Spirits were high on the streets of Washington, DC, as Americans from across the country converged on the nation’s capital to celebrate the second presidential inauguration. Donald Trump.
Fox News Digital spoke to many Trump supporters, who despite frigid temperatures and a biting wind chill expressed optimism and hope for America’s future under the new Trump administration.
“It’s a happy day,” said a group of women from south Georgia, wearing large star-spangled hats and “Make America Great Again” scarves and standing at the Capitol.
“It’s great to have freedom again,” said one of the women named Tanya Garrett.
“Today is a day of freedom,” said another woman, Angela Anderson.
WATCH: TRUMP SPEAKS TO SUPPORTERS AT THE CAPITOL
Supporters gather outside the Capital One Arena ahead of a rally for newly elected US President Donald Trump, the day before he is to be inaugurated for a second term, in Washington, US, on January 19, 2025. (REUTERS/Marko Djurica)
Anderson said she believes the Trump administration will “bring back America’s respect.”
“I think that’s one of the biggest things,” she said. “We will gain respect from other countries, and we will prosper and bring security to our borders and the respect for the people that should be there.”
Most Trump supporters who spoke to Fox News Digital said the most important thing the new president could do is act quickly to undo the damage done during the Biden administration by securing the borderrestoring the economy and American energy and projecting American strength against the nation’s enemies.
“I’m really, really excited,” said Rachel Quy, who came from Atlanta and stood outside Union Station. “I’m Vietnamese-American and I don’t like communists and many of us who are anti-communist hope that Trump can stop that or at least make them weaker so we can make America stronger.”
WATCH TRUMP’S FULL INAUGURAL SPEECH
Capital One Arena fills up ahead of Donald Trump’s victory rally on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. US President-elect Trump and new Vice President JD Vance will be sworn in on January 20. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
In a pub a stone’s throw from the Capitol, the festivities started at ten in the morning. As television showed Trump emerging Episcopal Church of St. John After the morning services, the crowd in the bar erupted in cheers and applause.
“There’s going to be a lot of changes,” said Jeff, a Trump fan who was sitting at the bar and traveled from Alaska to the inauguration. “We’re going to make immigration a big deal and bring things back to America, businesses. It’s a new era, I’m looking forward to it.”
Another Trump supporter named Will, who was sitting nearby, said he had never felt the same kind of energy for another president.
“We’re from Oregon, so it’s a blue state, so it’s nice to have like-minded people,” he said.
TRUMP SUPPORTERS SWIMMING OUTSIDE CAPITAL AN ARENA FOR DC VICTORY RALLY
President Donald Trump speaks at Emancipation Hall after the 60th presidential inauguration, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Al Drago/Pool photo via AP)
Outside, supporters lined Pennsylvania Avenue, which Trump and his motorcade were expected to pass through on their way there Capital One Arena.
“We did much better under Trump, so we’re happy for another four years,” said Philip Swinson, a Southern California construction company owner. Standing with Swinson was his father and business partner, Brad Swinson.
“I’m almost 72 and I will remember Biden as by far the worst president of my lifetime,” Brad said. “We’re big on freedom, the Constitution, free enterprise and all the things that they seem to be fighting against, at least the Democrats (and) the deep state, and I think people can see through that.”
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Some said they have noticed a shift in energy in their community, with more and more people willing to openly agree with and support Trump and his agenda.
“Anything is better than what we’ve had the last four years,” said Levi, a young man from Wisconsin. “People who were my friends, liberals, hardcore leftists, are now saying, ‘You know what? We need to make a change here.'”
“It’s been embarrassing the last four years. We’ve had no one in charge, no one running the show,” Deanna said. from Illinois. “America now has someone in charge.”
