Trump departs Palm Beach for D.C. as inauguration ceremony moved inside by freezing weather: Live

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President-elect says he has ordered inauguration and speeches to take place in the Capitol Rotunda ‘as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985’

Kristi Noem quizzed by senators at confirmation hearing

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The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda on Monday because frigid temperatures are expected in the nation’s capital.

It’s set to be the coldest inauguration day in four decades.

“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who has overseen a number of January 6 cases, said during a sentencing hearing Friday that her recent visit to the Capitol served as a reminder that “people came in and desecrated that beautiful space,” Politico reported.

This comes as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem – Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security and best known for bragging about shooting dead her dog Cricket in her memoir – dodged questions by senators at her confirmation hearing on Friday on whether she would dare stand up to the president-elect if he threatened to withhold federal disaster relief funding from blue states.

Meanwhile, the number of Democrats who have reportedly said they will skip the inauguration, continues to grow.

Is Trump’s inaugural parade still happening?

Trump also said that Capital One Arena would “host the Presidential Parade.” Trump said he would “join the crowd” at Capital One after he takes the oath.

The parade is managed by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, which is trying to figure out what changes need to be made and how the parade will go on.

Normally, thousands of people line the route from the Capitol to the White House, which the president typically traverses following the swearing-in ceremony. Marching bands and other participants from around the country come to Washington to participate, so presumably they will also be part of the newly arranged indoor festivities.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 18:30

Snoop Dogg performs at Crypto Ball to celebrate Trump’s inauguration

The Shade Room has posted footage of Snoop Dogg performing at the Crypto Ball, which was held to celebrate Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Snoop is seen performing his classic track “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” at the event in Washington, D.C., hosted by David Sacks, the former PayPal COO and the incoming White House AI and cryptocurrency czar.

Fans on social media were shocked by Snoop’s past criticism of Trump, but the rapper publicly changed his view of the incoming president some time ago.

In an interview with The Sunday Times in January 2024, citing Trump’s pardoning of Michael Harris, co-founder of Snoop’s first label, Death Row, for drug offenses, he said, “I have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump.”

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 18:20

Ramaswamy reportedly announcing campaign for Ohio governor

Ramaswamy — who was reportedly considering a run for J.D. Vance’s open U.S. Senate seat, with Trump’s encouragement — is expected to announce a campaign to replace the state’s term-limited Republican Governor Mike DeWine, according to The Washington Post.

Alex Woodward reports.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 18:15

Will members of the public be able to attend the inauguration inside the Capitol?

In his social media post about the weather-related change, Trump said that “various Dignitaries and Guests” would be taken into the Rotunda for the ceremony. It’s unclear how many people or whom.

According to a notice from the House’s sergeant at arms to congressional offices, the vast majority of the seats that had been planned for an outdoor ceremony will be excluded and those tickets will become “commemorative.” Organizers are still deciding whether they can admit people who have tickets in sections 3 and 4, which would have been right in front of the stage outdoors.

The Rotunda can only hold about 600 people, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

According to Trump’s post, Capital One Arena — where the incoming president plans a rally Sunday afternoon — will be open again on Monday for “LIVE viewing of this Historic event.” No information is available yet on how to sign up for a seat inside the arena on Monday. The arena can hold 20,000 people.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 18:00

Biden sets record commuting sentences of 2,500 non-violent drug offenders

“This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars,” Biden said in a statement. “I am proud of my record on clemency and will continue to review additional commutations and pardons.”

Criminal justice advocates praised the decision.

Josh Marcus reports.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 17:45

Exactly how cold will it be during the inauguration?

The National Weather Service is predicting that the temperature will be about 22 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-6 Celsius) at noon EST, when Trump becomes president. That would be the coldest since Reagan’s second inauguration saw temperatures plunge to 7 degrees (minus-14 Celsius).

“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way.”

In 2009, it was 28 degrees (minus-2 Celsius) for Barack Obama’s swearing-in. Biden was sworn in four years ago in a relatively balmy 42 degrees (5.5 Celsius).

A few Democrats poked fun at Trump’s decision.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the Democrats’ losing 2024 campaign, posted a photo of himself standing in a snowstorm with the caption, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.”

Monday’s forecast temperature is about the same as it was in Washington 64 years ago, when John F. Kennedy took the oath in a 22-degree chill, and after crews worked overnight clearing 8 inches of fresh snow from the parade route. Kennedy delivered his speech from the Capitol’s east steps without a topcoat, his frosty breath visible as he spoke.

A half-century earlier, William Howard Taft held his 1909 inauguration indoors after 10 inches of snow fell. That’s when the inauguration was still held on March 4, not Jan. 20.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 17:35

With the inauguration moving indoors, where will Trump now be sworn in?

The Rotunda is prepared as an alternative for each inauguration in the event of inclement weather. The swearing-in was last moved indoors in 1985, when President Ronald Reagan began his second term. Monday’s forecast calls for the lowest Inauguration Day temperatures since that day.

President Joe Biden, members of Congress and other dignitaries and notable guests will be able to view the ceremony from inside the Capitol. On Friday, workers were installing a small platform in the Rotunda.

The U.S. Capitol Police said outside ticketed areas at the Capitol will be closed “due to the extremely cold weather,” so even if people wanted to gather there as Trump takes the oath inside, they won’t be allowed to do so.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 17:18

Hinting at investigation, Trump blasts FBI’s now-shuttered DEI office

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 17:15

EXCLUSIVE: Trump considering rejecting UK prime minister’s nominee for ambassador to the US

Mar-a-Lago sources within the Trump team have told The Independent that it is still not certain Lord Peter Mandelson’s credentials will be accepted by Trump after he becomes president.

While the threat of rejecting Mandelson could be sabre rattling, strains between Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government and the incoming administration are being blamed. However, there also are concerns about Lord Mandelson’s perceived links to China.

David Maddox, The Independent’s political editor, reports.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 16:45

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs to target Trump allies for maximum political impact, report says

The Canadian government is gearing up a three-phase strategy involving retaliatory tariffs and other trade measures against the United States. This plan will be activated if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise of a universal 25 percent tariff on all Canadian imports to the U.S.

The New York Times reports that Canadian officials will wait until Mr. Trump has made his move — which he has said will be on his first day in office, Monday — before starting to impose their own tariffs. According to two senior government officials familiar with the plans, the tariffs would mostly affect consumer goods worth 37 billion Canadian dollars ($25.6 billion).

The plans are meant to remain private but the officials spoke to the Times on condition of anonymity.

The choice of goods is planned to be precisely targeted for maximum political impact. They specifically want to focus on goods made in Republican or swing states, where the pain of tariffs, like pressure on jobs and the bottom lines of local businesses, would affect Trump allies.

The hope is that those allies—governors or members of Congress—will then intervene to de-escalate the situation.

Oliver O'Connell18 January 2025 16:35

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Vivek Ramaswamy, the billionaire biotech entrepreneur joining Elon Musk to recommend drastic cuts to federal spending in Donald Trump’s administration, reportedly plans to run for governor of Ohio.