Trump’s Swearing-In Moved Indoors To Capitol Rotunda Due To Arctic Blast

President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, a rare shift caused by forecasts of extreme cold weather in Washington, D.C.

“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way.”

The Capitol Rotunda is the indoor venue for inaugurations in case of bad weather. This is the first time since 1985, when President Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term, that the event has been held indoors. According to the Monday forecast, this will be the coldest inauguration day since that event.

Changes For Guests And Supporters

Alternate plans are being made for about 250,000 ticketed guests who had planned to watch the inauguration from the Capitol grounds. Tens of thousands of other attendees, who were expected to line the parade route from the Capitol to the White House, will also experience logistical changes because of the weather.

Some of the supporters will watch the ceremony live at Washington’s Capital One Arena. A rally will be held there Sunday, with the president-elect due to make an appearance before attending the arena after the swearing-in.

CBS News reported that a senior inaugural official in Washington confirmed that the decision to move the ceremony indoors was made by the president-elect. CNN was the first to report on the relocation plans. Two law enforcement sources told CBS News that a contingency plan for using the Rotunda had been under consideration for months.

The National Weather Service is predicting a high of 22 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 Celsius) on Monday at noon. This would be the coldest inauguration day since Reagan’s second swearing-in, when temperatures reached as low as 7 degrees Fahrenheit (-14 Celsius). To put that in perspective, Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration was held at 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 Celsius). Winds may gust into the 30 to 35 mph range (48 to 56 kph), leading to wind chills into single digits.

Government Response

President Donald Trump’s inaugural committee as well as the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies have not yet returned media calls for comment on this decision. The historic move underscores the need for public safety and preparedness when a large-scale event is undertaken under extreme weather conditions.

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