Trump arrives in Washington for inaugural celebrations to mark his return to power
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WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump arrived in Washington on Saturday evening to celebrate with family, supporters and political allies ahead of his second inauguration, a triumphant return for the Republican four years after he departed the city under the shadow of an attack by his supporters on the Capitol.
Trump was marking his return to power with a celebration and a fireworks showcase at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., about 30 miles outside Washington.
Trump made his way from West Palm Beach, Fla., with his wife, Melania Trump, and their son, Barron, aboard a U.S. military C-32 aircraft on a flight dubbed Special Air Mission 47 — a nod to Trump becoming the 47th president on Monday.
It’s a courtesy that’s traditionally been extended by the outgoing administration to the incoming one. Trump did not make a government plane available to President Biden ahead of his inauguration in 2021, and instead the Democrat flew to Washington on a privately chartered aircraft.
As Trump’s motorcade neared his golf club for Saturday’s celebration, he was greeted by dozens of well-wishers who gathered along the roadside and chanted “Trump” and “USA, USA!”
He arrived in the Washington area as organizers of Monday’s Inauguration Day ceremony were scrambling to move inside most of the outdoor events, including the swearing-in of the president and vice president that traditionally takes place on the steps of the Capitol, due to the frigid cold that is forecast.
It will be the first time since President Reagan took the oath of office in 1985 for his second term that the ceremony will be moved inside the Capitol.
President-elect Donald Trump could start taking action Monday on his many “Day 1” campaign promises, but California officials and others are ready to fight.
Trump opted to make the move inside. “I think we made the right decision,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview Saturday. “We’ll be very comfortable now.”
On Pennsylvania Avenue leading to the White House, crews were breaking down metal bleachers that would have been used for outdoor inauguration viewing stands.
Even before Trump got to town, groups of protesters began taking to the street in the morning as a light sleet fell.
Melody Hamoud, a Washington resident, wore a pink pussyhat that she had on at a 2017 march to protest Trump’s first inauguration.
“I just didn’t want to sit home and fret in front of the TV,” she said. “I wanted to feel like our movement still has energy and be around others who felt the same.”
Timothy Wallis, 58, flew in for the inauguration from Pocatello, Idaho, with friends. The group had tickets to watch the ceremony outside but haven’t been able to get tickets to any of the indoor events.
“We found out on the plane,” he said about the change of plans.
Wallis said he was disappointed about the switch and a little bemused since he’s used to cold at home.
“We left snow to come here,” he said. “I brought my gloves!”
Meanwhile, Trump said Saturday he is preparing to roll out a series of executive orders and other actions in the first days of his new administration.
He confirmed he’ll “most likely” grant an extension that might allow TikTok to keep operating in the U.S. beyond Sunday, when a law that prohibits mobile app stores and internet hosting services from distributing TikTok to U.S. users takes effect.
And Trump in the NBC News interview confirmed that his administration would begin its effort “very early, very quickly” on following through on a campaign promise of mass deportations of migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission.
Federal immigration officers are expected to initially target more than 300 people in the Chicago area with histories of egregious, violent crimes after Trump takes office Monday, according to an official familiar with the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity because plans have not been made public.
“Well, it’s got to happen, and if it doesn’t happen, we’re not going to have a country any longer,” said Trump, who declined to say where the deportation operations would begin.
Trump, a Republican, left office in 2021 as a political pariah after his refusal to accept his loss to Democrat Joe Biden led a mob to overrun the U.S. Capitol; he was impeached on a charge of inciting an insurrection. He then broke tradition by skipping Biden’s inauguration.
In a stark contrast with Trump, Biden will adhere to one of the most potent symbols of the democratic handover, welcoming Trump to the White House and joining him on the ride to the Capitol before he takes the oath of office.
The first time Trump was sworn into office eight years ago, the former reality TV star came in as an outsider disrupting Washington’s norms, delivering a dark inaugural address as his swearing-in drew large protests and some clashes in the street.
This time, Trump told NBC, the theme of his inauguration speech would be “unity and strength, and also the word ‘fairness.’”
The protests are expected to be far less noticeable, eclipsed by the ceremonies and celebrations around Trump’s taking power. As one more marker of Trump’s comeback, the events surrounding his inauguration will be more celebrity-studded than the last time, along with a noticeable turnout by a cadre of tech-world billionaires.
Tech leaders who once shunned Trump are now meeting with him, touting the opportunities they see in his next term, and bankrolling his inauguration.
While Trump holds court at his club, Vice President-elect JD Vance was attending a reception for Cabinet members and hosting a dinner in Washington.
On Sunday, the eve of his inauguration, Trump is scheduled to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery before heading to a rally at Capital One Arena in Washington. The rally will be followed by a private dinner.
On Inauguration Day, Trump will start with the traditional prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church before heading to the White House for a customary tea with the outgoing president and first lady.
Thousands from around the U.S. rallied in the nation’s capital for reproductive rights and other causes they say are threatened by Trump.
Trump then heads to the Capitol for the indoor swearing-in, as temperatures are set to plummet and make it the coldest Inauguration Day in 40 years. It’s not clear how the ceremony will be adapted to the Capitol Rotunda, which holds only 600 people. More than 250,000 guests were ticketed to view the inauguration from around the Capitol grounds.
Eight years ago, Trump’s critics were wrestling with whether to attend his inauguration, contemplating whether to buck long-standing practice and send a signal to the divisive new president. This year, the resistance to Trump has been more muted, though there will be two notable absences: former First Lady Michelle Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco).
After Trump takes the oath of office and delivers his inaugural address, there will be a ceremonial farewell to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. As the new Republican government takes power, Trump will head to a signing ceremony at the Capitol to approve some of his first official acts, followed by a congressional luncheon and review of U.S. troops.
The planned traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue has morphed into an indoor event because of the cold, with Trump again planning to speak to his gathered supporters before he heads to the White House for a signing ceremony in the Oval Office. A trio of glitzy balls will follow in the evening, punctuated by musical performances.
Price and Weissert write for the Associated Press. AP writers Stephany Matat, Lindsay Whitehurst, Ashraf Khalil, Gary Fields, Zeke Miller, Lindsey Bahr, Todd Richmond, Elliot Spagat, and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
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