Trump supporters brave cold, long lines to mark second term: 'Happiest day of my life'
WASHINGTON D.C. - What would’ve been a chilly day on the National Mall instead became a raucous indoor rally for many Trump fans who packed Capital One Arena for the makeshift event after the outdoor inauguration was canceled due to frigid temperatures.
A retiree from Orlando watched Donald Trump’s swearing in while standing in line for nachos. A Trump super fan from New Jersey in a green MAGA hat arrived at 4 a.m. for his 109th rally. A doctor from California also stood in line before sunrise to watch Trump’s inauguration on the arena jumbotron
The downtown D.C. venue was overflowing with fans of the 45th and 47th president who traveled from across the country.
The rally version of President Donald Trump’s inauguration was loud and exuberant. Some attendees couldn’t hide their disappointment at missing the event in person, but shrugged it off and reveled in the moment.
Inauguration live updates: Highlights from Trump's speech, latest on event schedule
They cheered loudly every time Trump appeared on the jumbotron screen and booed Democrats, reserving their loudest jeers for outgoing President Joe Biden.
They chanted “USA, USA,” booed a protester who shouted “Free Palestine” and sang “Nah, nah, nah, nah - nah, nah nah, nah - hey, hey, hey - goodbye” as the screen showed Biden walking to Marine One to depart Washington.
They ate nachos, hot dogs, chicken fingers and French fries as Trump delivered a hard-hitting inaugural address reminiscent of his rally speeches, with the newly sworn-in president talking about defeating the “radical and corrupt establishment” and excoriating Biden’s record.
“America’s decline is over,” Trump declared, as the arena crowd roared and attendees pumped their fists in the air.
Vance: Trump didn't 'hold back' in address
Trump’s scrambled, chopped up Inauguration Day was like a nesting doll that expanded from an intimate ceremony in the rotunda with a few hundred people, to a second viewing area in the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall to a slightly larger crowd and a third appearance at the 20,000-seat arena.
Vice President JD Vance noted Trump didn’t “hold back” in his inauguration speech and that was true throughout. Inside Emancipation Hall, Trump talked about a “rigged election” in 2020.
Inaugural address: Donald Trump sworn in as 47th president, declares 'America's decline is over'
Inside the arena, the crowd was fired up throughout Trump’s inaugural address. They erupted in a standing ovation when the president, remarking on his assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, declared: “I was saved by God to make America Great Again.”
Heading back to his seat with tray full of nachos after watching Trump’s swearing in on a screen in the arena hallway, the Orlando retiree said he enjoyed the “pomp and circumstance.”
“Now the fun’s going to begin,” he added, predicting a dramatic change in governing.
'Greater than when he won the first time around'
Many people stood in the dark and sub-freezing temperatures hours before the arena doors opened to ensure a spot inside.
Dr. Matab Singh, 50, traveled from Bakersfield, Calif. He awoke at 1 a.m. Sunday, took a shower, decided to go back to sleep for another hour and took a cab to the arena, arriving at 4 a.m.
5 takeaways on the inauguration: 'America's decline is over.' Trump returns to power
He was nervous about getting seats. An outdoor event on the National Mall can hold many more people than the arena, where people were given entry on a first-come-first-serve basis. Singh was in his seat around 8:30 a.m. for an event that extended into the evening with Trump’s third speech of the day.
Born in India, Singh immigrated to the United States in 1993.
“We need legal immigration, not illegal immigrants,” he said.
Red MAGA hats were plentiful in the arena, along with red, white and blue winter hats with “Make America Great Again” emblazoned on them.
Related: Donald Trump is the same. But Washington and the world have changed the 2nd time around.
Edward X Young, 65, stood out in his green MAGA hat, Trump scarf, shirt and jean jacket with Trump buttons, including one promoting Trump’s youngest son, Barron, for president in 2052. Like Singh, he also arrived at 4 a.m.
Young works for a debt relief company in Brick, N.J., and acts in low budget films. He volunteered for the Trump campaign, taking extensive time off work. Supporting Trump was “exhausting my bank account” but after all the time he invested in Trump’s victory, he said he "had to be here to see it to its fruition."
“My feet hurt, my back hurts, I might have some frost bite, I’m probably going to sick, I’m sweaty, I feel dirty – it’s the happiest day of my life,” Young said. “This is greater than when he won the first time around because now it really counts.”
Executive action: In sweeping orders, Trump aims to remake federal policy on border, gender, climate change
Remarking that “it’s not that cold out,” Young was disappointed the outdoor event was canceled. He attended multiple Trump rallies in New Hampshire during last year’s January primary that were colder, he noted. He didn’t believe the official reason for the inauguration change, saying he suspects “this was for security reasons.”
“I really wanted to see that parade and I really wanted to see the swearing in, but if was to keep him safe I’m not going to complain,” Young said.
Trump talked about moving the event indoors during his Emancipation Hall remarks. He didn’t mention a security issue, instead saying he thought to himself Monday, “Look at this beautiful sunny day, we blew it, we blew it.”
Then he felt the cold outside and was glad it was moved indoors, saying people would’ve been “very unhappy” outside.
“Thank God we moved that thing indoors because it was a beautiful ceremony and it was cold as hell outside,” Vice President JD Vance said.
As a doctor, Singh endorsed the move.
“Elderly people could get heart attacks,” he said of the cold, adding he wasn’t disappointed in the change despite traveling from California to witness the inauguration.
Georgia resident Art Gallegos Jr., 51, also he didn’t mind the change of plans. The head of a conservative Hispanic group, Gallegos still was able to attend three events – the Hispanic Inaugural Ball and a Trump rally Sunday and the arena inauguration party Monday. He met the presidents of Argentina and Paraguay at the ball.
Gallegos worked to help Trump get elected, networking with Hispanic church and business leaders. Trump made gains with Hispanic voters, which Gallegos said shows that immigration is not the dominate issue some believe, instead pointing to the economy, religion and family values.
Still, he acknowledged some Hispanic pastors have expressed concerns to him about Trump’s deportation plans.
Related: In sweeping orders, Trump aims to remake federal policy on border, gender, climate change
“I was telling a pastor one day, there’s a gate in heaven and not everybody’s going to get in. We want to make sure we have great folks coming in,” Gallegos said.
While Gallegos and others in the arena didn’t get to see Trump’s swearing in ceremony and inaugural address in person, they heard speeches from entrepreneur Elon Musk, Trump’s FBI director nominee Kash Patel and Trump himself.
Trump’s family arrived on the arena floor at 5:13 p.m. for the indoor inaugural parade. The crowd chanted the names of various family members as they were shown on the jumbotron. Marching bands paraded on the arena floor in front of a presidential viewing area erected on stage.
After the parade, family members of people taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel were invited on stage. Trump shook their hands and they stood behind him as he spoke, starting at 6:19 p.m.
Trump told the crowd he’d soon be pardoning people convicted of crimes related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 by a mob of his supporters seeking to overturn the 2020 election results.
He launched into comments familiar from his campaign rallies, complaining about wind power, saying people “can’t buy bacon” because of inflation and again claiming without evidence that the 2020 election was “rigged.”
Moving to a small wooden desk setup on the stage with the presidential seal attached, he signed a series of executive orders, including again removing the United States from the Paris climate agreement.
“Could you imagine Biden doing this? I don’t think so,” he said as he signed order after order.
The president held up each order and showed it to the crowd after signing it with a black marker, later throwing the markers into the crowd. The event ended shortly before 7 p.m.
The campaign was over, but the Trump rallies continued.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump supporters brave cold to celebrate: 'Happiest day of my life'