Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States Monday afternoon.
“I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success,” Trump said in his inaugural address. “A tide of change is sweeping the country, sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.”
The inauguration caps off an unprecedented return to power that saw Trump — thought to be politically defunct after a group of his supporters stormed the Capitol four years ago — survive two assassination attempts, ward off a resurgent Democratic party and ultimately win both the electoral and popular vote, the first Republican to do so in 20 years.
Held inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda after dangerously low temperatures pushed the ceremony indoors, Trump stood before lawmakers and cabinet nominees, former presidents, foreign leaders and guests, such as billionaire Elon Musk and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, before Chief Justice John Roberts administered the president’s oath around noon EST. Vice President JD Vance was sworn in shortly before Trump.
During his campaign, Trump promised sweeping changes that echo his first term, such as a stronger anti-immigration stance, higher tariffs and aims at reshaping the federal government, a goal that includes a plan to dismantle the Department of Education. He entered the office with Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
“My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a total betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom,” Trump said in his speech. “From this moment on, America’s decline is over.”
Several outlets report that Trump will sign multiple executive orders today relating to immigration, the economy and hiring practices.
- The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump will attempt to end birthright citizenship through an executive order that reinterprets the 14th Amendment, a move legal scholars have warned is unconstitutional. It’s one of 10 immigration-related orders that also includes an attempt to end asylum, an order sending the military to the southern border and a redesignation that would declare Mexican cartels as foreign terrorism organizations. Trump will also ask federal agencies to provide him with recommendations for potential travel bans, The Wall Street Journal reports.
- The Washington Post reports that several executive orders Trump is considering would weaken federal unions and undo government diversity initiatives taken under Joe Biden’s administration.
- The New York Times reports that the president plans to sign “close to 100” executive orders within hours of the inauguration, including a national energy emergency declaration that would ultimately “provide more energy to power artificial intelligence.”
- The Associated Press reports that Trump plans to sign an executive order declaring that the government would only recognize male and female genders on passports and visas, undoing parts of an order Biden signed four years ago that provided protections for transgender and non-binary people.
Over the next several weeks, the Senate will vote on the president’s cabinet nominees, including his agriculture secretary nominee Brooke Rollins ‘94, the first female student body president at Texas A&M and a previous Muster keynote speaker. She would lead the Department of Agriculture and its nearly 100,000 employees if confirmed. Rollins’ Senate hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
“The golden age of America begins right now,” Trump said. “From this day forward, our country will flourish.”
Preceding the ceremony, Biden pre-emptively pardoned an array of people Trump has threatened to pursue, including members of the committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Mark Milley, the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. During the ceremony, outlets also reported that Biden pardoned five of his family members.
