Trump inauguration moved indoors due to extreme cold

Donald Trump confirmed that his inauguration as US president on Monday will move indoors due to expected freezing weather, undercutting the Republican's hopes for a grandiose spectacle to kick off his second term.

"There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country," Trump wrote on his Truth Social feed on Friday. "Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda."

The change of plan means Trump will not stand on the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall, which traditionally hosts a large crowd to welcome new presidents. The Rotunda, an ornate, round hall under the dome of Congress, can typically only hold a few hundred people.

Washington is forecast to be well below freezing on Monday, with gusty winds adding to the cold.

Preparations have already been made in Washington for a huge influx of visitors -- including thousands of chairs neatly lined up on the Mall -- but most will now have to watch on television.

It's the first time the emergency measure has been taken since the 1985 inauguration of Ronald Reagan, also due to dangerously cold weather.

In his post, Trump said that "various Dignitaries and Guests" will attend the events inside the Capitol, including prayers, the inaugural address and the singing of the anthem.

The Republican, who has built a political brand around his large rallies, said supporters could watch the event on a live feed in Washington's Capital One sports arena -- and that he would go there after.

Trump -- who at 78 will be the oldest person ever to assume the presidency -- said the ceremonies in the Rotunda "will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!"

"We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for LIVE viewing of this Historic event, and to host the Presidential Parade. I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In."

Trump supporter Matthew Medill, visiting Washington from more balmy California, said some will be disappointed, but "we are expecting a lot of excitement and a lot of jubilation -- it doesn't matter what the weather is."

- Who's was bigger? -

After his first inauguration in 2017, Trump was infuriated by reports that his crowd on the Mall was distinctly smaller than the turnout for Barack Obama in 2009.

Trump claimed more than 1.5 million supporters thronged the Mall, far in excess of Obama's crowd, and his  spokesman announced that the inauguration had been the most attended ever.

However, this was immediately proven to be a lie, with aerial photos showing a far sparser crowd at Trump's event than at Obama's.

The switch this time means Trump will miss out altogether on the traditional address to a sea of people, while looking out toward the soaring Washington Monument.

However, as a former reality TV star, Trump will embrace the potential for television-friendly theatrics, both in the elegant Rotunda and afterward in the arena.

"This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!" Trump posted.

Capital One Arena, home of the Washington Wizards basketball team and ice hockey's Washington Capitals, has a seating capacity of around 20,000.

Before the decision to scrap the outdoor event, more than 220,000 tickets were distributed to the public via lawmakers' offices.

People braving the cold can still catch a glimpse of the newly sworn-in president as he travels down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.

The White House, Capitol and parts of the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route are already ringed by eight-foot high (2.4-meter) metal barriers. And around 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel are converging on Washington, according to US Secret Service special agent Matt McCool.

The country's ninth president, William Henry Harrison, decided to ignore bitter weather at his 1841 inauguration, hoping to demonstrate his vigor, given that he was the oldest man elected to the job at that stage, at 68 years old.

He went out without a coat or hat -- and died a month later from pneumonia.

US news media braces for Trump return

US media are bracing for the White House return of Donald Trump, who previously helped to boost news consumption but is now prompting outlets to protect themselves from retaliation -- legal or otherwise -- from the famously grudge-bearing Republican.

News organizations are girding themselves for a legal assault from Trump personally, as well as federal agencies that could theoretically frustrate broadcast licenses, comb through tax affairs and otherwise make life difficult for organizations that do not toe the line.

New York University journalism professor Adam Penenberg told AFP that US news outlets, who normally compete in a fierce market, would have to cooperate to face down the threat posed by Trump.

"Trump's second term promises to be less reality show and more revenge tour, especially for the press," he said. "The question isn't whether he'll attack the media. He will. But can the media resist bending under the weight of those attacks?"

Early moves indicated that some US media were taking an initially conciliatory approach to Trump this term, with major broadcaster ABC opting to settle a defamation suit brought by the billionaire rather than fight it.

The US news media landscape is also changing in both form and ownership.

With an increasing number of US consumers getting their news from social media, Meta's billionaire owner Mark Zuckerberg announced the end of Facebook's US fact-checking program, which had previously drawn Trump's ire.

The Washington Post, owned by tech mogul Jeff Bezos, declined to endorse a candidate for president, and in recent days spiked a cartoon critical of tycoons currying favor with the Republican.

- Defence of journalism -

"The news media can prepare by reinforcing legal defences, building coalitions between outlets, and fortifying cybersecurity to guard against hacks and leaks," said Penenberg.

The New York Times has repeatedly drawn rebukes from Trump over its persistent, attention-grabbing reporting of his political, personal, financial and legal problems.

It warned that smaller news organizations may be unable to stand up to legal threats from Trump.

"For smaller, less financially secure news organizations, the expense of defending themselves in lawsuits from Mr Trump and his allies may be enough to encourage self-censorship," it said in a grave editorial.

For some, the crackdown has already begun.

Trump has sued an Iowa daily, the Des Moines Register, and an Iowa opinion pollster, for a survey that predicted Kamala Harris would win the state that the Republican ultimately carried.

The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University said the move would "intimidate" others.

A few days earlier, the Disney-owned ABC network agreed to pay $15 million in damages to settle Trump's defamation lawsuits against its news division and a journalist, a move perceived by some as a climb-down.

CBS is also considering settling lawsuits from Trump, who had accused its popular "60 Minutes" show of favoring Kamala Harris, the Wall Street Journal reported. CBS did not respond to a request for comment.

- Comparison to oligarchs -

Several organizations are reportedly reviewing their insurance coverage for libel or other litigation from hostile officials, while one non-profit is reviewing its compliance with labor regulations.

Other media are working to protect sources in the event of whistleblower investigations.

Penenberg, a former senior editor, stressed that while newsrooms should prepare for lawsuits, regulatory harassment and pressure campaigns, many US presidents have governed with deep hostility to the media.

Former president Richard Nixon, he said, "turned paranoia into an art form."

Trump has long derided the media, calling it "fake news" at every opportunity, while his nominee for FBI chief has said he would "come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens."

Journalism professor Mark Feldstein compared efforts by some outlets and big tech to appease the Trump administration ahead of the inauguration to what "Russian oligarchs do with President Vladimir Putin."

"In one sense, it is understandable because Donald Trump has made clear how vindictive he will be toward those who oppose him," said Feldstein, who teaches at the University of Maryland.

"But the public depends on a free press to keep government officials honest."