Donald Trump’s return to Washington was supposed to be a day of thrills for his supporters: with packed crowds on the National Mall, an all-star lineup of tech leaders and a handful of celebrities in town to usher in a president who had been counted out by many due to the stunning circumstances of his departure in 2021.
Instead, cold winter weather forced a change in the president’s plans. At the last minute, for the first time in decades, the transition team announced that an elaborate ceremony would be moved inside the Capitol Rotunda.
Thousands of Americans — Trump’s own supporters — were metaphorically and literally left out in the cold, as some learned of the news after arriving in the city. The last-minute switch left most without any idea how they they would watch the inauguration of their champion, an inauguration many had spent hundreds or thousands of dollars to see in person, despite worries about winter temperatures.
One unlucky pair even learned about the change of plans from NBC’s Gary Grumbach, live on camera, during an interview.
Smaller crowds of Trump supporters instead made their way between rows of black Capitol Police fencing to watch the event on TV screens at the Capitol One Arena. Many Trump supporters entering the building dropped hundreds of dollars (if not more) worth of belongings that they were prohibited from bringing inside.
But it was a fraction of those who had hoped to watch the inauguration in person. More than 250,000 received tickets to view Trump’s inauguration on the grounds facing the West Front of the Capitol. Only about 20,000 could fit in the downtown arena.
This is wild. A pile of abandoned bags and purses from people entering the area around Capital One Arena. A Secret Service Agent I talked to estimates some of the bags are worth north of $6,000. Some still had cash and credit cards in them @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/shYHaGXMa3
— John Doran (@JohnDoranTV) January 20, 2025
Out of the thousands who attended events across town while the main festivities took place inside the Capitol, one group left wandering was none other than the Proud Boys.
A contingent of the far-right militia (or “fraternity” as its members describe it) numbering as many as 150 people organized at Union Station shortly before 10:30 a.m. They then walked several blocks down E street, occasionally breaking out into chants of “whose streets?/our streets!” until reaching the U.S. district courthouse, the site of many of the sentencings of January 6 participants after the failed attempt by Trump’s supporters to force Congress to stop certification of the 2020 election and Joe Biden’s victory.
Upon reaching the courthouse, the group posed with a banner reading “congratulations President Trump” for several photographs. The march then proceeded further downtown, as the group ambled toward Capitol One Arena.
Originally intending to join the crowds on the mall, the right-wing “chauvinist” group instead paraded around the streets, wearing black-and-yellow outfits and fake beards to obscure their identities The group did not appear to have any set plans about where they would watch the swearing-in, and told The Independent that they were “just hanging out.”
“We haven’t thought that far ahead,” said one of the group’s organizers, who identified himself as “Dave the Sermonizer,” at a makeshift press conference. “We just want to get through the day more than anything.”
Two blocks and one barricade separated the group from the Capitol One Arena as “the Sermonizer” whitewashed his organization’s role in violent clashes with left-leaning protesters as well as with police on January 6. One of the group’s former leaders, Enrique Tarrio, was convicted of seditious conspiracy after the attack on the Capitol. He’s currently serving a 22-year sentence.
“We are a fraternity of men. Pro-West. The West is the best, that’s our motto,” preaching Dave declared to a small group of journalists.
The group’s presence was rewarded later in the evening. As the new president signed a slate of executive orders rescinding many of his predecessors policies, Tarrio became one of the first imprisoned for their role in January 6 to be granted a pardon.
The previous day’s events, which included receptions and galas around the city that boasted appearances by Snoop Dogg and Waka Flocka Flame, were held under near whiteout conditions. A chilling sleet in the afternoon turned into snow as the evening went on, driving most indoors to watch TVs tuned to Trump’s “victory rally” at the Capital One Arena. Liberals complained on local DC social media channels about Trump fans overtaking their favorite dives across the city.
At Union Pub, next to the Senate office buildings, a sea of red Maga hats replaced the usual crowd of Hill staffers, journalists, and locals on Sunday as the rally began. An older woman tending bar, one of several beleaguered-looking workers serving drinks, grumbled as she hobbled off to go find more margarita mix.
“Must be a Biden voter,” joked a man at the bar.
