Brutal temperatures and bone-chilling wind chills swept into Washington, D.C., forcing 2025 presidential inauguration activities inside for the first time in 40 years.
However, that didn’t stop TSA and our agency’s many partners from protecting the tens of thousands of people who converged on the nation’s capital to witness the historic event.
“While events moved indoors, almost all our security mission was executed outside,” said Gary Renfrow, senior advisor for TSA Security Operations. “That said, the decision to move the events indoors did require TSA to pivot and demonstrate the kind of agility our Administrator envisioned.”
TSA Special Events Coordinator Mariana Reed said TSA was able to provide support in a myriad of ways including uniformed officers and canine teams who deployed to support screening at inauguration events. Teams from the agency’s Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service (LE/FAMS) partnered with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to protect the National Capital Region’s surface transportation system.
TSA also provided critical support by hosting the Multiagency Communications Center (MACC) at the agency’s Freedom Center in northern Virginia, where dozens of representatives from numerous agencies gathered to keep a close watch on security operations across Washington and organized their support efforts.
“The MACC was the primary operations facility staffed by essential representatives from participating law enforcement agencies, public safety departments and other key stakeholders and organizations with distinct roles in the implementation of security plans,” Reed explained. “The primary purpose of the MACC was to provide timely dissemination of information to all participating agencies and serve as the centralized coordination center for security-related events.”
Serge Potapov, LE/FAMS executive director for Flight Operations, served as TSA’s field event coordinator for the inauguration and oversaw the agency’s support from the MACC. He acted as transportation security advisor to local incident commanders and was responsible for briefing TSA senior leadership on our teams’ support.
LE/FAMS also positioned Federal Air Marshals on flights in and out of Washington and monitored drone activity in the region.
“All unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flights within the National Capital Region’s Flight Restriction Zone are strictly prohibited,” said Potapov. “Despite these strict regulations, unlawful flights do occur, and law enforcement agencies routinely respond to reports of such activity to educate drone operators about the rules. During an event like the inauguration, enforcement is greatly enhanced to combat the potential threat unlawful UAS activity can pose.”
The Department of Homeland Security declared the inauguration a National Special Security Event, which Assistant Supervisory Air Marshal in Charge Jason Goff described is “considered to be of significant national importance, potentially attracting terrorist activity due to its political, economic or social significance.”
“TSA was needed to support the U.S. Secret Service and provide a presence at various locations surrounding and including the inauguration,” said Reed. “With large scale events like this, there are always going to be adversarial entities who will attempt to use it as an opportunity to push their agendas.”
National Deployment Force called to action
Over 1,100 TSA officers traveled from more than 100 airports to provide support. Some were experienced Presidential Campaign Support Team officers who were on the road with the Secret Service over the last year.
Organizers deployed officers to outdoor venues, supporting Secret Service screening checkpoints around Washington, which included the U.S. Capitol grounds, the presidential motorcade route, Capital One Arena where the inside parade was held, inaugural ball sites at the Washington Convention Center, the Pentagon and the National Cathedral.
The officers put in long hours during their deployment, many working up to 15 hours a day. While in their support role, screening guests and their property, our TSA officers found numerous prohibited items such as pocketknives, pepper spray and a concealed spike pick.
“One of our greatest challenges logistically was ensuring everyone got to and from their assignments, their lodging locations and their airports,” described Albert Stallcup, National Deployment Force (NDF) lead area coordinator. “Transportation, in general, was the greatest hurdle. Having groups of officers housed at more than one location, the weather, traffic and the tight security in and around event locations complicated matters for the team. The sudden shift to indoor events really tested the boundaries of flexibility.”
When several months of planning for an inauguration outside suddenly changed and became a 48-hour plan, TSA Specialized Programs Analyst Trent Koerner said the team really came together and made it all happen.
“One of our greatest assets was the team’s experience,” Koerner noted, “having already worked so closely with the Secret Service over the last year, coordinating, pivoting on short notice and deploying NDF officers throughout the 2024 presidential campaign season. That experience helped make critical communication and the overall planning pivot easier.”
Because of last-minute changes in inauguration events due to the arctic weather, many deployed TSA officers were not needed at checkpoint sites around the capital but remained in the Washington area on standby.
