Heba Press
US President-elect, Donald Trump, announced that his inauguration ceremony will be held inside the Capitol building, the first in 40 years, due to the severe cold wave hitting Washington, DC.
Trump explained, through his “Truth Social” platform, that his decision came after meteorological forecasts for temperatures to drop to 12 degrees below zero on Monday morning, and 6 degrees below zero at noon, with strong icy winds.
He added that the weather conditions pose a danger to tens of thousands of security personnel, horses, and citizens who will attend the outdoor ceremony. For this reason, he will take the constitutional oath inside the rotunda in the Capitol building, as former President Ronald Reagan did in 1985 for the same reason.
-This decision means that Trump will not stand on the outer steps of the Capitol, which overlooks the famous National Mall, where the traditional inauguration ceremonies were held.
This change poses a logistical challenge, as tens of thousands of seats had already been prepared on the National Mall, and a large number of photographers and media were expected to attend to cover the outdoor event. According to reporters at the scene, work on installing the platform under the Capitol’s rotunda began on Friday afternoon, in preparation for the modified ceremony.
