WASHINGTON (Reuters) – 17 Reuters photographers in Washington covered the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. From a bird's eye view of the US capital to the president's lunch table to the litter strewn outside security checkpoints, Reuters was there to capture the pomp and celebration, the hopes and celebrations of supporters, and the fears and protests of opponents.
News organizations' carefully laid plans were thrown into disarray on Friday, when forecasts of snow and freezing temperatures forced last-minute changes. The swearing-in ceremony itself was moved from a stage outside the Capitol, where it was scheduled to take place in front of large crowds, to the small, packed Capitol chamber inside.
Some Trump supporters still gravitated to the now empty and frozen National Mall, watching the event on their phones. Others crowded into hotel bars, while others obtained tickets to the 20,000-seat concert. Capital One (NYSE:) Arena. Instead, a parade that was initially scheduled to march down Pennsylvania Avenue was held at the plaza, while Trump and some of his key allies also delivered speeches there to an emotional crowd.
Photographers were there to cover it all for Reuters — and in other places, too, including the White House steps, the top of the Washington Monument, and anti-Trump protests.
Below is a selection of some Reuters photos taken during the day's events and in the period leading up to them, along with comments from the photographers who took them.
Fabrizio Bench
“In September 2024, I began planning to implement automated and remote cameras for the inauguration of the US President. When I arrived here at the beginning of January, we began preparing everything for the inauguration outside on Capitol Hill. Then came the unexpected news that due to the cold weather, all Something will happen in the rotunda.
“Now we only had three days to re-plan everything. We were assigned a location where we could mount two remote cameras on the lighting trusses directly opposite the location of the President's podium at the inauguration. These cameras were networked and were able to send all the images from the rotunda directly to Editors in the Reuters Washington bureau.
Brendan McDiarmid
“This was my fourth inauguration in 25 years. Each one has been unique, and this one is no exception. I had the fortunate job of being on top of the Washington Monument. Unfortunately, when they announced that everything moving inside my office became less IMPORTANCE That didn't stop me from taking a minute to appreciate where I was this morning, as the sky turned orange just before dawn, overlooking the National Mall and the Capitol.
Daniel Cole
“The mood in the mall was eerie because it was largely empty, but the crowd of supporters who came out were absolutely jubilant and many expressed a general sense of relief that their man was back in power. This couple had brought camping chairs and sat in the empty mall, watching the ceremony.” On their phones together.”
Gina Moon
“With winter in Washington, the air was cold, one of the coldest days of the season. I made sure to dress warmly—thick thermals, a cozy pullover, hand warmers, and a heavy coat—to protect myself from the cold. Carefully setting up my camera gear, making sure the batteries were fully charged, as the cold can drain them faster than usual, I was determined to capture every moment, no matter how long the day stretched out before me.
Kevin Lamarque
“As a Reuters staff photographer for more than 37 years, including 25 years in Washington, I have covered campaigns, elections and inaugurations extensively. However, this one was outside the box. The other six inaugurations I covered were all outdoors, as is this Is the tradition, hundreds of members of the media and thousands of Trump supporters were undoubtedly very disappointed, but disappointment is easier to overcome than frostbite or hypothermia.
Marko Djurica
“This is my first time working in the United States, and of course that means it's my first coronation. Maybe I could compare it to the coronation of King Charles that I did in London, but this is bigger. Security-wise, it's incredibly safe and the police are everywhere.” The streets were closed, and the biggest challenge was going from a single anti-Trump protest to the inauguration ceremony within a safe environment.”
Shannon Stapleton
“For the last three or four elections on inauguration days, I've been assigned to cover the mall area, where people gather. It was different this year, because it was held inside Capital One Arena, so you had to kind of move around and adjust — which made the job easier.” “Because it was like street photography.”
Brian Snyder
“I've been covering inaugurations since 2004 and a president-elect dancing with villagers is like nothing I've ever seen before. Throughout the campaign, Trump would end most of his rallies by dancing to a YMCA recording.” This was the first time the band themselves had joined him and of course, the crowd of supporters gathered here loved every minute.
Mike is fresh
“These are important moments in history…and we are fortunate to witness these moments and bring them to a global audience.”
Amanda Berobelli
“I've only been to one presidential inauguration – in Brazil – and it's interesting to see the difference in cultures. There are some similarities too – the emotions, the people waiting, the cheering, the feeling of being part of history. The challenge for him is that I definitely have a cold, because we don't “We suffer from a cold like this in Brazil.”
Evelyn Hochstein
“I thought Melania Trump's hat was an interesting look. I could never see her eyes, so it didn't surprise me that it got a lot of hype. It was very visible and in the few moments that a clear shot of Melania captured her case they probably all photographed her with the hat against that backdrop.” Clean with President Trump sitting next to her during lunch.”
Nathan Howard
“My main role today was to film Trump's morning arrival for tea with (outgoing President Joe) Biden, and then Trump's arrival at the White House after being sworn in. The mood this morning among Biden's staff seemed a bit like the latter.” School day before graduation – Many employees bid each other farewell and pack their bags, while others craned their necks to catch a glimpse of Trump's arrival.
“It is a rare and astonishing thing to witness two icons of American political life in one room. Each is usually the most important person in whatever room they are in. And now they are sharing the stage as transfers of power.”
Elizabeth Frantz
“The biggest challenge for me was not knowing whether I was going to be outside stationary for six hours straight or just one or two hours at a time. The last thing I wanted was to be inside and just sweating in all my warm layers. Then I went back outside but I managed “From surviving the cold, I quickly changed into semi-formal clothes that I stored in the photo office on Capitol Hill before heading to the Liberty Ball (NYSE:).”
Jim Urquhart
“I've specialized in covering armed extremist groups for more than a decade in America. That includes several years of covering the Proud Boys in their homes and communities. This was a smaller gathering than most I've covered. But it shows that the Proud Boys are still here — or Rather, they never left.”
Leah Millis
“This time I was covering a small group of protesters. They started in a park and walked near the city center but stayed about a mile away. The energy is different because people are unhappy with the incoming administration. There is anger, chants, but also music, so there are people dancing and performing.” Support each other in the form of water, snacks and hand warmers.”
Kevin Mohat
“On Martin Luther King Day, I went to the MLK Memorial where I saw several people who were in town for the inauguration. Since they couldn't watch it, they went to the memorial instead. Moving the event indoors made it necessary Planning became difficult, and it became a matter of knowing where people could be located and where was the best place to take photos that told the story of the day beyond what was happening under the dome.
Carlos Barea
“For Inauguration Day, I have a very dynamic and fast-paced job. We accompany the new president everywhere he goes until he takes his last step for the day, and then we go home. The challenges are many: from dealing with cold weather in black tie, to long hours, with… Very few breaks to eat (but) I always say this job is the front seat of history, and I would be honored to witness that.
