Trump will likely avoid controversy over the size of the inaugural crowd by moving the swearing-in indoors

Debates over the size of President-elect Trump’s inaugural crowd were notably controversial in 2017, with the White House insisting that the media underreported Trump’s numbers.

With his oath now it moves inland because of the harsh winter weather, Trump is likely to avoid any questions about attendance this time around.

Fox News learned Friday that Trump’s inauguration would be moved indoors due to freezing temperatures expected in Washington, DC on Monday. Trump announced that he had ordered his inaugural address and other ceremonial speeches and speeches to be held in the rotunda of the US Capitol to protect people from harm.

“The weather forecast for Washington, D.C“, with the wind chill factor, could bring temperatures to severe record lows,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

TRUMP will be inaugurated indoors: The last ceremony held indoors was for Reagan in 1985

“There’s an arctic blast sweeping the country. I don’t want to see people hurt or injured in any way. These are dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of law enforcement officers, first responders, police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters who will be out for many hours on the 20th (In any case, if you decide to come, please dress warmly!)” he continued.

Trump also said Capital One Arena will be open Monday for live viewing of his inauguration “and to host the presidential parade.”

“I will be joining the crowd at Capital One, after my swearing in,” Trump wrote.

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The Inaugural Committee confirmed Trump’s remarks, saying the ceremony would be moved inside the U.S. Capitol to the Rotunda, a committee spokesman said.

With attendees no longer allowed to gather outside in the cold, any photo ops for Trump and a record crowd are likely out of the picture, as is any chance of people arguing over the size of the crowd claimed by Trump as in 2017.

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer criticized the press shortly after Trump’s first inauguration, accusing the media of inaccurately reporting crowd sizes.

The day after the inauguration, Spicer said that “photographs from the inauguration were intentionally framed in a way, in one particular tweet, to minimize the tremendous support that had gathered on the National Mall.”

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He also said at the time that “inaccurate numbers were also tweeted involving the size of the crowd. Nobody had numbers, because the National Park Service, which controls the National Mall, doesn’t release any.”

“These attempts to dampen enthusiasm for the inauguration are shameful and misguided,” Spicer said.

The Washington Post reported at the time that Trump had called the acting director of the National Park Service on his first day in office to dispute photos circulating online of his inaugural crowd size.

President Biden they also faced crowd size barriers during its opening in 2021 due to the current coronavirus restrictions. His ceremony was sparsely attended and featured former presidents and first ladies. Attendees wore face masks and many did not adhere to social distancing guidelines, with several high fives and hugs seen.

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The last inauguration ceremony to be moved indoors was President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in January 1985. Reagan took the oath of office at the White House the day before the ceremony, while that the following day public events were held indoors due to temperatures reaching 7 degrees with a chill of -40.

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo, Peter Doocy, Chad Pergram and Aishah Hasnie contributed to this report.