Canines on patrol
TSA’s National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program was also hard at work, deploying 14 passenger screening canine teams, who were part of a multiagency patrol force around Washington.
The canine program collaborated with TSA’s Federal Air Marshals, Secret Service and Metro Transit Police Department to support the inauguration.
“The primary responsibility of the Security Operations passenger screening canine teams was to sweep, secure and maintain routes along Pennsylvania Avenue between the U.S. Capitol and the White House,” explained National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program Branch Chief Timothy Bartlett. “They conducted initial and random sweeps of individuals, areas and established checkpoints.”
TSA supported Metro police with eight law enforcement canine teams.
“These teams provided the highest quality of safety and security for the city’s transportation systems and the people attending this National Special Security Event, which involved connections to the Metro and airports in the National Capital Region,” Bartlett noted. “A big thank you to all the teams and headquarters staff who supported this amid the long shifts and frigid weather.”
Partnerships make it happen
Without all the partnerships, securing a significant event like the inauguration couldn’t be a success.
“The Secret Service leveraged its strong partnerships with TSA, the FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Metro (subway) Transit Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Park Police, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Amtrak and dozens of other federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety offices,” said Goff. “This ensured seamless coordination across every level of government to implement its operational security plan.”
Reed said coordination and planning began nearly a year ahead of the inauguration.
“Our partnerships are important,” she emphasized, “as our networks can be used and leveraged to give and get the support needed from our partner agencies for a successful event.”
Reflections
Here are some thoughts from TSA Officers deployed to the inauguration:
“This was the second inauguration I’ve participated in, and with so many last-minute changes and the biting cold, this one was different for sure. One of the assignments my team and I participated in was screening military personnel, firefighters, various bands and other groups who participated in the inaugural parade at Capital One Arena. Once we screened them, they then waited for buses that took them to their assigned parade location. At the next event we helped secure, we had a chance to visit the National Cathedral and briefly tour the site, including the crypt before setting up and beginning screening operations for the day’s events there. This whole experience was an incredible and special honor for us all.” – Officer Karen Guidry (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport)
“This assignment for me was a nice way to bring our work on the 2024 presidential campaign season to a close. Because of so many changes, I didn’t get the opportunity to work any of the larger event assignments but got to play an important part nonetheless supporting security screening operations at the Waldorf Astoria, where several important inaugural guests stayed. Knowing that you have a part in keeping dignitaries and their guests safe is a rewarding experience.” – Officer Joshua Borrego (Salt Lake City International Airport)
“For me, supporting such an important mission is a great experience by itself, but you also meet a lot of great people in the process. Something of a treat for me was running into a firefighter from my own home airport who participated in the inaugural parade along with a group of other firefighters. He gave me an MCO Fire Department challenge coin. Despite the freezing temperatures, everyone was in great spirits, understanding and cooperative, both the security teams and the thousands of participants and guests we screened.” – Lead Officer Karla Black (Orlando International Airport)
"I haven't seen so much pride from the Officers. It was great seeing them enjoy this deployment. I was part of a great team that outperformed, and the Secret Service noticed. I can't wait for the next one." Supervisory Officer Gabriel Soto (San Jose Mineta Airport)
“My assignments included leading a team of officers supporting screening operations specifically at the Pentagon and then the interfaith service event at the National Cathedral. It was truly an honor for my team and me to take part in securing such a high-profile event. The team worked almost 12 hours in bitter-cold temperatures but truly brought a lot of dedication, flexibility and professionalism with them, making each assignment a success.” – NDF Deployed Point of Contact David Baker (California’s Ontario International Airport)
“I was assigned to a screening location on the Capitol grounds, with a team charged with guests near the Capitol. This for me was an incredible experience. What I really appreciated was the fantastic teamwork and camaraderie not just with our Officers but also with the Secret Service team we were embedded with.” – Officer James White (Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport)
“My team and I were assigned to Capital One Arena for a pre-inaugural event. The rain and snow that Sunday night made our work incredibly difficult. It’s a challenge to manage screening under conditions where all the guests want nothing more than to get inside out of the weather – to get dry and warm. I’m proud of my team for keeping their focus and committing to their mission, screening one guest at a time, and making sure no threats got past us.” – Lead Officer Kristen Kopczynski (Chicago O’Hare International Airport)