and parade down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
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Law enforcement agencies are working to craft a new plan around Trump’s inauguration now that the ceremony and parade are being moved indoors, which could make security easier in some respects, sources familiar with the planning told CNN.
The Rotunda in the US Capitol, where the inauguration will now be held, can hold approximately 700 people and is only set to be open to members of Congress, their spouses and VIPs.
Security for the event will reflect how the US Capitol Police, in partnership with the Secret Service and others, secures the building and surrounding area for State of the Union addresses. It will be closed off to the public, who have instead been directed to the Capitol One Arena.
The arena has a capacity of just over 20,000 whereas law enforcement officials have said that over 200,000 individuals had tickets to the inauguration.
The Sergeant at Arms for the Capitol told congressional offices that the “weather plan precludes the vast majority of ticketed guests from attending the ceremonies in person.”
They added that inaugural tickets could still be handed out as commemorative items for those who can no longer attend.
Security measures for the arena and the surrounding area are still being worked out between the Secret Service, DC police, and other agencies.
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