By Steve Holland and Tim Reid, Reuters
US President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a MAGA victory rally at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, one day ahead of his inauguration ceremony. Photo: AFP / Jim Watson
Donald Trump told thousands of roaring supporters on Sunday that he would usher in a new era of American prosperity when he takes office, taking a victory lap inside a packed Washington arena a day before he returns to power with plans to aggressively reshape US immigration and trade policy.
"Tomorrow, at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand new day of American strength, prosperity, dignity and pride," he said at the beginning of his remarks.
Trump's "Make America Great Again Victory Rally" took place at Capital One Arena, an indoor hockey and basketball venue that will also host some of Monday's inauguration festivities after forecasts of bitter cold prompted officials to move the planned outdoor events inside.
The rally resembled the free-wheeling campaign speeches that have been a Trump staple since his first White House run in 2016. The event marked his first major address in Washington since he delivered a speech on 6 January, 2021, to his supporters that preceded the storming of the US Capitol.
Ahead of the event, Trump's fans, many dressed in the campaign's trademark red jackets and MAGA hats, waited in a cold, driving rain along several downtown Washington blocks, some chanting "USA! USA!"
Val Tordjman, 58, had traveled across the country from Denver with tickets to watch the inauguration. When he heard the ceremony was being moved inside, notably cutting the size of the in-person audience, he said, "I felt like crying".
Tordjman said he planned to spend the night on the street next to the arena, despite temperatures forecast to plunge to around 19 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 degrees Celsius). He said he had yet to see Trump in person.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," he said.
Large swaths of the streets around the US Capitol and White House have been blocked off by steel fences since last week, and police were visible throughout the city.
Trump's rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White House term. In recent weeks, Trump has bewildered foreign allies by musing aloud about taking over Greenland and the Panama Canal and turning Canada into a US state.
Immigration will be a target of Trump's first executive actions after taking office, along with energy issues and policies aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, his incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz told CBS.
"The American people gave him a clear mandate. Lock down our border, deport the worst of the worst, take on the cartels," Waltz said in an interview with "Face the Nation."
Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser, told the audience that Trump would issue an executive order on Monday "ending the border invasion, sending the illegals home and taking America back," drawing cheers.
Trump had breakfast with Republican US senators at Blair House, the guest quarters across from the White House, on Sunday. John Cornyn, Susan Collins, Ted Cruz, Rick Scott and Tim Scott were among the attendees seen leaving the event.
He later placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. Trump saluted the tomb as a military bugler played "Taps."
Biden's last hurrah
TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew planned to attend the rally, hours after the company announced it was restoring its service thanks to Trump's promise to delay a US ban that took effect on Sunday. Chew is also expected to join other tech executives at Trump's inauguration on Monday, including the world's richest man, Elon Musk, who has become a Trump confidant since spending more than $250 million on his campaign.
Biden, meanwhile, made his last official trip as president on Sunday to Charleston, South Carolina, to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is also on Monday. He attended services and spoke about King's legacy at Royal Missionary Baptist Church, while also urging despondent fellow Democrats not to give up hope.
The inauguration is scheduled for noon ET (1700 GMT) on Monday, when Trump will take the presidential oath of office inside the rotunda of the Capitol building, after the cold weather prompted organizers to move the ceremony indoors. Approximately 25,000 law enforcement personnel will be on hand to provide security.
- Reuters
