Trump’s Inaugural Address Moved Indoors Due to Cold Weather
President-elect Donald Trump has announced that his inaugural address on January 20 will take place indoors at the US Capitol because of very cold weather expected in Washington. The inaugural parade will also be moved to the Capital One Arena, about a mile away, where all three inaugural balls will be held.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed concern for people’s safety, saying he doesn’t want anyone to get “hurt or injured” in the freezing temperatures. He advised attendees to “dress warmly” and noted the dangers for law enforcement and supporters.
On inauguration day, temperatures are expected to drop to -11°C (12°F) and rise to a high of -5°C (23°F). With the wind chill, it will feel even colder. Trump assured that “everyone will be safe” and plans to stick to his schedule, including a rally on Sunday and official balls on Monday.
Moving the events indoors means fewer people can attend the swearing-in ceremony, which Trump usually pays close attention to. Organizers had planned to give out about 220,000 tickets for the Capitol event, with additional viewing on the National Mall for those without tickets. New plans will be needed for those visitors.
The last indoor inauguration was for Ronald Reagan in 1985. In 1841, President William Henry Harrison gave a long speech in bad weather, which led to his death a month later, making his presidency the shortest in US history.
-BBC
