Donald Trump’s public swearing-in ceremony will be held in the US Capitol Rotunda after it was moved inside due to dangerously cold temperatures. This marks the second time the ceremony will take place at this location, with the first instance being Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985.
Throughout history, the presidential oath of office has been administered 75 times in various locations. The US Capitol has been the most common site, hosting the ceremony 57 times, predominantly at the East Portico on 34 occasions.
Other notable locations include the Old Brick Capitol, where James Monroe took the oath in 1817 while the Capitol was under reconstruction after the war of 1812. The White House has also been the backdrop for 8 inaugurations, with the East Room serving as the venue for two ceremonies.
On two occasions, the oath of office was taken in Washington, DC, but not at the Capitol or the White House. John Tyler was sworn in at Brown’s Hotel in 1841 following the death of William Henry Harrison, while Andrew Johnson took his oath at the Kirkwood Hotel in 1865 after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Furthermore, 7 presidents have been inaugurated outside of Washington, DC. George Washington and John Adams were sworn in in New York City and Philadelphia, respectively. Presidents Chester A. Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Lyndon B. Johnson also took their oaths in different cities following the deaths of their predecessors.
