Monday’s inauguration ceremony for President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to deviate from tradition by taking place inside the Capitol due to dangerously low temperatures. However, this is not the first instance of a presidential swearing-in occurring in an unconventional location. In fact, one president was even sworn in aboard a plane.
The initial inaugurations in U.S. history did not occur in Washington, D.C. President George Washington took his oath for his first term on April 27, 1789, on a balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, the temporary capital of the U.S. at the time. He was sworn in for his second term at the Senate Chamber of Congress Hall in Philadelphia.
The first inauguration in Washington, D.C. was John Adams’, also held in Philadelphia. It was not until Thomas Jefferson’s inauguration in 1801 that the ceremony was moved to Washington, D.C., where he took the oath of office inside the U.S. Capitol.
While most inauguration ceremonies have since taken place in Washington, there have been exceptions. Following President James Garfield’s assassination in 1881, then-Vice President Chester A. Arthur took the oath of office at his private residence in New York City. President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in at the Ansley Wilcox residence in Buffalo after President William McKinley’s assassination in 1901.
President Lyndon Baines Johnson was sworn in aboard Air Force One in Dallas, Texas after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, marking the first time a woman administered the oath of office and the only instance of a president being sworn in on an airplane.
President Andrew Jackson’s inauguration in 1829 was the first held outside on the Capitol’s east portico. From Jackson’s inauguration until President Jimmy Carter’s in 1977, the ceremony primarily took place outdoors in front of the Capitol’s east portico.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s second inauguration in 1937 shifted the ceremony to January from March, reducing the risk of freezing temperatures. However, William Henry Harrison’s 1841 inauguration, held on a bitterly cold day with the longest speech to date, resulted in his subsequent death.
In a historic turn of events, President William Taft was inaugurated in 1909 amidst a fierce winter storm that blanketed the Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in heavy snow and howling winds. Despite the inclement weather outside, the inauguration parade carried on with determination and spirit.
Fast forward to 1981, and the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan marked a significant shift as it took place on the west front of the Capitol, a departure from tradition that would become the new norm in the years to come. However, Reagan’s second term inauguration saw a return indoors as biting wind chills gripped the day in 1985, prompting the ceremony to be held within the solemn walls of the Capitol Rotunda.
Meanwhile, a glimmer of hope shines through in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas as the first hostages are released following a ceasefire agreement. Aid relief efforts have begun trickling into Gaza, offering a ray of light amid the devastation wrought by the conflict.
On the political front, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine voices grave concerns over the potential appointment of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, describing him as a “very dangerous” candidate. The political landscape remains fraught with tension and intrigue as key players jostle for power and influence.
As the world watches with bated breath, these unfolding events serve as a reminder of the ever-shifting tides of politics and conflict that shape our modern reality. From historic inaugurations to delicate peace agreements, the intricate dance of power and diplomacy continues to unfold on the global stage, leaving a lasting impact on the course of history.
