100 WVIA Way
Pittston, PA 18640

Phone: 570-826-6144
Fax: 570-655-1180

Copyright © 2025 WVIA, all rights reserved. WVIA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

From Rodano's to the Rotunda, Pennsylvanians commemorate Trump's second inauguration

Luzerne County Republicans LLC, a grassroots organization, held an inauguration watch party at Rodano's in Wilkes-Barre.
Isabela Weiss
/
WVIA News
Luzerne County Republicans LLC, a grassroots organization, held an inauguration watch party at Rodano's in Wilkes-Barre.

Bonding over pizza, beer, and some classic rock, about 60 people celebrated Donald Trump's second inauguration amid the warmth of Rodano's restaurant on Wilkes-Barre Public Square.

The grassroots group quickly pulled the event together over the weekend after cold weather in Washington, D.C. prompted officials to move the inauguration inside the U.S. Capitol, meaning there was room only for 750 people to watch it in person.

"A lot of us that had tickets that were going weren't able to go in, and there was a lot of people that were disappointed," said Theodore Fitzgerald, head of Luzerne County Republicans LLC.

To the strains of Trump favorite "YMCA," the Rodano's crowd cheered what they believe the 47th president will usher in: a united America.

"We have to respect everybody. We have to love everybody and just respect their wishes," Fitzgerald said.

Food for the Rodano's event was sponsored by U.S. Reps. Dan Meuser (R-Dallas), Rob Bresnahan (R-Dallas) and state Rep. Alec Ryncavage (R-Plymouth), who were actually down in D.C. for the events.

The trio of lawmakers were among many Pennsylvanians who made the trek to Washington to witness history — some more closely than others.

'A powerful day'

Bresnahan, sitting in the Capitol Rotunda with other members of Congress, watched President Trump take the oath of office and listened to his inaugural speech from about 100 feet away.

Bresnahan sat with fellow first-term Republicans and Democrats, a mixing of parties that he called “really cool and special.”

“(Rep.) Ryan McKenzie (R-Lehigh) was a row behind me,” he said.

Bresnahan said he sat in front of the statue of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, which added to the sense of “a powerful day.”

Hearing the U.S. Marine Band playing and seeing former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and the U.S. Supreme Court justices was also “really special,” he said.

This is the view of President Donald Trump giving his inaugural speech Jan. 20, 2025, from the seat where U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan sat.
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan
/
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan congressional office
This is the view of President Donald Trump giving his inaugural speech Jan. 20, 2025, from the seat where U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan sat.

“And you look over on the stage, and you see Jeff Bezos, and you see Elon Musk, and you see the Trump family. And, you know, you're just like, wow,” he said.

As he watched the president’s speech, which he called “interesting and certainly encouraging” and “unapologetically authentic” Trump, Bresnahan said he thought how crazy it was that he was sitting so close.

“And there was just really good energy,” he said. “It was serene, but mostly very powerful.”

Pennsylvania Republican elected officials visit Washington, D.C., for President Donald Trump's inauguration. They watched the event from U.S. Congressman Dan Meuser's office. From left: State Rep. David Rowe, State Sen. Joe Picozzi, State Sen. Dave Argall, State Rep. Robert Leadbeter, Meuser and State Rep. Brenda Pugh.
Office of Senator David G. Argall
Pennsylvania Republican elected officials visit Washington, D.C., for President Donald Trump's inauguration. They watched the event from U.S. Congressman Dan Meuser's office. From left: State Rep. David Rowe, State Sen. Joe Picozzi, State Sen. Dave Argall, State Rep. Robert Leadbeter, Meuser and State Rep. Brenda Pugh.

'A lot of common sense'

State Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill, watched the inauguration on a television in U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser’s office in the Cannon House Office Building.

“No surprises. He talked about the same things today that he's been talking about for years, and he certainly emphasized throughout the campaign,” Argall said. “It was certainly warmer and more comfortable sitting with Dan's family and his friends."

It was not the first inauguration for Argall. Just out of college and a student at Georgetown Law School, he attended President Ronald Reagan’s first in 1980 and Trump’s eight years ago.

He slept on a friend’s floor and watched the inauguration together and “from about three miles away, with binoculars.”

Argall focused on a line from Trump’s speech that resonated with him.

“You know, for all these years, we've been helping other countries defend their borders. Shouldn't we do the same for our own? I thought that just makes a lot of common sense,” Argall said.

Argall planned to attend a party featuring Pennsylvania’s Republican congressmen a few hours later.

Meuser, in a statement released to the media, called Monday "the beginning of a New Golden Age for our country."

