For the first time in 40 years, a U.S. presidential inauguration will take place indoors due to extreme weather conditions. President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, originally scheduled to occur outdoors at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, will now be held inside the Capitol Rotunda. This unprecedented change is attributed to a severe Arctic blast sweeping across the country, with temperatures in Washington, D.C., forecasted to be 19°F (-7°C) and feeling even colder with the wind chill.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump announced the decision, citing public safety concerns. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” he stated, adding that the ceremony, including prayers and speeches, will now take place indoors. The last time an inauguration was moved indoors was during President Ronald Reagan’s second term in 1985, when wind chills plunged to a frigid -23°C to -29°C.
The indoor relocation will significantly impact attendance. While over 220,000 ticketed guests were originally expected to witness the ceremony on the Capitol grounds, only a fraction can now be accommodated in the Rotunda. Furthermore, the National Mall, which typically hosts large crowds for inaugural ceremonies, will no longer serve as the central viewing area. Giant video screens are already in place on the Mall, but the National Park Service has yet to confirm if they will remain accessible for public viewing.
Supporters, such as Tammy Matte and her family from Laurel, Mississippi, have canceled their travel plans. “We don’t feel it’s worth it not to see the ceremony in person,” Matte said, expressing disappointment after the long-awaited opportunity.
In a bid to include more supporters, Trump has arranged for the ceremony to be streamed inside the Capital One Arena, a venue capable of holding 20,000 attendees. Additionally, a rally will be held at the arena on Sunday evening, ahead of the inauguration.
Historically, frigid temperatures have often marked inaugural ceremonies. President William Henry Harrison’s 1841 speech, delivered in wet and cold conditions without a coat, is famously linked to his untimely death from pneumonia a month later. Similarly, Ulysses S. Grant’s second inauguration in 1873 saw attendees collapsing due to freezing winds.
As the nation braces for another chilly inauguration, the shift indoors serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges winter weather has posed to this long-standing tradition.
