President-elect Donald Trump is moving his swearing-in ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol on Monday because of expected freezing cold temperatures.
On Inauguration Day, temperatures in the U.S. capital are expected to hit a low of 11 degrees Fahrenheit (-11 degrees Celsius) and a high of just 23 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 degrees Celsius). The frigid temperatures mean Trump's inauguration is expected to be the coldest in 40 years, according to meteorologists.
"It is my obligation to protect the People of our Country but, before we even begin, we have to think of the Inauguration itself. The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows. There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don't want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way," Trump said in a post on social media platform Truth Social.
President Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985 was the last time a swearing-in ceremony was moved indoors.
Trump said in his post that he has "ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda," with dignitaries and guests brought into the Capitol.
The president-elect said the Capital One Arena, located in another part of Washington, will be opened up on Monday for live viewing of the inauguration and to host the parade. He said he will join the crowd at the indoor arena after his swearing-in, which is set for 12 p.m.
It is unclear what this means for the more than 250,000 people who were expected on the National Mall in Washington to witness firsthand the outdoor ceremony. The Capital One Arena holds some 20,000 people.
"The U.S. Secret Service and our federal, state, and local partners are working in close coordination with the Presidential Inaugural Committee and the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to adapt our security plans as needed due to the expected inclement weather during Monday's Presidential Inauguration in Washington," the National Special Security Event DC Joint Information Center said Friday in a statement.
The news that Trump's inauguration is moving inside comes soon after confirmation that China is sending Vice President Han Zheng to attend the ceremony.
This will be the first time a senior Chinese leader is scheduled to attend a U.S. president's swearing-in.
VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this story.
