Trump To Hold ‘Victory Rally’ In D.C. Day Before Inauguration
President-elect Donald Trump will hold a rally in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, January 19 — one day before he is sworn into office for his second term.
Trump’s inauguration committee announced on Wednesday that the “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” will be held at Capital One Arena, which can seat around 20,000 people, beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET, CBS News reported. The incoming president is slated to speak at the event along with a list of other speakers who have not been revealed, according to The Hill. Trump hasn’t held a rally in D.C. since January 6, 2021, when he delivered a speech on the Ellipse before hundreds of people stormed the Capitol Building.
The president-elect met with Washington, D.C., Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser earlier this week, and Bowser said the discussions were “great,” adding, “President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation.”
The D.C. pre-inauguration rally will mark Trump’s second major speech after he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. The president-elect also spoke at Turning Point USA’s America Fest on December 22.
“For those of us standing before you today, I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said during his AmericaFest speech. The president-elect also vowed that his administration would be “fully operational” within two hours after he is sworn in on January 20. For Trump to fulfill that promise, he’ll need the help of his cabinet nominees who face Senate confirmation hearings in the next few weeks.
Trump warned earlier this week that Senate Democrats will “improperly” attempt to delay the cabinet confirmation process. The president-elect’s cabinet picks have already faced scrutiny, and one nominee — former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) — withdrew his name from consideration for attorney general after backlash. Other cabinet nominees, such as Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard, could face an uphill climb to confirmation before the Senate.