More than half a dozen police departments in the D.C. metro area have announced they will not assist the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with security for the 2025 Presidential Inauguration.
This decision could leave MPD significantly understaffed for an event of such scale, potentially reducing their available officers by several hundred—a critical shortfall for an occasion that typically demands extensive security measures.
Meanwhile, Trump has ordered the event to be moved indoors, citing “dangerous conditions” including “the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows.”
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“There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way,” Trump’s post continued, adding “Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985.”
Of course, it may be the weather, or it may be something else. As Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene opined on X, “I have personally attended countless rallies where President Trump spoke in extreme weather conditions from cold to rain to heat,” adding “Is there a security threat other than extreme cold temperatures?”
While MPD claimed thousands of officers will assist with security, several local departments told the Caller they will not be helping. Most were vague with their reasons for skipping this year’s inauguration, but one department confirmed in an email that it was because of a dispute over a memorandum of understanding (MOU), or agreement between departments, with MPD.
“I was just told that based on the current MOU, we will not be assisting Metro PD,” a spokesperson for Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland told the Caller.
Daily Caller report: MCPD was not the only department to make that decision.
Howard and Queen Anne’s County police departments, also from Maryland, told the Caller they will not be assisting with inauguration security, although Howard PD said it provided security in 2017. Queen Anne’s told the Caller that it would not be assisting in 2025 due to “technical difficulties.” Frederick County Sheriff’s Department will also not be assisting due to staffing reasons.
Anne Arundel County, Maryland State Police, and Prince George’s County all said they would be helping Capitol Police — but not MPD — with security. This suggests that these departments have a particular problem working with MPD, not with the inauguration itself.
Only two departments of the nine who responded to the Caller stated they would be coordinating with MPD for the inauguration. Frederick City in Maryland plans to send about 20 officers, and Loudoun County in Virginia will send around 30 deputies, according to spokespeople for the departments.
The MPD is bringing in additional resources to allow their officers to serve in locations that require security, a source familiar told the Caller. This allows local jurisdictions to “handle more serious incidents,” including civil disobedience, the source added. He noted that the current deployment of officers for the inauguration is in line with past events.
The Capitol Police will be taking a more central role with security at the inauguration, as the event has been moved to the Capitol Rotunda, allegedly due to weather concerns, according to a statement from Trump.