CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will be held indoors Friday, officials announced as dangerously cold temperatures are expected in the nation’s capital.
President Trump told Truth Social: “In addition to prayers and other speeches, I have ordered that the inaugural address be delivered in the Capitol Rotunda, as used by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, which is also very important.” It was because it was so cold,” he posted.
“We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for live viewing of this historic event and host the presidential parade. After being sworn in, I will join the crowd at Capital One,” Trump said. added.
Plans are underway for Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance to be sworn in in the Rotunda, CNN reported early Friday, and Trump’s team may hold part of the celebration at the arena where Trump will host a rally on Sunday. It was reported that they are in talks. .
“The Congressional Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies respects the request of the President-elect and the Presidential Inaugural Committee to move the 60th Inauguration Ceremony to the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol,” the committee said in a statement.
The committee always has contingency plans to hold the inauguration in multiple locations in case of weather or other obstacles, but the challenge now is to accommodate the thousands of people who were outside but could not fit into the rotunda. Where should I place it?
“The majority of guests who purchased tickets will not be able to attend the ceremony in person,” the commission said in a notice sent to ticket holders late Friday. The group urged those wishing to watch the game to watch the game at “an indoor venue of their choice,” adding: “We have designated specific viewing locations and will provide additional information.” The committee said Presidential Platform ticket holders and members of Congress can attend in person.
The Secret Service and other agencies, including Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol Police are considering how moving the inauguration ceremony and parade indoors might change security plans for Monday, two people familiar with the plans said. law enforcement officials told CNN.
Government agencies can now put together new security plans in just three days that previously took months to plan. Agencies have been planning the inauguration since early 2024, but the Department of Homeland Security has designated it as a national special security event, triggering a multifaceted approach from the federal government.
President Trump’s inauguration was expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of ticketed guests and about 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel.
As of Friday morning, more than 30 miles of fencing was still in place, more than ever erected for this type of event, and President Trump’s now-defunct outdoor inauguration and parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. The purpose was to screen crowds at security checkpoints in preparation for the Capitol to the White House.
Law enforcement is currently working on new plans for President Trump’s inauguration, as ceremonies and parades are moved indoors, which could make security easier in some ways. Yes, a source familiar with the plan told CNN.
The Capitol Rotunda, where the inauguration is currently held, can hold about 700 people and is set to allow only members of Congress, their spouses and VIPs to enter, a Congressional official told CNN. Plans are still being developed. flux.
Security for the event will mirror how the U.S. Capitol Police, working with the Secret Service and others, will secure the building and surrounding areas for the State of the Union address. The public will be prohibited from entering and will be directed to Capitol One Arena instead.
The arena has a capacity of just over 20,000 people, but law enforcement officials say more than 200,000 people had tickets to the inauguration. “Due to weather conditions, the majority of our ticketed guests will not be able to attend the ceremony in person,” the Capitol Sergeant at Arms told Congressional Office. He also said inauguration tickets could continue to be distributed as souvenirs for those unable to attend.
Security measures for the arena and surrounding area are still being discussed among the Secret Service, D.C. Police Department and other agencies.
Officials are concerned that the cold temperatures pose a health risk to attendees and guests, a concern that President Trump expressed on Friday.
“I don’t want to see people hurt or harmed in any way. Tens of thousands of law enforcement, first responders, police K9s, even horses, and for hours on the 20th… It’s a dangerous situation for the hundreds of thousands of supporters outside (in any case, if you decide to come, please dress warmly!),” Trump posted.
The last president to take the oath of office indoors was President Ronald Reagan in 1985, when daytime temperatures dropped to 7 degrees Celsius and the wind chill was -25 degrees Celsius. President Reagan took the oath of office inside the Capitol Rotunda. His inaugural parade was canceled.
According to the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, President William Henry Harrison gave a two-hour speech at his 1841 inauguration without wearing a coat or hat and is widely believed to have caught a cold. He then contracted pneumonia and died one month after taking office.
This year, temperatures at noon on Inauguration Day, when the next president will be sworn in, are expected to be in the low 20s, about 20 degrees below average, and likely the coldest since President Reagan’s second inauguration.
Winds of 16 to 20 mph are expected Monday, with gusts up to 30 mph. These winds will make temperatures feel frigid. Wind chills during the day may hover around the 10s, dropping into the single digits after sunset.
Sunday could bring a mix of rain and snow ahead of the main event, but Monday so far looks cold and windy but dry.
CNN’s Lauren Fox, Betsy Klein, Mary Gilbert and Taylor Ward contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
