(AFP) – With glacial temperatures forcing US President Donald Trump’s inauguration indoors Monday, a crowd of just several hundred supporters gathered on the National Mall where normally there would have been hundreds of thousands witnessing the ceremony unfold. Blocks away, another 20,000 packed the city’s Capital One sports arena to watch the swearing-in on the facility’s enormous screens — a makeshift solution — with Trump promising to appear there in person for a “presidential parade” scheduled for later in the day.
Loud applause and a crowd of “USA! USA!” punctuated his address, with his most ardent supporters giving standing ovations at the arena as he announced executive actions on some of his biggest campaign promises. “I am here because I love Donald J. Trump, and he loves America,” 32-year-old Alexx Rouse from Texas told AFP. “He is the perfect man for this job. I could not be more excited to be here in this moment, because this is history.”
Back on the mall, the crowd chanted the same “USA” refrain, joined by other outcries like “God bless America” from one woman and “Daddy’s home!” by another. People in small clusters watched the ceremony on their phones near the Capitol building, with the audio playing slightly off sync across the multitude of devices. “I feel on cloud 10,” said Gregg Donovan, 65, speaking from the mall moments after Trump was sworn in, adding that “the Golden Age of America has arrived.” The Hollywood native was wearing a top hat with a photo of Trump tucked in the brim, a red coat, and a giant faux gold chain with more Trump photos.
– ‘We’re celebrating’ –
Earlier in the day, Trump supporters Lorri Williams and Ellie Hymes told AFP they were “winging it” after everything moved inside. The pair, who traveled to Washington from Michigan and Missouri respectively, were standing outside the looming Washington Monument obelisk, but were only there to take in the sights before heading indoors to watch the inauguration on television. Despite their shift in plans, the two remained undeterred in their dedication to celebrating Trump’s return to the White House. Hymes, 69, was buoyant: “We’re celebrating, all the MAGA fans, the American people, with our very favorite president, Donald Trump.”
Some 220,000 tickets had been distributed for guests to watch the ceremony live from the National Mall, and even more people could have watched from further back on the grass on big screens — had bitter cold not forced the action indoors. Members of the Fairchild family visiting from Michigan were wearing red beanies and wrapped in Trump blankets as they stood before the Lincoln Monument ahead of the inauguration. “Ecstatic,” grandmother Barb told AFP when asked how they were feeling. Despite the chill, they said they were expecting a festive atmosphere and would watch the ceremony on TV. As they left, the matriarch turned back to look up at Lincoln’s marble visage, exclaiming gleefully: “Aren’t you so proud?” – Sarah TITTERTON, Emma LACOSTE
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