(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) President-elect Donald Trump returned to Washington, D.C. Saturday evening ahead of the inauguration for his second term in office.
Trump, his wife Melania and their youngest son Barron left West Palm Beach, Florida on a special U.S. military plane sent by the outgoing Biden administration for Trump’s official return to the nation’s capital. Video shows the president-elect turn around and wave after he and his family walked up the steps.
President @realDonaldTrump, @MELANIATRUMP, and Barron Trump board Air Force One for his official return to Washington, DC!
America, your next Commander-in-Chief is en route 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/NmoIu0svOw
— Margo Martin (@margomartin) January 18, 2025
President Trump, First Lady Melania, and Baron board a government plane en route to Washington.
🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Hjc0MUE9XM
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 18, 2025
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump and family board plane for flight from West Palm Beach Florida to Washington DC for inauguration … pic.twitter.com/ciDTvRGz4t
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) January 18, 2025
The Trumps touched down at the Dulles Airport in Virginia after dark in what supporters called a “surreal” moment.
.@realDonaldTrump walks off an Air Force plane with Melania Trump and his son Barron Trump as they arrive at Dulles Airport in Dulles, Va. pic.twitter.com/1malZp7l6G
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) January 19, 2025
🚨 Trump has landed in Virginia at Dulles International to a barrage of camera flashes
This still feels so surreal. pic.twitter.com/f4dZ4QEOMv
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 19, 2025
.@realDonaldTrump walks off an Air Force plane with Melania Trump as they arrive at Dulles Airport in Dulles, Va. pic.twitter.com/NfopknX9YO
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) January 19, 2025
Trump celebrated his return to power at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. He praised Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., who welcomed Trump to his state with a special gift of Virginia’s flag.
Youngkin ordered Saturday that all U.S. flags in Virginia fly at full-staff on Monday “in recognition” of Trump’s inauguration, temporarily suspending the 30-day half-staff mourning measure for the late former President Jimmy Carter. Other states including Florida, Texas and California did the same earlier this week.
HAPPENING NOW: Governor @GlennYoungkin welcomes President @realDonaldTrump to the top state for business, to live, work, and raise a family at Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. pic.twitter.com/Iad14IZ38y
— Christian Martinez (@C_RMartinez) January 19, 2025
Trump also gave shoutouts to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who he called a “great negotiator” in light of the Israel-Hamas hostage deal scheduled to take place on Sunday, Fox News reported.
Video shows Trump and his wife stand close together as they watched an Elvis impersonator at his victory party.
President @realDonaldTrump and @MELANIATRUMP arrive at Trump National Sterling, VA! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZCIcCJz3O6
— Margo Martin (@margomartin) January 19, 2025
Trump looked incredible tonight.
We’re literally hours away from the Golden Age. pic.twitter.com/oSenkE4aKW
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 19, 2025
Photos showed Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, arrive at a Vice President’s dinner at the National Gallery of Art. The second couple stunned in elegant fashion, and Vance spoke at the event.
Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, arrive at the Vice President's dinner at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday. JD Vance spoke during the dinner event. pic.twitter.com/Dv4GjmuA5q
— Katie Yonke (@JKHomestead) January 19, 2025
The Trumps later hosted an evening reception and fireworks show. The president-elect stood beside the future first lady as they gazed upon red and gold fireworks from the balcony of his golf club.
“The Golden Age is upon us!” Trump deputy communications director Margo Martin wrote on X.
The Golden Age is upon us! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/FO4lRJoO8i
— Margo Martin (@margomartin) January 19, 2025
GOD BLESS AMERICA! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/MMa71IRtPL
— Margo Martin (@margomartin) January 19, 2025
Trump is set to attend a breakfast with GOP senators Sunday at 9 a.m. He will then go to a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery at 1 p.m.
Early Sunday, a seemingly endless line of Trump supporters awaited Trump’s 3 p.m. Make America Great Again Victory Rally at the Capital One Arena. Guest speakers will include Elon Musk, Charlie Kirk and Megyn Kelly, among others.
“I’m here for 47. We made it, we worked really hard to get here. The people put a mandate. So, I’m just so proud and I just wanna see Trump and make it official,” one woman told Fox News, showing the reporter her first term Trump tattoo.
🇺🇸 🚨 President-elect Donald Trump’s Plans for Today:
9 AM: Breakfast with GOP senators
1 PM: Changing of the Guard at the Arlington National Cemetery
3 PM: MAGA Victory Rally begins in D.C.
8:30 PM: Candlelit dinner at National Building Museum pic.twitter.com/rF2O2IoXmw
— Julianna Frieman (@JuliannaFrieman) January 19, 2025
Trump will cap off a day full of pre-inaugural festivities with a candlelit dinner at 8:30 p.m.
Trump told Americans in his Jan. 20, 2021 farewell address, “We will be back in some form,” and, “We will see you soon.”
“Soon” has finally arrived, as Trump will be inaugurated Monday at 12 p.m. The president-elect will take the oath of office indoors at the Capitol Rotunda after deciding Friday that his swearing-in should not be held outside due to an “arctic blast” overcoming D.C.
“I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and the American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
