President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony, scheduled for Monday, will be relocated indoors to the U.S. Capitol Rotunda because of dangerously low temperatures forecasted in Washington, D.C.
This adjustment marks the first indoor presidential inauguration since Ronald Reagan’s second swearing-in in 1985, which was also moved indoors due to extreme cold.
The indoor setting will limit attendance compared to the traditional outdoor ceremony. Many ticketed guests, including several lawmakers and notable figures, will be unable to attend.
Despite the change in venue, the inaugural parade will proceed along its planned route, commencing from the Capital One Arena.
In addition to weather-related concerns, heightened security measures are in place following recent events, including the New Orleans terror attack on January 1, 2025, which resulted in 15 fatalities and 57 injuries.
Trump’s return to Washington includes a celebration at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, featuring fireworks and performances by Elvis impersonator Leo Days and tenor Christopher Macchio.
The National Weather Service predicts this inauguration could be the coldest in 40 years, with a quick-moving storm potentially bringing snow to the capital on Sunday.