Trump fans watch his inauguration from hotel lobby
After tens of thousands of Trump-loving patriots had arrived in Washington, the US capital was filled with a dual sense of immense excitement, optimism and disappointment.
The excitement and optimism on account of Donald Trump’s emphatic and clear mandate to ‘Make America Great Again’; the disappointment due to the decision to move the entire ceremony inside.
On the day, the weather was so poor that even the outdoor screens that had been promised were nowhere to be seen, resulting in desperate patriots crowding around laptops and phones in order to watch and hear the ceremony – some so far away from the speaker they had no hope of following it.
But huddled away in pockets of the city small gatherings of Trump supporters could be found – from pubs and bars to hotel lobbies. Even in these less-than-glorious settings there was a palpable sense of hope and patriotism.
The US system had pulled its finger out to organise the indoor ceremony at lightning speed.
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Donald Trump’s indoor ceremony was a unique event (Image: Getty)
Sadly for foreign reporters, many of whom had travelled thousands of miles to be in DC for the big day, they were excluded from the main event.
Instead, the so-called VIPs entered the impressive Capitol building to watch Donald Trump’s oath of office, and barnstorming America-first speech.
The families of both Mr Trump and JD Vance were there; with Baron Trump’s 6’7” stature towering over First Lady Melania, whose outfit not only made her look like she was about to board the Titanic, but whose hat had such a wide brim President Trump gave up trying to kiss her on the cheek about an inch away from her face.
Even big-name Brits struggled to find space, though both Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage managed to nab the high-demand seats.
Notably, some of the wealthiest tech giants in the world, including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, were seated more prominently than members of Trump’s incoming cabinet. A sign – among many – that the cultural shift many expected from his 2016 win is finally in full swing.
Trump supporters travelled thousands of miles only to be left out in the cold (Image: Daily Express)
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris surely had the worst seats in the world – on the front row just to Trump’s left – with their lemon-sucking faces broadcast to millions as he tore apart their legacy in office, and repeatedly punched Harris’ bruises from her election defeat.
While supporters out in the -12c wind were muted, those in my hotel lobby did not hold back their cheers, whoops and applause as they watched it on the widescreen TV.
Around 30 MAGA hat-wearing fans watched the broadcast, giving Donald Trump standing ovations during the headline-generating speech.
His pledges to ‘put America first’, promise that ‘America’s decline is over’, and claim he was saved by god to “Make America Great Again” inspired whoops and hollers you could hear from the lift.
Even in this tiny room with a few dozen people, it proved impossible not to be swept along by the tide of hope and patriotism.
Some sang along to ‘glory, glory, hallelujah’; there were astonished cries of “they stood up!” When Biden and Harris gave a standing ovation over Sunday’s return of the hostages’; one African American supporter yelled “you’re welcome Bro!” After Trump thanked his community for their support and “outpouring of love”.
One woman had even travelled from Brazil (Image: Daily Express)
It may not have been the way I was expecting to watch the historic event, but the intimacy helped impress the real emotions of those watching in the hope their winning candidate will improve their lives and country.
Inside the Capitol, the organisers’ best efforts proved somewhat lacking when it came to ensuring the event went off without a hitch.
US soldiers parading into the room for a rendition of the Battle Hymn of the Republic were seen having to barge past the congregation, seemingly because the chair-setters had failed to measure out an appropriate isle width.
The cameramen frequently got in the way of those parading and often appeared to be on the verge of falling into members of the audience.
None of this mattered, of course, when the contents of Donald Trump’s speech will likely be one of the most memorable inauguration speeches of all time.
He declared himself a “peacemaker” before appearing to declare war on Panama over their canal. He announced plans to colonise Mars and rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
He pledged to “drill, baby, drill” the “liquid gold” oil and gas under America’s feet, which as a Brit you couldn’t help feeling may undermine Ed Miliband’s Net Zero efforts.
While Donald Trump has already served as President for four years, and been an active politician for nearly a decade now, his continued ability to truly connect with voters and speak their language remains intact, and was on full display during his inauguration address.
Speaking to the few outside the Capitol – there were only around 200 who had still turned out – it was clear their support for Donald Trump was twinged with resentment about the decision to move indoors.
One couple had flown from Brazil to be there, others from Texas, Florida and Georgia, only to be greeted with an empty city and numb fingers.
They will now return home, disappointed by the lack of outdoor ceremony, but bolstered in their belief America is soon to be great again.