Joseph Repici said he traveled to Washington, D.C., from Arkansas expecting big anti-Trump protests and was left uneasy about the relative lack thereof.

“It is suspicious,” the 36-year-old said. “There have been a couple of people with bull horns screaming about Trump being an insurrectionist and stuff, but like, they were just individuals.”

“I just expected like a wall of people coming,” Mr. Repici said. “That’s why I’m on the outside of the crowd because I don’t want to get caught up in anything.”

He was speaking near the Capital One arena in Washington, where some of the Trump inaugural festivities and the parade were moved indoors because of the frigid temperatures. At mid-day, there were scant protests, including some pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Near the U.S. Capitol, there were more protesters, but nowhere near on the level that greeted the incoming administration eight years ago.

Others said the limited pushback showed how Mr. Trump has converted voters into his side.

The absence of anti-Trump crowds marked a significant break from 2017, when his victory gave birth to the “resistance” movement.

Indeed, the day after Mr. Trump’s first inauguration, roughly 500,000 people converged on Washington, D.C., for the Women’s March. Millions more rallied in cities across the country.

It appears to be a different story this year.

A few thousand rallied in Washington over the weekend, and the pushback on inauguration day was limited to hardline Christians who protest against both parties.

After watching the Proud Boys march past him, Mr. Repici said he was left waiting.

“It is like, ‘OK, where’s the counter today’?” he said. “Yes, it’s a little quiet, in my opinion. That’s suspicious.”

• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.