When Donald Trump swears in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, 35 Hillsdale students plan to attend.
The group, organized by the Hillsdale College Republicans, will travel by bus to Virginia on Sunday and then head to Washington, D.C. the following morning. They will depart on Monday evening and arrive back in Hillsdale early Tuesday morning.
“Hillsdale students, most of whom voted in Michigan, played a crucial role in our victory in this state,” Hillsdale College Republicans President Josiah Jones said. “Our club couldn’t think of any better way to celebrate than to provide Hillsdale with an opportunity to celebrate their victory.”
Following Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Hillsdale College Republicans sent out an email advertising the event and posted flyers around campus. Students filled up the spots for the trip on a first-come-first-served basis before winter break for a $90 fee.
In addition to attending the swearing-in ceremony on the west side of the Capitol, the group will watch the inaugural parade to the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue. Jones said, to the best of his knowledge, Hillsdale College Republicans has not done inauguration trips in the past.
“Traditionally, our club does a trip to CPAC every year, but given that our victory in this election was truly so crucial for the future of our country and that Hillsdale students played a significant role in that victory, having our students in D.C. on Inauguration Day is definitely a necessity,” Jones said.
Freshman Carter Ross said he decided to go on the trip because it struck him as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
“This election is absolutely pivotal for our country and her future,” Ross said. “Given that I have been provided a golden opportunity at such a little expense, attending the inauguration is, simply put, a no-brainer.”
This is no ordinary political change, according to Ross, but rather a major step toward making this nation great again.
“America knocks at the gate of a new era,” Ross said. “I choose to be there when it is opened.”