The leader of the Flemish far-right went to Washington D.C. for Donald Trump's presidential inauguration but did not get to attend the ceremony after it was downsized due to the weather.
Tom Van Grieken is the leader of Vlaams Belang, the far-right political party that won 22.7% of the regional vote in Flanders in June 2024.
Ahead of his inauguration as 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump defied tradition by inviting a handful of world leaders to the ceremony on 20 January (Foreign Ministers usually suffice as representatives).
Van Grieken originally rejected the invitation as the inauguration clashed with his party's New Year's reception, but he then changed his plans and said he would travel to Washington as a way to spread the Flemish nationalist interest globally.
However, when the ceremony was moved indoors due to freezing temperatures on Monday, capacity was slashed to fit indoors and Van Grieken did not make the cut.
'Not a wasted trip'
"Due to the move from outside to inside, there was no room for international guests in the Capitol," he told Het Laatste Nieuws before the ceremony. "Although this was certainly not a wasted trip."
"Even some American members of Congress were unable to get in. As an alternative, we did have reserved seats in Capitol One Arena — where Trump will appear later today — but we cannot get there because we have a meeting at the Hungarian embassy at the same time."
The far-right politician said he had organised several meetings during his trip. He was still allowed to attend the official inauguration ball on Monday evening.
