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.
