Key Takeaways From My Inauguration Experience

It was January 17, 2025, the Friday before the inauguration, and I was ready to head out to D.C. My buddy had miraculously received three tickets from Rep. Mike Bost (IL), which guaranteed us up-close seats at the historic ceremony. I was ecstatic at the opportunity, even amid security concerns after two assassination attempts on President Trump.

I’m a writer and editor for the ACLJ and help with the Sekulow broadcast every day. Before leaving, I had one more broadcast to cover.

The news had just broken that the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld the ban on TikTok. That was the focus of the show . . . and then I got gut-punched. The lead had changed: Due to frigid weather conditions, the inauguration had been moved indoors.

Seriously? What are the odds? Do we still go? I called my friend and talked through all the scenarios. We decided to still make the 10-hour drive from Nashville, with no clue what would happen. We were bummed out yet tried to stay optimistic.

The plans for the inauguration remained in flux. By the time we arrived in D.C., President Trump’s victory rally at Capital One Arena had been scheduled. The rally started at 3 p.m. on Sunday, and we showed up at 9:00 a.m. feeling hopeful about our chances.

The arena holds approximately 20,000 people, and we didn’t see a large crowd upon our arrival. But that changed quickly as the streets flooded with tens of thousands of Trump supporters. It was a wave of red hats and Trump flags and other Trump memorabilia. I had never seen anything like it.

It was cold outside, and then the rain and sleet hit. We stuck it out for five hours, taking in all the sights. Even amid the nasty weather, the crowd was in jubilant spirits. A man dressed as Paul Revere had a stage set up and belted out patriotic tunes and rock classics. Vendors lined up selling Trump memorabilia. A cardboard Trump on a surfboard went through the crowd. It was wild.

But then a cold dose of reality hit as the rain fell harder. By 2 p.m., we weren’t even close to the arena’s entrance and decided to cut our losses and try to find a cup of coffee. We found out later that the lucky few who got into the event had arrived before 6 a.m.

So we had struck out on attending the inauguration and the victory rally. We definitely weren’t going to attempt to get into Capital One the next day for President Trump’s parade. To be frank, we were frustrated, although seeing the myriad of Trump supporters converge on D.C. was exciting.

We had one final shot at making the trip worthwhile. Since the inauguration had been moved indoors, we had received an invitation from Rep. Mike Bost to a watch party at the Cannon House Office Building, the site for House congressional meetings. We debated on whether or not to go. We didn’t know what to expect, but hey, we had nothing to lose.

On Monday morning, we arrived and quickly realized we had made the right decision as we stood in awe of the ornate architecture. We were escorted to the Veterans’ Affairs congressional room, passing the offices of U.S. Representatives like Chip Roy (TX) along the way. A definite highlight was having a direct view of the U.S. Capitol steps and seeing the motorcades escorting VIPs.

About 100 people were in the room watching the coverage leading up to the ceremony. Then everyone was silent and seated as the inauguration started.

To my surprise, the ceremony deeply moved me. Maybe because I was sitting by the window and could see the Capitol. Perhaps it was Pastor Franklin Graham’s declaration: “Mr. President, the last four years, there are times I’m sure you thought it was pretty dark, but look what God has done. We praise Him and give Him glory.” Maybe it was the cheering and standing ovation of the viewers when President Trump was sworn in, Carrie Underwood’s beautiful a cappella rendition of “America the Beautiful” after the musical accompaniment malfunctioned, or Pastor Lorenzo Sewell’s stirring recitation of Dr. Martin Luther King’s cry to “Let freedom ring!”

The gravity of the moment hit me. History was underway just outside the window. The last several years have been so divisive and disheartening, but seeing the joy and relief on the faces of the 100 people in the room with me was contagious. I felt the most hopeful for America’s future in my lifetime. Just before leaving the party, I also saw President Biden’s helicopter as he departed, which was surreal.

Undoubtedly, God gave me a unique opportunity. Though I didn’t see the inauguration as originally planned and missed out on the Trump rally, the watch party reminded me of what makes America so exceptional.

In that short, one-hour ceremony, all of America’s leaders united to head in a new direction. And citizens across the nation joined together in praying for God’s blessings on America. If that won’t make you proud to be an American, then what will?

I’m so thankful for my inauguration experience.