Trump Likely to Avoid Controversy Over Inauguration Crowd Size by Moving Inauguration Inside

Debates over the size of the crowd at President-elect Trump’s inauguration notably generated controversy in 2017, when the White House insisted that the media underreported Trump’s numbers.

with his oath Now it’s moving inland. Due to the harsh winter weather, Trump is likely to avoid any questions about assistance this time.

Fox News learned on Friday that Trump’s inauguration would be moved indoors due to frigid temperatures predicted for Washington, D.C. on Monday. Trump announced that he had ordered his inaugural address and other ceremonial prayers and speeches to be held in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol to protect people from harm.

“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C.with the wind chill factor, it could push temperatures to severe record lows,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

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“There is an Arctic blast sweeping the country. I don’t want to see people hurt or injured in any way. These are dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of law enforcement officers, first responders, police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters who will be out for many hours on the 20th (in any case, if you decide to come, dress warmly!),” he continued.

Trump also said Capital One Arena will be open Monday to watch his inauguration live “and to host the presidential parade.”

“I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my swearing-in,” Trump wrote.

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The Inaugural Committee confirmed Trump’s remarks and said the ceremony would be moved inside the US Capitol to the Rotunda, a committee spokesperson said.

With attendees no longer able to gather outside in the cold, any photo ops for Trump and a record crowd are likely out of the picture, as is any chance of people questioning Trump’s claimed crowd size, as in 2017.

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer attacked the press shortly after Trump’s first inauguration, accusing the media of inaccurately reporting the size of the crowd.

The day after the inauguration, Spicer said that “photographs of the inaugural proceedings were intentionally framed in a way, in one tweet in particular, to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall.”

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He also said at the time that “inaccurate numbers were also tweeted about the size of the crowd. No one had numbers, because the National Park Service, which controls the National Mall, doesn’t publish any.”

“These attempts to dampen the enthusiasm for the inauguration are shameful and misguided,” Spicer said.

The Washington Post reported at the time that Trump had called the acting director of the National Park Service on his first day in office to question photos circulating online of the size of his inaugural crowd.

president biden also faced crowd-sized barriers during his inauguration in 2021 due to current coronavirus restrictions. Their ceremony was sparsely attended and included former presidents and first ladies. Attendees wore face masks and many did not adhere to social distancing guidelines, with several seen high-fiving and hugging.

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The last inauguration ceremony to be moved indoors was President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in January 1985. Reagan was sworn in at the White House the day before the ceremony, while public events the following day were held at inside because temperatures reached 7 degrees with a wind chill of -40.

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo, Peter Doocy, Chad Pergram and Aishah Hasnie contributed to this report.