Eight years since its historic first march, the Women’s March — rebranded as the People’s March — is returning Saturday to the nation’s capital just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Republican takes the oath of office Monday.
FILE -= Members of the U.S. military on stage during the rehearsal at the U.S. Capitol ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration, Jan. 12, 2025, in Washington.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
The U.S. Capitol rotunda where Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony is set to take place on Monday can only hold about 600 people, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
The ceremony was moved indoors because a blast of cold Arctic air is set to plunge Washington into frigid temperatures. But that has left many of the more than 250,000 guests who were ticketed to watch the inauguration from around the Capitol grounds scrambling to determine if and how they will be able to watch.
Trump’s inaugural committee said it would use the city’s Capitol One Arena for people to view the ceremony and would plan to visit after he takes the oath of office. The arena has a capacity of 20,000 people.
Donald Trump will return to Washington Saturday to kick off days of pageantry to herald his second inauguration as president, four years after he departed the city under the shadow of an attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol.
The ritualistic changing of power will get underway as Washington’s solemn pomp is paired with Trump’s brand of party: a fireworks showcase at one of his luxury golf properties, guests including tech industry titans, friends from the business world and conservative media stars, and thousands of his supporters streaming in from around the country.
▶ Read more about what to expect from inauguration weekend
Cole Archer works on a protest sign during a meeting of NC Forward in High Point, N.C., Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. The group is traveling to Washington to take part in the People’s March on Jan. 18 ahead of the inauguration. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Eight years since its historic first march, the Women’s March is returning Saturday to the nation’s capital just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Rebranded and reorganized, the rally has a new name — the People’s March — as a means to broaden support, especially during a reflective moment for progressive organizing after Trump’s decisive win in November. The Republican takes the oath of office Monday.
Women outraged over Trump’s 2016 presidential win flocked to Washington in 2017 and organized large rallies in cities throughout the country, building the base of a grassroots movement that became known as the Women’s March. The Washington rally alone attracted over 500,000 marchers, and millions more participated in local marches around the country, marking one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history.
This year, the march is expected to be about one-tenth the size of the first one and comes amid a restrained moment of reflection as many progressive voters navigate feelings of exhaustion, disappointment and despair after Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss.
▶ Read more about the People’s March
