The Trump Faithful Return To D.c.

The last time thousands of people descended on the nation’s capital in support of Donald Trump, it did not end well. On January 6, 2021, the president’s most fervent fans ransacked the seat of American democracy, interrupting—but not stopping—the certification of his loss. Two weeks later, Trump left office disgraced and impeached. For a while, he seemed likelier to be imprisoned than restored to power. The next four years brought investigations and indictments, a felony conviction, and an assassination attempt that left Trump bloodied and defiant.

This past weekend, a pro-Trump throng arrived in Washington, D.C., not in protest but in triumph. For many, the only disappointment was not getting to witness his inauguration in person. Frigid temperatures forced the ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol, which could accommodate only the wealthiest and most well-connected of the new president’s backers. Still, the rest found alternative ways to celebrate. Thousands braved the cold to wait in long lines for a pre-inaugural rally in Capital One Arena on Sunday. Some attended balls and fancy parties around the city, while others found warmth—and plenty of TV screens—in crowded D.C. bars. Yesterday at noon, they watched Trump take the oath of office for a second time, capping the most improbable political comeback in American history. His exultant supporters in the capital—and a divided nation at home—hope for a better ending.

​Guests at the Turning Point USA Inaugural Eve Ball, one of several glittery soirees held across D.C. the night before Donald Trump’s inauguration (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) The dance floor at the Turning Point USA Inaugural Eve Ball, where musical guests included Kid Rock (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) Red hats and red gowns at the Turning Point USA ball (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) Sparkly details celebrated the start of Donald Trump’s second term at ​the Turning Point USA ball (Photographs by Andres Kudacki) ​Donald Trump supporters line up in Washington, D.C. (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) Trump supporters waited in wintry weather to enter Capital One Arena for the pre-inaugural Victory Rally on Sunday (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) MAGA hats and MAGA chains (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) ​Vendors sold inauguration souvenirs to passers-by braving the chilly conditions. (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) ​Patrons at Dirty Water, a sports bar on H Street that hosted an Inauguration Day watch party. Throngs of Trump supporters watched the day’s events on television after frigid temperatures moved the official swearing-in ceremony inside the Capitol Rotunda. (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) Trump supporters at the Dirty Water bar (Photograph by Andres Kudacki) ​TV screens at the Dirty Water bar broadcast Trump’s inaugural address, in which he declared that “the golden age of America begins right now.” (Photograph by Andres Kudacki)