Department of Homeland Security

Nation's Capitol Rehearses for Trump Inauguration Friday

Sunday was dress rehearsal day at the Capitol for Friday's inauguration ceremony.

The Department of Homeland Security estimates more than 800,000 people will be along the parade route as the nation's 45th president is sworn in.

The goal was to practice the sequence of events so the real thing goes off as flawlessly -- and on time -- as possible.

Organizers used stand-ins during Sunday's dry run. The stand-in president-elect and vice president-elect waved to rows of empty chairs and raised their hands as if they were being sworn in. They spent some time adjusting their positions so that cameras set to capture the real swearings-in could get the best angle, and then workers marked the spots for the actual players.

Around them, the Capitol was still being readied for Inauguration Day. Workers unfurled a large flag between a pair of the Capitol's columns. Some red, white and blue bunting remained draped in plastic to protect it, and the sound of sawing and hammering could be heard intermittently during gaps in the patriotic music.

At Reagan National Airport, souvenirs are on sale for visitors arriving in the nation's capital.

NBC 5's Julie Fine, Kristi Nelson and Kris Gutierrez will report from Trumps Inauguration this week.

Copyright The Associated Press
Contact Us