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In bitter cold, thousands of Donald Trump’s faithful gathered at the Capital One Arena in Washington for a televised viewing of his inauguration, sharing stories of unwavering support despite not being able to see the president up close.
The weather-forced move indoors scaled back what Capitol police had anticipated would be a crowd of a quarter-million ticketed guests, though die-hard supporters still made their way through the capital’s frozen streets to be as close as possible to the historic moment.
And for the lucky few thousand who were able to squeeze into the arena a mile away from the ceremony after braving long lines and frigid weather, the chance to see Trump in any capacity was worth the ordeal.
“I became political because I felt like for the first time in my life there was a president willing to fight for the common person,” said Jennifer Meredith, who travelled from North Carolina with her daughter. “This is obviously his last election, so we wanted to be here for it.”
A mother of six and small business owner, Meredith said while walking through the two block-long security buffer zone towards the arena that Trump’s military and foreign policies stood as particularly meaningful to her family. “Having a six-foot-six son in the Army national guard, the fact that he really cares about only using our military as a last resort matters to me.”
Trump moved his inauguration ceremony – traditionally held on the west front of the US Capitol – to the Capitol rotunda because it was 26F (-3.3C). It went so well, Trump said, that maybe future administrations should consider holding their own inaugurations there.
“That was so beautiful today,” Trump said during remarks to an overflow room in the US Capitol. “Maybe they should do it there every four years.”
“There was no suffering in that room,” Trump added. “It was 72 degrees. It was perfect, with the best, the best acoustics I think I’ve ever heard in a room.”
The crowd outside Capital One Arena included both veteran supporters and a younger generation of Trump enthusiasts. Josh, a Brooklyn resident who attended Trump’s first inauguration at age 12, returned for what he called a “colder but exciting” event. “Everyone has good spirits, even though it’s cold,” he said.
He touted Trump’s “America first agenda”, saying the US needs to shift from foreign aid to domestic priorities. “For too long you’ve been pushing America, in the back of the line, to Ukraine, and other countries, when we have to just focus domestically, on the issues at home,” said Josh, who refused to share a last name.
For some supporters who weren’t able to get in the arena, like Tammy Scoblick who came with family from Dalton, Pennsylvania, tax reform on tipped wages ranked high among anticipated policies.
The gathering highlighted the deep personal connection many supporters feel with Trump’s message. “My husband and I are just average people,” Meredith reflected. “This is obviously his last election, and so we wanted to be here for it.”
Despite the indoor venue change and not being able to see Trump in person, supporters outside the arena remained undeterred. As Josh put it: “To protect the president, of course, it’s worth it.”
Read more of the Guardian’s Trump coverage
