Inside the intimate inauguration: Close-up encounters between political rivals, some awkward

WASHINGTON (AP) — A president’s inaugural address is typically a choreographed spectacle. A makeshift grandstand is erected next to the Capitol, hundreds of thousands of people line the National Mall and the images and words of the day endure for generations.

This time was different. Forced inside to the Capitol Rotunda by frigid temperatures, Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term as president in an intimate setting for a man who has always favored the largest one possible.

The day's pomp and unusual circumstances made for a lot of close-up encounters between political combatants, some awkward, some not.

It also made for a pecking-order configuration for attendees — top-level guests in the Rotunda and several hundred other VIPs watching from another room at the Capitol, as well as thousands of Trump supporters at a local arena outside the grounds of Congress.

Associated Press reporters, photographers and videographers were in all those rooms, as part of a pool arrangement typically used to cover proceedings in confined spaces. Such arrangements give a selection of news organizations access to events on condition they provide material to others.

IN THE ROTUNDA

On Monday, the center of the action was in the gleaming, circular space of statues and history.

The tableau bore little resemblance to what would have been on the outside. Seated closely behind Trump in prime seats was a tight clutch of some of the richest people in the world, tech titans all, including Trump's adviser Elon Musk, with a combined net worth near $1 trillion. They had better seats than the men and women Trump has tabbed for his Cabinet.

The living former presidents, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Barack Obama all upheld the tradition of witnessing the peaceful transfer of power. Obama’s wife, Michelle, did not. Nor did former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Among the less exclusive club of former vice presidents, Dan Quayle and Mike Pence were present. Dick Cheney did not attend, and neither did Pence’s wife, Karen. Members who prosecuted two impeachment cases against Trump were in the room, as were others who served as Trump’s defenders. So was a glowering Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Supreme Court justices, Trump’s Cabinet choices and a sampling of world leaders also got to be there in person. Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, got a better seat than most lawmakers.

And TikTok CEO Shou Chew was seated on the platform next to intelligence chief nominee Tulsi Gabbard, despite the national security concerns that prompted Congress to pass a law banning the Chinese-owned app or forcing its sale.

Before the program began, the soft hum of conversation filled the Rotunda, the white noise of political niceties.

Though Republicans were quick to get to their feet and Democrats did not, it was a strikingly cordial string of events in a place and at a time of such ferocious division. When Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the U.S.A,” former Speaker John Boehner wept.

Democrats who had a better vantage point offered to take photos of the president for their Republican colleagues.

Family dynamics were at work, too. Perhaps most remarkable was how much Trump’s son Barron had grown since his father’s first inaugural in 2017 — he is now easily the tallest member of the family.

His mother, Melania, set off a fashion discussion with her broad-brimmed hat that nearly concealed her eyes. Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, wore a small beret on the side. John Fetterman, the do-it-my-way Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, arrived in a Carhartt sweatshirt and cargo shorts.

For all of the genuine and forced comity of the day, there were reminders of the ragged anger that swept the Capitol when rioters overran it four years ago, inspired by Trump’s lies about a stolen election, and tried to stop Joe Biden from taking office.

Trump entered the Rotunda near the tunnel where rioters had engaged in some of the most brutal fighting with police as they broke into the Capitol.

On Monday, the domed landmark was in its usual gleaming state. Most in attendance respected the etiquette instructions placed on each chair in advance.

“Stand or sit quietly with your hands crossed or at your sides,” it said, “to respect ceremonial protocols that may or may not represent your associations or beliefs.”

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IN EMANCIPATION HALL

With such tight confines, the spacious Capitol Visitor Center’s Emancipation Hall was the next best place to be.

There, cowboy hats and fur-lined caps dotted the hall as foreign dignitaries, governors and political boosters watched on large screens. They broke into laughter at scenes of former President George W. Bush’s playful facial contortions.

Trump visited after the swearing in, bringing people to their feet.

“You’re a younger, far more beautiful audience than I just spoke to,” Trump told those who had been relegated to this overflow seating.

Several sports celebrities attended the event, among them race car driver Danica Patrick, mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and Jake Paul and the boxer Evander Holyfield.

Trump launched into a winding speech reminiscent of his campaign appearances. As the speech wore on, enthusiasm waned. People shifted on their feet and turned to talk to companions.

As he concluded after nearly a half hour, he told the crowd he was really only supposed to tell them, “Thank you for being here. Bye bye.”

The new president added, “I gave you the A-plus treatment.”

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THE INAUGURAL LUNCH

At the inaugural luncheon head table, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, as chair of the congressional inaugural committee, engaged Trump in an animated conversation for most of the meal. Eventually Vice President JD Vance joined in, and Melania Trump occasionally as well.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg sat next to Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who left early. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sat between Senate Majority Leader John Thune and his wife, Kimberly, at a table where Barron Trump held forth at length.

Among those at another table: Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and Donald Trump Jr.

They feasted on Chesapeake crab cakes, ribeye steak and Minnesota Apple Ice Box Terrine with sour cream ice cream and salted caramel.

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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.