Student Gets First-Person View of Trump's Inauguration

by Chloe Field

With all eyes on Washington, D.C., one College of Charleston student witnessed Donald Trump’s historic inauguration up close.

Freshman Abbie Green, found her niche campaigning for the president-elect with Students for Trump and celebrated her efforts by watching Trump’s inauguration Friday from Washington’s Union Square — just steps from the U.S. Capitol.

Green says she initially supported Florida Sen. Marco Rubio during the 2016 Republican Party primaries, but her interest in Trump was piqued after attending one of the brash New Yorker’s rallies in her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina.

“The energy in the auditorium was amazing,” Green says. “Everyone there, with the exception of a few protesters, really had faith in this man. The silent majority was anything but that evening.”

Green says she left the rally “on the Trump Train” and began seeking out opportunities to get involved in the remainder of his campaign. What began as simple curiosity turned into full-fledged support when Green was hired as the national recruitment director for Students for Trump.

“I was on the road or in the air almost every weekend first semester campaigning with my team,” Green says.

These events were illuminated in the recent BBC documentary, “Trump’s Unlikely Superfans”, which explored the motivations of young Trump supporters and features Green and her team.

As the general election inched closer, Green says she grew confident in Trump’s shot at victory and shifted her focus to the eventual inauguration.

“As soon as I knew we had the election, I called my senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, to request inauguration tickets,” she says.

Now, she’s in D.C., and was among the hundreds of thousands waiting to see the inauguration of the 45th commander-in-chief.

Green also plans to attend the Make America Great Again Inaugural Ball and the Great Gatsby Inaugural Ball. She also intends to make use of her time attending various political networking events, including the College Republicans Gala.

Students on the CofC campus can also get in on the inaugural festivities. CofC’s College Republicans are hosting an inaugural meet and greet from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday at room 110 in Maybank Hall. The event, which will feature food, drinks and streaming coverage of inaugural events, is open to people of all political affiliations.

Feature Photo: Green (fourth from left) with friends.