- Title: PERSONAL: 'I was a fan before it was cool' says 21-year-old Trump supporter
- Date: 20th January 2025
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JANUARY 20, 2025) (REUTERS) SUPPORTERS OF U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT, DONALD TRUMP, LINED UP OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITAL ONE ARENA FOR INAUGURATION WATCH PARTY TRUMP SUPPORTERS IN LINE, CHEERING TRUMP SUPPORTER, 21-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH LAWHORN, FROM BEDFORD, VIRGINIA, GIVING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) 21-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH LAWHORN, FROM BEDFORD, VIRGINIA
- Embargoed: 3rd February 2025 14:33
- Keywords: Capital One Center Trump Trump 47 Trump supporter election inauguration
- Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: US
- Topics: North America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001474820012025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Joseph Lawhorn was only a boy when he saw Donald Trump coming down the golden escalator in Trump Tower to kick of his presidential run ten years ago, but he’s never forgotten it. From that moment on, he was “Trump all the way”.
As 21-year-old Lawhorn, dressed head to toe in an American flag suit, waited in line with thousands of others on inauguration day to get into the Capital One Arena on Monday (January 20), he joked that he has been a Trump supporter “since before it was cool”.
Freezing temperatures forced the inauguration indoors at the U.S. Capitol, and Trump’s tens of thousands of supporters who traveled from far and wide like Lawhorn will watch the event from the arena. The traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House will also take place there.
Joseph Lawhorn said he came four hours from him home in Bedford, Virginia, where he runs a cattle farm with his brother, and had been waiting in line since 2 a.m.
While Trump’s unguarded language rankles others, Lawhorn said it’s one of the things that first drew him to Trump.
“I'm kind of an obnoxious person, so that's kind of why I liked him,” he said. But he said since Trump won a new term he’s noticed a change in Trump’s tone. “He's starting to maybe tame it down a little bit,” he said, something Lawhorn says will let Trump “Get a little more stuff done.”
Trump will be sworn in as U.S. president on Monday, with promises to push the limits of executive power, deport millions of immigrants, secure retribution against his political enemies and transform the role of the U.S. on the world stage, ushering in what could be another turbulent four-year term.
But Lawnhorn says he hopes Trump will unify Americans.
“So overall, you know, we might have disagreements, but we're going to come together. We're going to do what we do as Americans,” he said.
Lawhorn got the chance to meet his political idol at a rally when he was 13, and as he showed off a picture of him with the then-president, he said took the opportunity to send Trump an appeal for an update.
“Hey, if Mr. President sees this, I wouldn't mind another picture, sir.”
(Production: Ashraf Fahim; Kevin Fogarty) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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