Donald Trump’s swearing will be held inside as America prepares for life-threatening cold
Inauguration day will be held inside for the first time in four decades with incoming US President Donald Trump making the call as America prepares for temperatures as low as -31C.
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Donald Trump has relocated his swearing in ceremony to the Capitol Rotunda fearing an Arctic blast could risk the lives of the crowd.
It will be the first time since Ronald Reagan’s 1985 inauguration the ceremony has been held in the rotunda.
It comes as the US braces for temperatures as low as -31C, conditions capable of causing frostbite in just 10 minutes, due to a polar vortex set to sweep the nation over the weekend.
During Monday’s inauguration ceremony it is forecast to be -5C in Washington DC but the bitterly cold winds blowing from Canada will cause the apparent temperature to plunge to -12C.
“I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“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!)
“Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather.
“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!”
The Presidential Parade, which ordinarily steps off from the Capitol before travelling down Pennsylvania Ave and ending at the White House, will also be relocated to inside the Capitol One Arena.
Guests are invited to sit inside the sheltered arena to view the inauguration live on big screens.
“Everyone will be safe, everyone will be happy, and we will, together, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Mr Trump declared.
The bitter weather – tied to an Arctic “polar vortex” blast – is expected to bring night-time lows as cold as -31 degrees Celsius over the weekend for some of the northernmost parts of the United States including North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
President-elect Trump, who takes office Monday, will see his swearing-in ceremony in
“It’s going to be pretty gusty,” said Marc Chenard, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service (NWS).
He told AFP that a “few inches” of snow is forecast on Sunday in the US capital, which is still blanketed in ice from a winter storm earlier this month.
The polar vortex is an air mass above the North Pole, located high in the stratosphere. Humans dwell in the troposphere, and the stratosphere is just above it.
Chenard added that temperatures “could certainly be life-threatening” for some people who find themselves outdoors during the cold snap due to the risk of hypothermia.
While the link between global warming and heatwaves is very direct, the behaviour of winter storms is governed by complex atmospheric dynamics that are more difficult to study.
In December 2022, a fierce winter storm left at least 61 people dead in the United States, with some victims found outside and others in their homes or cars.
FEUDING BILLIONAIRES TO SIT TOGETHER
Tech billionaires Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos will be seated in pride of place at Donald Trump’s inauguration on the platform next to his cabinet.
A source familiar with inauguration planning told America’s ABC News the three men would have ringside seats for what promises to be an entertaining swearing in of the colourful President-elect.
Mr Zuckerberg’s social media company Meta and Mr Bezos’ Amazon each pledged A$1.6 million to the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee while Mr Musk was a top campaign donor who has been dubbed the “First Buddy” in addition to his official role heading up the Department of Government Efficiency.
The seating arrangements are particularly interesting as Mr Zuckerberg and Mr Musk have waged a longstanding public feud.
The biff began when Mr Musk’s SpaceX damaged a Facebook satellite during launch back in 2016.
They spent the next few years sparring about AI and the merits of their respective platforms before Mr Musk tweeted “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol”.
Mr Zuckerberg screenshot and reposted the tweet to Instagram with the caption “send me location”.
The program for Donald Trump’s inauguration next week has been leaked, with the line-up containing some surprising details.
The event on January 20 will kick off with the usual pomp and ceremony, featuring a rousing rendition of The President’s Own, performed by the United States Marine Band, America’s oldest band and a favourite of both Mr Trump and wife Melania.
After a call to order and an invocation from the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan and Reverend Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, incoming US Vice President JD Vance will take the oath of office, which will be administered by Associate Justice Brett Cavanagh, according to the Daily Beast.
After a rendition of America the Beautiful by singer Carrie Underwood, Mr Trump will take the oath of office.
“I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said.
“I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
Lee Greenwood will sing Trump anthem Proud to Be an American as Mr Trump walks onto the inaugural platform, and opera singer Christopher Macchio will perform the national anthem, according to Axios.
Afterwards, a multifaith benediction will be delivered by Yeshiva University President and Rabbi Ari Berman; Imam Husham Al-Husainy; Senior Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of Detroit; and the Reverend Father Frank Mann of Brooklyn, the Daily Beast reports.
Aside from Underwood, the only other woman to play a role in the inaugural ceremony is Senator Amy Klobuchar, who chairs the Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
MICHELLE OBAMA SNUBS INAUGURATION
Michelle Obama will miss Donald Trump’s inauguration after skipping former US president Jimmy Carter’s funeral, where she would have sat next to the US President-elect.
Ms Obama was absent from Mr Cather’s funeral in Washington DC last week.
“Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,” the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama said in a statement.
The former first lady’s team did not provide a reason for her skipping the inauguration, but Ms Obama has been an impassioned critic of Mr Trump for years.
her last major appearance was during her appearance at US Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign rally in her failed bid for the US presidency.
Her husband Barack Obama was seated next to Mr Trump and the pair were caught on camera laughing and chatting, leading to a frenzy as lip readers tried to detect what they were saying.
Mr Trump himself even weighed in, posting a posted a parody video on Truth Social with fake audio dubbed into the real video.
The video trolled Ms Harris as Mr Trump jokingly filled in the gaps of the pair’s conversation.
“I knew you’d win,” a dubbed Mr Obama told Mr Trump after sitting down.“Oh really? Come on,” a faux Trump replied. “Anyone could beat her.”
It came as it was revealed Kid Rock will join Carrie Underwood in performing at Mr Trump’s inaugural celebrations.
The singer, a long-time Trump fan, will take the stage at the weekend “Victory Rally” at the Capital One Arena in Washington.
The Village People, the 70s disco group famed for the song YMCA, a favourite of Mr Trump, will also perform.
Billy Ray Cyrus is also set to take the stage.
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