Something tells us Donald Trump‘s second term in office is beginning just as it means to go on. The re-elected president’s inauguration ceremony has been thrown into chaos by a last-minute change to plans that is leaving Donny’s big day in danger of turning into an embarrassing anti-climax.
In what is threatening to become the worst-conceived Trump event since Rudy Giuliani held a press conference in front of a garage door, the inauguration may be left unable to seat everyone in attendance after the ceremony had to be relocated indoors due to icy weather conditions.
Despite this decision being made days ago — the official announcement was made last Friday, after rumblings all week — it seems event-planners didn’t fully take into account how hard it would be to shift everything inside. The inauguration is to take place within the Capitol’s Rotunda, a space comprising 7,200 square feet, which is proving not big enough to squeeze in the many VIPs — including former presidents and first ladies, members of Congress, and various international dignitaries — that are intending to attend.
“Simply put, there’s not enough room,” was what an anonymous senior Republican aide admitted to Politico, before succinctly summing up the disastrous relocation efforts: “It’s a s***show.”
When the move indoors was announced on Friday, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies assured those due to be there on the day that “those with tickets for the Presidential Platform and members of Congress will be able to attend in person.” However, sources told Politico that many may be forced to watch the ceremony from elsewhere in the Capitol due to the lack of seating space available in the Rotunda.
Rumors suggest that only 99 members of Congress will be able to fit into the main arena, although the inaugural committee refuted this claim to Politico. Nevertheless, one Republican told the outlet that they had been informed they could sit in the Rotunda, but their spouse would have to watch from the Statuary Hall or the Capitol Visitor Center. Another Republican source admitted that “no one knows” what the seating situation is even so late in the game.
“So much effort by so many people just for a ‘Hey, it’s a first-come, first-serve free-for-all,’” lamented a senior aide.
To be fair to the inauguration committee, it has been a long time since such an event has taken place indoors. In fact, the last of its kind was exactly 40 years ago, when Ronald Reagan’s own second-term inauguration in 1985 had to be moved inside due to a similarly chilly January weather, which reached as low as 7F on that occasion. Here in 2025, temperatures are expected to plummet to 21F by midday.
After Biden’s swearing-in back in 2020 had to be a much diminished affair due to both COVID-19 restrictions and fears of violence post-January 6, Trump’s second inauguration was supposed to be a return to form for the show-stopping, term-starting event. According to USA Today, 220,000 tickets have been sold ahead of time. That’s despite the weather officially being freezing enough to cause hypothermia after prolonged exposure.
For everyone in attendance, please wrap up warm (like, Steve Bannon three-sweaters warm). For those who don’t support Trump and are snuggled up indoors nice and cozy, well, you’ll probably still feel a chill run down your spine when he’s sworn in.
Published: Jan 20, 2025 11:39 am