Trump family returns to nation's capital ahead of Inauguration Day: 'This time, America won'
President-elect Trump returned to Washington Saturday evening, after boarding a special mission Air Force plane for his historic return after four years.
Trump and wife Melania and their youngest son, Barron, embarked on their trip from West Palm Beach, Florida, to the nation's capital, waving to crowds before ascending the steps.
Trump marked his return to power with a celebration at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, about 30 miles outside Washington.
He addressed the crowd, giving shoutouts to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and declaring his Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff a "great negotiator." Witkoff this past week helped negotiate a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that's scheduled to take effect on Sunday.
Soon after his remarks, Trump stepped out onto a clubhouse balcony while guests gathered on the patio below him for a fireworks display and performance by tenor Christopher Macchio.
Hours earlier Trump and his family landed in Sterling, Virginia, where they met with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and first lady Suzanne Youngkin at Trump National Golf Club.
Youngkin welcomed the president-elect and first lady to be Melania Trump at the club, presenting them with a stately gift.
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A photo of the Trumps and Youngkins, posted to X at about 8 p.m., showed the exchange.
The Trumps will host an evening reception and fireworks show later in the night.
Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, joined the president-elect on the trip.
Trump's middle son, Eric, and daughter-in-law, Lara, departed Florida separately on the president-elect's private plane.
During the plane ride, Eric Trump took to X, sharing his "renewed hope and spirit for [the] country."
"The past 10 years have been a constant fight — countless rallies, TV appearances, subpoenas, depositions, and weeks in cold courtrooms," Eric Trump wrote in the post. "Through endless attacks on my family, the company I run, and the employees I care for, we faced slander, fake news, home raids, and countless games designed to break us."
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His immediate family, including wife Lara and children Luke and Carolina, joined him on the trip to D.C.
Eric Trump wrote that "every ounce of [his] fight" has been for his children and the future of their generation.
"This time, America won," he added.
"Against all odds, we did it—together, with the incredible people of this nation and the greatest political movement in history," Eric Trump wrote. "I’ve never been prouder of anyone than I am of [Donald Trump]. He stood unwavering, truly having the courage of steel. Our country is in great hands. The madness is over. America is in an age of renewal."
On Sunday, Trump will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and a "Make America Great Again" rally, followed by a candlelit dinner.
The inauguration will take place at noon Monday in the Capitol Rotunda due to frigid temperatures in the forecast. Then Trump, just the second president in history to win non-consecutive terms, will give his inaugural address.
Hours before the Trump family boarded the plane Saturday, thousands of protesters descended on the streets of Washington, D.C., to protest.
The "People's March," originally referred to as the "Women’s March," had three meeting locations, each championing a different cause.
Some topics included "gender justice," democracy and immigration and local Washington issues.
Demonstrators carried posters that said "Feminists v. Fascists" and "People over politics," Fox News Digital reported.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this story.