U.S. President-elect Donald Trump reacts during a MAGA victory rally at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC on Sunday, one day ahead of his inauguration ceremony.
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The day before Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as the 47th president, he and his followers celebrated with an hours-long rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
“Tomorrow at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity, and pride,” Trump told the crowd to loud cheers.
“Once and for all we’re going to end the reign of a failed and corrupt political establishment in Washington, a failed administration.”
Trump is set to appear at the same venue tomorrow after his swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, after he cancelled an outdoor parade due to expected frigid weather. Supporters will also be able to view an inauguration livestream from the venue.
He took the opportunity on Sunday to preview several of his Day 1 actions, including on border security, energy, and ending the Biden administration’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in government agencies.
He also celebrated his election win and took credit for multiple recent developments, including the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that went into effect on Sunday.
“I know that Biden is saying they made the deal, well,” he said, trailing off and chuckling as the crowd booed.
Trump’s pick for Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined President Biden’s Middle East envoy in the final push of talks on the deal.
Trump also cheered the fact that Tiktok, the popular video app, is back online. TikTok was taken offline Saturday night in compliance with a law that effectively banned the service nationwide unless it splits off from its China-based owner, but Trump on Sunday posted on Truth Social that he would pause the law and extend a liability shield to technology companies that support TikTok.
At the rally on Sunday, he reiterated a proposal he made on social media: for the U.S. government to take a 50% stake in the social media platform, without providing further details.
His promotion of Tiktok is a reversal from 2020, when Trump attempted to ban the platform.
‘Call to action’ for America
Trump supporters stood outside in the chilly rain all morning ahead of the rally’s start.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything,” said Cindy Pugh, who traveled from the Minneapolis suburbs. “Donald Trump is the best president of my lifetime. He has done so much sacrificially for Americans, myself included.”
Trump in November won the popular vote for the first time. That fact makes this election feel different from his win in 2016, Pugh said.
“This win reflects a compelling call to action by the American people to listen to us, to act on our behalf, not to be beholden to the political establishment. So it does feel different to me,” she said.
Multiple rally speeches took on a darker tone, however.
“All of you wearing the MAGA hats, it used to be an act of civil disobedience,” political commentator Megyn Kelly told the crowd, referring to ‘Make America Great Again’ hats. “But wearing that hat for much of the past eight years has been an act of courage, too.”
She concluded her speech with an order: “Do not bend. Never bow.”
And Trump adviser Stephen Miller linked Trump’s multiple legal cases to an implication that his supporters were themselves threatened by Trump’s opponents.
Trump was charged in several criminal cases, though his criminal conviction for 34 felony counts in New York state was the only in go to to trial.
“They indicted him, they tried to imprison him and to take away his freedom, to take away his family, to take away his business, to take away your voice, your future, to take away your hopes, your dreams, your government, your country,” Miller told the crowd.
The rally featured appearances by musicians Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood, as well as actor Jon Voight and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whom Trump has said will lead the Department of Government Efficiency group meant to recommend government spending cuts. Trump did not mention Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate that he also initially asked to lead DOGE.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a question about the rally crowd’s size. Capital One Arena has a capacity of around 20,000 seats, according to local outlets. Supporters filled the floor and lower two levels of seats of the arena, as well as about half of the top tier.
This story originally appeared on NPR