“President Trump’s bold leadership will restore confidence in the American dream and renew our nation’s strength at home and abroad," Meuser said.

"By securing our border, unleashing American energy, growing the economy, strengthening our national security, and putting America First, he will deliver on the mandate the people overwhelmingly voted for."

Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, sounded a conciliatory note in a statement about the inauguration, congratulating Trump and noting how the ceremony demonstrated "the peaceful transfer of power and proving that our democracy continues to endure."

"I stand ready to work with the Trump Administration to continue our progress here in Pennsylvania," Shapiro said.

“At the same time, as I have done throughout my career, I will always defend our fundamental freedoms and stand up to efforts to erode them. I will continue our work to build a Commonwealth where all Pennsylvanians have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed."

McCormick: 'Privileged to be part of it'

U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick sat about 15 feet away from Trump as the president gave his speech and thought about “the passing of the torch through a democratic process” and the historical significance of Trump returning to office after losing four years ago.

McCormick said Trump’s speech was tough in laying out the nation’s decline, but, atypically for an inaugural speech, turned toward what he would do — secure the border, stop the flow of fentanyl, control inflation.

Trump’s discussion of building coalitions with African-Americans, Hispanics and trade unions hit home with him because they helped him, too, McCormick said.

“And then I thought it ended beautifully. I thought it was uplifting and soaring,” McCormick said.

Amid politics, “it’s easy to get jaded,” but just stepping into the Capitol Rotunda “gives you pause,” he said.

McCormick noted President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris handed over power “with dignity.”

“It's not unique. That happens every four years, but it’s what’s special about our country,” he said. “And then I think to see this with Donald Trump, he is a unique figure in the history of our country, a uniquely transformational figure. I think he did a lot of great things in his first administration, that he's going to do a lot more great things in his second and I feel privileged to be part of it.”

Watching from the hotel

Scranton High School students had expected to be on the National Mall when Trump recited the oath on Monday. Instead, they gathered in the eighth floor room in which their Arlington, Virginia, hotel serves breakfast.

There, they watched on a television what they had expected to see in person.

“Seeing it in the hotel actually worked out really well, because after the fact, we were able to ask our teachers questions and discuss the things talked about during the inauguration,” senior Ryan Prothero said.

Scranton High School students watch the inauguration of President Donald Trump from the hotel breakfast room on Monday.
Submitted photo
Scranton High School students watch the inauguration of President Donald Trump from the hotel breakfast room on Monday.

The 31 students, who have been in Washington, D.C., since Saturday, asked about subjects brought up in Trump’s speech: the Panama Canal, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 and drilling.

“I think it was a much more intimate experience, and honestly, it couldn't have gone better for us,” senior Addison Bohn said.

From the breakfast room, the students could see the Capitol building in the distance, across the Potomac River. When the ceremony was over, students could see the Marine helicopter carrying President Joe Biden leave the Capitol and head toward Joint Base Andrews.

“We were able to capitalize, and we got more of an informative experience than we would have at the Capitol,” senior Zach Jordan said.

The inauguration trip — the fifth organized by teachers Jerry Skotleski and Sean Curry — has included trips to museums and monuments. The students plan to meet with staff members of Sen. John Fetterman and new U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan on Tuesday.

After some shopping and dinner on Monday, some students planned to return to the breakfast room for another event on TV: the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Borys joins WVIA News from The Scranton Times-Tribune, where he served as an investigative reporter and covered a wide range of political stories. His work has been recognized with numerous national and state journalism awards from the Inland Press Association, Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors, Society of Professional Journalists and Pennsylvania Newsmedia Association.

You can email Borys at boryskrawczeniuk@wvia.org
Roger DuPuis joins WVIA News from the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. His 24 years of experience in journalism, as both a reporter and editor, included several years at The Scranton Times-Tribune. His beat assignments have ranged from breaking news, local government and politics, to business, healthcare, and transportation. He has a lifelong interest in urban transit, particularly light rail, and authored a book about Philadelphia's trolley system.

You can email Roger at rogerdupuis@wvia.org
Isabela Weiss is a storyteller turned reporter from Athens, GA. She is WVIA News's Rural Government Reporter and a Report for America corps member. Weiss lives in Wilkes-Barre with her fabulous cats, Boo and Lorelai.

You can email Isabella at isabelaweiss@wvia.org
Sarah Hofius Hall worked at The Times-Tribune in Scranton since 2006. For nearly all of that time, Hall covered education, visiting the region's classrooms and reporting on issues important to students, teachers, families and taxpayers.

You can email Sarah at sarahhall@wvia.org
Related Stories