Trump will likely avoid controversy over the size of the inaugural crowd with his swearing-in indoors

Discussions over the size of President-elect Trump’s inaugural crowd sparked notable controversy in 2017, with the White House insisting that the media understated Trump’s numbers.

With the swearing-in now moved indoors due to harsh winter weather, Trump will likely avoid any questions about attendance this time.

Fox News learned on Friday that Trump’s inauguration will be moved indoors due to icy temperatures forecast for Washington, D.C., on Monday. Trump announced that he had ordered his inaugural address and other ceremonial prayers and speeches to be held in the United States Capitol Rotunda to protect people from harm.

“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the wind chill factor, could bring temperatures to record lows,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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“There is an Arctic blast sweeping the country. I don’t want to see people hurt or injured in any way. These are dangerous conditions for tens of thousands of law enforcement, first responders, police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters who will be out for several weeks.” Hours on the 20th (in any case, if you decide to come, dress warmly!).

Trump also said Capital One Arena will open Monday for live viewing of his inauguration “and to host the presidential parade.”

“I will be joining the crowd at Capital One, after being sworn in,” Trump wrote.

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A committee spokesman said that the inaugural committee confirmed Trump’s statements, saying that the ceremony would be moved inside the US Capitol building to the rotunda.

With attendees unable to gather outside in the cold, any photo of Trump and a record-setting crowd is likely out of the picture, as is any opportunity for people to dispute the size of Trump’s alleged crowd as happened in 2017.

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer criticized the press shortly after Trump’s first inauguration, accusing the media of inaccurate reporting on the size of the crowd.

The day after the inauguration, Spicer said that “photos of the inauguration were intentionally captured in some way, in one particular tweet, to diminish the massive support that gathered on the National Mall.”

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He also said at the time that “inaccurate crowd size numbers were also tweeted. No one had numbers, because the National Park Service, which controls the National Mall, doesn’t put any numbers out.”

“These attempts to dampen enthusiasm during the inauguration are shameful and wrong,” Spicer said.

The Washington Post reported at the time that Trump called the acting director of the National Park Service on his first day in office to object to photos circulating online of the size of his inaugural crowd.

President Biden also faced significant barriers to his inauguration in 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions in place. His ceremony was attended by a small number of attendees and included former presidents and first ladies. Attendees wore face masks, many failed to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and many were seen hugging each other.

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The last inauguration ceremony to be moved indoors was President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in January 1985. Reagan was sworn in at the White House the day before the ceremony, while public events the next day were held indoors due to temperatures reaching 7 Degrees Celsius with winds of -40.

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo, Peter Doocy, Chad Pergram and Aisha Husni contributed to this report.