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President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony is moving indoors to the Capitol rotunda due to a freezing blast of artic temps expected in D.C., he announced Friday.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said he ordered Monday’s inauguration to be moved inside. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies said in a statement that they’ll honor his request.
Of course, this last-minute change is having a major impact on everything from security to the thousands of spectators who booked hotel rooms and bought tickets to inaugural events.
The frigid temperatures expected on Monday prompted President-elect Donald Trump to move his inauguration ceremony indoors, leaving the hundreds of thousands of people who planned to watch the ceremony in person outside trying to figure out what to do now. News4’s Walter Morris reports.
Why is Trump’s second inauguration being held inside?
The D.C. area will be plunged into extreme cold as a piece of the polar vortex — an area of cold air that swirls around the Earth’s poles — brushes by the region.
Following some fresh snow during the day on Sunday, this extra-frigid air will move in Sunday night into Monday morning. Inauguration Day is often cold, but Monday looks to be especially brisk. The high is expected to be roughly 20°, with a low of 6°.
“There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way. 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!).”
What parts of the 2025 inauguration will be inside?
Trump’s swearing-in ceremony will be conducted in the rotunda, where he will also deliver his inaugural address.
“The various Dignitaries and Guests will be brought into the Capitol. This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Capital One Arena in downtown D.C. will open for people to watch the ceremony and inaugural address on live video.
Then, instead of the traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, the president will join supporters at Capital One Arena after his speech.
“We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for LIVE viewing of this Historic event, and to host the Presidential Parade,” Trump posted on social media. “I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In.”
Outdoor areas on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, which were intended for tickets guests, will now be closed to those guests Monday, Capitol police said in a statement.
What’s staying the same?
Trump said in his post that other events would stay the same, including the victory rally at Capital One Arena scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.
He is still expected to attend three official inaugural balls Monday night.
If people had tickets to the inauguration, will they be able to use them at Capital One Arena?
Some 240,000 people hold tickets to attend inauguration on Monday. However, Capital One arena only can hold 20,000 people.
News4 is still waiting for information as to what’s going to happen with those ticket holders. As of late Friday afternoon, several congressional social media accounts said they didn’t yet know and that ticket holders should keep checking back.
On Saturday afternoon, the Inauguration Joint Public Information Center said it will be up to the Presidential Inauguration Committee to provide information on ticketing.
Will the inauguration security perimeter change?
Yes. On Saturday, the DowntownDC Business Improvement District shared a new map from the U.S. Secret Service showing an updated security perimeter that also includes the area around Capital One Arena and Chinatown.
Work to secure the expanded perimeter will begin after the Washington Capitals game at Capital One Arena ends Saturday night. The perimeter should be fully secured by about 8 a.m. Monday, Inauguration Joint Public Information Center officials said.
Officials have set up a hotline to for people living or working within the perimeter.
Use the slider tool in the image below to compare the original and revised security perimeter maps:
The new map shows most National Mall pedestrian checkpoints have been removed. A local traffic zone was added for a section of Mount Vernon Triangle and east of the U.S. Capitol. Other local traffic zones have been changed to full road closures. Arlington Memorial Bridge, Rock Creek Parkway and the Third Street Tunnel all will be fully open now, a change from before.
Anyone wishing to access Pennsylvania Avenue NW to see the motorcade travel from Capital One Arena to the White House will need to go through a screening point. Officials emphasized that this won’t be a parade of any type but just a normal motorcade drive.
In addition to the inauguration viewing event at Capital One Arena on Monday, Trump will hold a rally there the afternoon before inauguration. As of late Friday afternoon, there was limited fencing set up around the arena.
There may also be a contingency plan being worked on, in case protesters go to the arena after Trump is sworn into office.
Will the National Mall be open to the public?
Most of it will. The National Mall will be open to the public now between 3rd and 14th Streets NW.
All monuments will be open Monday except the Washington Monument, said Mike Litterst of the National Park Service.
Lafayette Park will be closed except for previously established First Amendment areas.
Are the planned Metro station closures still happening?
Metrorail had initially planned to open an hour early on Monday and run extra trains. However, it now will open at its regular time of 5 a.m. and will operate on a normal weekday schedule. The Yellow Line will not run to Greenbelt as was previously planned.
Metro station closures also have changed.
The following stations will now be closed, with trains bypassing them:
- Federal Triangle (closed Sunday at 8 p.m. until Tuesday at 5 a.m.)
- Mount Vernon Square (closed Sunday at 8 p.m. until Tuesday at 5 a.m.)
- National Archives (closed Sunday at 8 p.m. until Tuesday at 5 a.m.)
- Pentagon (closed Monday; reopening Tuesday at 5 a.m.)
Some station entrances will be closed during certain hours at the following stations:
- Judiciary Square: F Street/National Building Museum entrance closed from Sunday at 4 p.m. to Monday at 5 a.m.; 4th and D streets NW entrance open
- McPherson Square: Vermont Avenue & I Street NW entrance closed from Sunday at 8 p.m. to Tuesday at 5 a.m.; 14th and I streets NW entrance open
- Union Station: Amtrak terminal entrance closed from Monday at 4 p.m. to Tuesday at 5 a.m.; Massachusetts Avenue and 1st Street NE entrances open
The Gallery Place-Chinatown station next to Capital One Arena will only be open to passengers transferring lines. No entrances or exits will be open at that station Sunday or Monday.
The Smithsonian station was previously planned to be closed but will now be open. Farragut West and Metro Center previously had some planned station entrance closures, but all entrances now will be open.
What other changes will have to happen?
Officials said Saturday afternoon that they’ll reissue a full list of updated road closures shortly.
There are 4,000 police officers coming in from around the country to line the parade route. Those officers will still be used because they still have to help watch the District to ensure everything is safe and to secure the areas around the inaugural balls.
When was the last time the inauguration was held inside?
President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985 was held indoors due to a wind chill of -20°. It remains the coldest inauguration on record, with a high temperature of just 7°. The parade was also canceled that year, according to NBC News.
