Trucks, tape and tradition as Trump readies White House return

Washington, DC — The air around 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is heavy with anticipation, boxes and a curious mix of political deja vu.

Moving trucks have been spotted at the gates of America's most famous address — the White House — a telltale sign that the transition of power is under way in Washington, DC.

One president out, another back in — a feat as much about logistics as it is about politics.

Inside, it's a whirlwind of packing tape.

Some of US President Joe Biden's personal items are being boxed up, destined for Wilmington, Delaware (Biden owns a 6,850-square-foot lakeside property in Greenville, Delaware, a posh Wilmington suburb).

At the same time, the belongings of incoming President Donald Trump's family await their triumphant return to the White House.

"It's an operation like no other," Rachel Williams, a longtime Washington observer with an uncanny knack for catching the city's subtler political dramas, tells TRT World.

"As soon as the sitting president and the president-elect head off to the Capitol for the ceremony, the trucks are waved in. It's all hands on deck."

"They even deep-clean all the White House carpets before the new first family arrives."

Behind the scenes, the White House residence's staff operates like clockwork.

Teams divide their efforts with some wrapping up all of Biden's belongings, others meticulously placing the Trumps' decor and personal items in their designated spots.

"Incoming first lady Melania Trump will likely get a private tour of the 55,000-square-foot residence to make sure everything is to her liking," Rachel adds.

"The White House chief usher works directly with her to ensure the living quarters are just right," Rachel added.

The transition is steeped in tradition, but this year, it carries an added layer of intrigue. As Biden prepares to meet with Trump for the customary handover discussion, the atmosphere around the White House feels both familiar and surreal.

Returning for a second act, Trump has promised to bring his characteristic flair for the dramatic back to the capital.

A moment loaded with meaning

On Monday morning, outside the White House gates, onlookers gathered, snapping photos of the trucks and speculating about what lies inside.

"Do you think they’re taking the beds and cabinets" one man jokes, pointing at a particularly large truck that rumbles out of the secured White House gates.

For the rest of the world, it's a moment loaded with meaning — a signal that the seat of American power is, once again, shifting hands.

As January 20 draws near, the White House is more than a mere building that sits on 18 acres of lush green prime property. It is a stage where history is written, a symbol of power and possibility, and, for the moment, the epic backdrop to a moving day unlike any other.

"The White House is a place where legacies are shaped, and the heartbeat of the nation is felt. On D-day, there will be only a few hours between Biden's departure and Trump's arrival at the iconic residence," Rachel says.

'Higher threat environment'

Meanwhile, DC's Mayor Muriel Bowser and law enforcement officials are not taking any chances.

The US capital has erected barricades and steel fences around major sites and important buildings.

Around 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel have been engaged to make sure Trump's inauguration outside the US Capitol building at noon on January 20 is held smoothly amid a "higher threat environment."

The event is reportedly attracting 250,000 ticketed guests and tens of thousands of others, including protesters.

On Monday, special agent in charge William McCool of the Secret Service, which is leading the security effort, told media: "We are in a higher threat environment ... We are 100 percent confident with the plan we have put in place for this inauguration that our public and our attendees will be safe."