The reality of the moment, that the real estate mogul and reality show star will recite the oath of office Friday, is finally taking hold.
At noon Friday, the most divisive campaign in recent history — and a similarly contentious transition period, marked by Trump’s attacks on Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, and dozens of House Democrats saying they’ll boycott Trump’s swearing-in over it — reaches its end.
But before all that, Republicans and Trump’s still-growing staff are set for a celebration. Trump and Vice-President elect Mike Pence go through the ceremony at the Capitol at noon, followed by a parade up Pennsylvania Avenue — and past Trump’s new hotel — to be followed by a weekend of balls and an anticipated flurry of new executive actions Monday.
Speaking at a pre-inauguration concert Thursday night at the Lincoln Memorial, which featured performances by Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith and 3 Doors Down, Trump told the crowd he vowed to be a president “for all our people.”
“It’s a movement like we’ve never seen anywhere in the world, they say. There’s never been a movement like this. And it’s something very, very special,” Trump said. “And we’re going to unify our country. And our phrase, you all know it — half of you are wearing the hat, ‘Make America great again.’ But we’re going to make America great for all our people, everybody. Everybody throughout our country. That includes the inner cities. That includes everybody.”
Later, speaking at a dinner held at Washington’s Union Station, Trump thanked Pence, his top advisers and his family as he reflected on his election victory.
“That was some big victory. That was some victory,” said Trump, who also mused that “next time, we’re going to win the old fashioned way,” an apparent reference to victory in the popular vote as well as the Electoral College.
Protesters, police scuffle
Protesters and Washington police scuffled Thursday night outside a meeting of pro-Trump conservatives, the first of several demonstrations aimed at disrupting the new administration’s inaugural weekend.
Protesters gathered on 14th Street outside the National Press Club to demonstrate against “DeploraBall,” an event organized by some of Trump’s most fervent supporters. The name riffs off the campaign description of some Trump backers by his defeated opponent, Hillary Clinton, as a “basket of deplorables.”
As attendees — some of whom were clad in suits and red hats, others dressed in gowns — entered the event, demonstrators chanted “Shame” and “Nazis go home” behind a phalanx of police. Some held signs that read “No Alt Reich” and “No Nazi USA.”
Other protesters chanted against the “alt-right,” “fascists” and “Nazi scum,” though it could not be immediately determined who was attending the event.
Some protesters could be seen setting small fires in the streets, though it was unclear what was set ablaze. A motorcycle was damaged on the street, and police could be seen pepper-spraying some protesters.