Il Messaggiere - 'Back on track': Trump supporters brave freezing conditions to attend rally

"I'm happy to be here to support (him)," said Loren Stephenson, 40, pulling an American flag tighter around her head to shield herself from hailstones. "It's been a long day but people are generally in good spirits."

Stephenson said she joined the line at around 6:00 am, an hour before dawn, to make sure she got inside to see Trump lead what was meant to be a raucous celebration of his November victory.

Long lines of supporters snaked around several city blocks in Washington's Chinatown neighborhood, with soldiers directing people towards the Capital One arena, a 20,000-seat stadium that is home to the city's basketball and ice hockey teams.

At one street corner, a performer dressed in a colonial-era uniform sang into a microphone, as the crowd around him swayed.

At others, Christian preachers stood at fold-up tables, quoting the Bible and extoling the virtues of God, often to appreciative nods.

Some supporters were draped in US flags, while others wore capes emblazoned with Trump's blood-spattered face from a failed assassination attempt, and the slogan: "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Several carts selling Trump-related merchandise did brisk business, with vendors saying the frigid temperatures were seeing Trump-branded scarves and woollen hats fly off the racks.

- 'Government is a business' -

Temperatures in Washington plummeted on Sunday, with heavy snow falling later in the afternoon and even lower temperatures -- and high winds -- forecast for Monday.

Given the conditions, Trump's inauguration, which was meant to take place on the US Capitol steps, was moved indoors.

"We missed out on the inauguration so I want to at least see the guy if I drove out here," said Thomas Zacher, 23, who travelled from Wisconsin for the rally.

Zacher said he voted for Trump mainly due to the economy, with inflation surging at points in the last four years. He also pointed to Trump's charisma.

"His charisma, his energy," he said. "To be honest if it wasn't for Trump, I think politics is kind of in the back seat of a lot of people's brains."

It was a sentiment echoed by many in line.

"We need somebody who hasn't been in the political world and been corrupted by politics for so long," said Kim Matthews, 50, who travelled from Kentucky.

"He hasn't been in lifelong politics, he is a businessman," she said.

"And I think the government is a business."

- Day one priorities -

Christina Overby, a 53-year-old office worker, was eager for Trump to get to work.

"He's got to get us back on track," she said, pointing to illegal immigration and inflation as her priorities.

"I come from a working-class family, and I really don't want folks coming in here from other countries that are not supposed to be here and taking these opportunities away from people like my family," she said.

Overby called for Trump to "get the military" to deport people.

Some braving the cold outside the arena were not Trump supporters.

Sam Tecotzky walked alongside the line carrying a homemade cardboard sign.

"Don't be duped by a lifelong CONMAN!!! You're too good for him!!!" the sign read.

The 23-year-old said he had several positive conversations with Trump supporters on Sunday.

On Trump supporters, he said, "I hold nothing against them. I have no contempt for them. I think they're probably mostly fundamentally good people."

"I see it as one of my duties to break out of my liberal bubble, (and) I would love to help people break out of their own conservative bubbles," the Washington-based policy researcher said.

As a progressively heavier rain began to fall, people were eager to get inside -- with musical performances from the Village People and Kid Rock on the slate, along with speeches by prominent Trump allies.

For Overby, though, there was only one reason to brave the cold for this long.

"I'm not going to these things to watch somebody twerking on stage," she said.

"I want to see my president. That's why I'm here."

L.Amato--IM