Donald Trump arrived in Washington on Saturday evening (local time) to celebrate with family, supporters, and political allies ahead of his second inauguration as president on Monday, according to the Assoicated Press reports.
This marks a triumphant return for the Republican four years after he left the city following the Capitol attack by his supporters.
Trump travelled aboard Special Air Mission 47 from West Palm Beach, Florida, accompanied by Melania Trump and their son Barron. The flight number acknowledges his upcoming role as the 47th president.
The celebration began with a fireworks showcase at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, about 30 miles outside Washington. He arrived in the capital as organisers scrambled to move most of the outdoor inauguration day events, including the swearing-in ceremony, inside due to forecasted frigid temperatures. This will be the first time since President Ronald Reagan’s second term in 1985 that the ceremony will be held inside the US Capitol.
In a phone interview with NBC News on Saturday, Trump said, “I think we made the right decision. We’ll be very comfortable now.”
The inauguration will feature performances by country music stars Carrie Underwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Jason Aldean, as well as appearances by actor Jon Voight and wrestler Hulk Hogan. Tech executives Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Shou Zi Chew are also expected to attend.
On the inauguration eve, Trump will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Sunday, followed by a rally at Capital One Arena and a private dinner.
Then, on the Inauguration Day, Trump will participate in the traditional prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church before heading to the White House for tea with the outgoing president and first lady. The swearing-in ceremony will be held inside the Capitol Rotunda due to the cold weather, followed by an indoor parade and a signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
As the soon-to-president looks forward to the formal oath, protesters began taking to the streets in the morning as a light sleet fell. Melody Hamoud, a Washington resident, wore a pink hat from the 2017 march protesting Trump’s first inauguration, saying, “I just didn’t want to sit home and fret in front of the TV. I wanted to feel like our movement still has energy and be around others who felt the same.”
Meanwhile, talking about the decisions that his administration would work on, Trump confirmed he would likely grant an extension allowing TikTok to continue operating in the US beyond Sunday when a law prohibiting its distribution takes effect. He also stated that his administration would begin its effort to follow through on a campaign promise of mass deportations of migrants living in the country without legal permission “very early, very quickly.”