The Kennedy Center served as an Inauguration Day waiting room as Trump staffers bided time until they could access their new offices at the White House.
The incoming staffers started gathering at the iconic Washington location, renowned for its symphonies and ballets, early Monday, while Joe Biden was still president.
They arrived in ride-share vehicles.
An aide hired for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was there first, three hours before the noon swearing-in.
U.S. Secret Service personnel checked their IDs and distributed temporary passes. Some aides had presidential lanyards for their credentials; one proudly wore a lanyard from his high school.
Staffers greeted familiar faces from President Trump’s first term and introduced themselves to new colleagues who had never been to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
They mingled on the red carpet in the Hall of States, below larger-than-life photos of John F. Kennedy and astronauts.
The photos marked moments in Kennedy’s career, including a speech he’d made in Ireland. One staffer pointed to it and talked about visiting the country with Trump during his first term.
A National Security Council staffer sipped a 20-ounce Starbucks coffee. A communications aide ate a breakfast sandwich. There was a joke or two about first-day-of-school outfits, which included business suits and for a couple of men, stretchy Lululemon trousers.
They periodically checked their watches and phones.
At 11:30 a.m., the staffers in waiting pulled up livestream footage of the inaugural ceremony on laptops and cellphones.
During remarks from an introductory speaker at 11:53 a.m., one aide said: “They’ve got to wrap it up — they’ve got seven minutes, according to the Constitution.”
At noon, someone asked, “We going to leave?”
“Soon as he puts his hand on the Bible,” another aide responded.
At 12:01 p.m., Trump took the oath — without touching the Bible. His new staffers grabbed their coats and bags, boarded mini buses and headed to the White House.
