President-elect Donald J. Trump said Friday that his inauguration would be moved inside the Capitol Rotunda because of a frigid weather forecast, the first time in 40 years that a presidential swearing-in will be held indoors.
The change for Monday’s inauguration means that far fewer people will be able to watch in person as Mr. Trump officially becomes the 47th president. It also avoids the potential for smaller crowds because of the weather. Mr. Trump was furious about reports that he had smaller crowds in 2017 than President Obama had at his 2009 inauguration.
“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows,” Mr. Trump wrote on his social media website, Truth Social.
“I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” he added. “It is dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of Law Enforcement, First Responders, Police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters that will be outside for many hours on the 20th (In any event, if you decide to come, dress warmly!).”
Trump officials had been discussing what to do about the weather well before Mr. Trump decided to have the inauguration moved indoors.
Temperatures in Washington on Monday are projected to drop to a low of 11 degrees, with a high of 23 degrees. The last time a swearing-in moved indoors was in 1985 for President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration, similarly because of cold weather.
We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
game of thrones slots casinoPlease enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.megapanalo