Trump draws thousands to Washington rally for inauguration

20/1/2025 5:58

Thousands of Donald

Trump's supporters packed a Washington arena on Sunday to

celebrate his victory, a day before the president-elect returns

to power with plans to aggressively reshape U.S. immigration and

trade policy.



Throngs of fans danced to musician Kid Rock's performance as

they awaited Trump's arrival at a "Make America Great Again

Victory Rally" at Capital One Arena, an indoor hockey and

basketball arena and the venue for some of Monday's inauguration

festivities after forecasts of bitter cold prompted officials to

cancel the planned outdoor festivities.



The rally was likely to resemble the free-wheeling speeches

that have been a Trump staple since his first White House

campaign in 2016. The event marked his first major address in

Washington since he delivered a speech on Jan. 6, 2021, to his

supporters that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol.



Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, told the audience that

Trump would issue an executive order on Monday "ending the

border invasion, sending the illegals home and taking America

back," drawing cheers.



Ahead of the rally, his fans, many dressed in Trump's

trademark red jackets and MAGA hats, waited in a cold, driving

rain along several downtown Washington blocks, some chanting

"USA! USA!"



Val Tordjman, 58, had traveled across the country from

Denver with tickets to watch the inauguration. When he heard the

ceremony was being moved inside, notably cutting the size of the

in-person audience, he said, "I felt like crying."



Tordjman said he planned to spend the night on the street

next to the arena, despite temperatures forecast to plunge to

around 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius). He said he

had yet to see Trump in person.



"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," he said.



Large swaths of the streets around the U.S. Capitol and

White House have been blocked off by steel fences since last

week, and police were visible throughout the city.



Trump's rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday,

could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White

House term. In recent weeks, Trump has bewildered foreign allies

by musing aloud about taking over Greenland and the Panama Canal

and turning Canada into a U.S. state.



Immigration will be a target of Trump's first executive

actions after taking office, along with energy issues and

policies aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, his

incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz told CBS.



"The American people gave him a clear mandate. Lock down our

border, deport the worst of the worst, take on the cartels,"

Waltz said in an interview with "Face the Nation."



Trump had breakfast with Republican U.S. senators at Blair

House, the guest quarters across from the White House, on

Sunday. John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Ted Cruz, Rick Scott and Tim

Scott were among the attendees seen leaving the event.



He later placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. Trump saluted

the tomb as a military bugler played "Taps."







MUSK FACTOR



The world's richest man, Elon Musk, who has become a Trump

confidant since spending more than $250 million on his campaign,

is scheduled to speak at the event, along with Vice

President-elect JD Vance, Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO

Dana White, conservative activist Charlie Kirk and conservative

commentator Megyn Kelly.



TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew planned to attend the rally, hours

after the company announced it was restoring its service thanks

to Trump's promise to delay a U.S. ban that took effect on

Sunday. Chew is also expected to join other tech executives at

Trump's inauguration on Monday.



Biden, meanwhile, made his last official trip as president

on Sunday to Charleston, South Carolina, to mark Martin Luther

King Jr. Day, which is also on Monday. He attended services and

spoke about King's legacy at Royal Missionary Baptist Church,

while also urging despondent fellow Democrats not to give up

hope.



The inauguration is scheduled for noon ET (1700 GMT) on

Monday, when Trump will take the presidential oath of office

inside the rotunda of the Capitol building, after the cold

weather prompted organizers to move the ceremony indoors.

Approximately 25,000 law enforcement personnel will be on hand

to provide security.