Almost all of DC shut down for Trump’s inauguration. So why was there no ordained survival?
President Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday featured the largest and most complex security footprint of any inauguration in American history.
The nation’s capital has transformed from a pedestrian-friendly city into a formidable, impregnable fortress seemingly overnight – a multi-agency task force that has seen the construction of 30 miles of anti-scale fencing, aerial surveillance and the deployment of drones. Tens of thousands of law enforcement, military personnel, undercover agents and National Guard vehicles in DC.
The dramatic, all-government security effort on Inauguration Day was unprecedented and not without reason: Trump was the victim of two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign — including a sniper who approached him to rip off his ear — and in the terrorist attack in New Orleans and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson said the domestic threat was exacerbated by a murder in midtown Manhattan late last year. Appearance.
It is noteworthy, then, that this year’s widespread security footprint has conspicuously omitted a key element fundamental to the American tradition: the naming of survivors.
A fence stands in front of the US Capitol. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)
In DC, a tightly coordinated federal security effort by the Secret Service and several other federal agencies had been carefully planned ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
This is both a recent security threat and an effort to protect America’s body politicians, foreign leaders, donors and thousands of attendees from any mass destruction or threat.
A cabinet officer is the designated person charged with leading the United States during an emergency, especially during major security events involving elected officials such as inaugurations and State of the Union addresses. .
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the Commander In Chief Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
Previous survivors include former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who was nominated for his role during President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration.
Gates, a George W. Bush appointee, was retained by Obama and served in the Pentagon role until July 2011, the official said. Biography of the Ministry of Defense.
The whereabouts and sometimes the identity of the survivor remain a mystery until the event is dispersed and the attendees return home safely. In high-profile incidents, a comprehensive contingency plan is developed.
According to Garrett Graf It was reported in 2016Gates’ role includes another government heavyweight named to survive Obama’s inauguration – James Clapper, then undersecretary of intelligence – during the ceremony, tucked away in a secret government storage facility in Pennsylvania, a backup copy, if you’re a permit, and a group of defense, intelligence and other federal agencies. Agencies have criticized the detailed succession plan, which has been carefully prepared over a period of 40 years or more.
Therefore, no survivors were named during the 47th presidential inauguration.
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President Donald Trump attends the Inauguration Ball in Washington on January 20, 2025. (Reuters/Daniel Cole)
No reason was given for the absence of the appointed survivor, which was originally NBC News reported.
The widespread security presence organized before January 20 may have been deemed sufficient to prevent any incidents.
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President Donald Trump reviews the troops during an inauguration ceremony in Independence Hall at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025. (Greg Nash/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition, the event was held indoors and was limited to the public and members of the news media, which does not guarantee the named person.
Prior to the event, FBI and Secret Service personnel emphasized strict security measures and strict monitoring of any ticketed attendees.
David Sundberg of the FBI’s Washington field office told Fox News earlier this week that the bureau is not pursuing “any specific or credible threat” to Inauguration Day.
“All participants will be screened,” said Matt McCall, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Washington field office.
These individuals told Fox News that the fence alone is larger than any previous national security measures.
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“Designated checkpoints will be set up for members of the public who are interested in attending the inauguration,” McCool said before the inauguration – a modified protocol that also applied to attendees at Capital One’s festivities, which were moved inside due to the heat.
The White House, DHS and FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the specific person’s absence.
Elizabeth Elkind of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
