Donald Trump was sworn in as America’s 47th president yesterday, Monday.
He got to work quickly after the ceremony, after announcing his plans to sign a slew of executive orders
Addressing supporters, he pledged to change the country for the better.
“The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world,” Trump said.
Donald Trump got elected back into office again after surviving impeachments, criminal indictments and two assassination attempts. He was sworn in as the 47th president on Monday, ushering in his second term as a dominating force in American politics and the conservative movement and pledging in a speech that he would reverse the “horrible betrayal” of previous administrations.
Among the orders he has pledged to sign are implementing a mass deportation programme, ending birthright citizenship, ramping up oil drilling in the country, and hiking tariffs for Canada, Mexico and China.
Due to cold weather, Trump’s ceremony was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, the first time that has happened in four decades.
Donald Trump Declares a New ‘Golden Age’ in an Inaugural Speech Fixed on a ‘Broken’ America.
Former President Joe Biden greeted Trump back to the White House in the morning with a “welcome home” and had committed to a peaceful transfer of power. Trump’s inaugural speech then offered a dark vision of the last four years, with Biden sitting behind him, and called his inauguration a “liberation day.”
Inauguration day was under way – an occasion filled with pageantry that culminated in Donald Trump returning to the White House as the 47th president of the United States.
Thousands of Trump supporters gathered in Washington DC, braving the freezing weather which prompted certain events to be moved inside.
Musical performances and formal balls were on the schedule – after Trump was formally sworn in.
The formal ceremony marks the end of one president’s time in office and the start of the successor’s administration – the handover from Joe Biden to Donald Trump.
The key moment was when Trump and Vance were sworn in at about midday local time (17:00 GMT) in the Rotunda of the US Capitol building. At that time, Trump officially become the 47th president. He previously served as the 45th president between 2017 and 2021.
The inauguration proceedings traditionally take place outside the US Capitol building, with viewing areas extending down the National Mall. But freezing cold winds prompted Trump to request a change of venue.
Trump’s day began with a service at St John’s Church, Lafayette Square, a historic Washington DC church. That was followed by tea at the White House with Biden and his wife, First Lady Jill Biden.
After giving the inaugural address, Trump headed to the President’s Room – near the Senate chamber – to sign key documents, and then attended a lunch hosted by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
This was followed by a parade that proceeded from the Capitol building down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. However, this was essentially cancelled, due to the weather.
Later in the evening, Trump appeared at three inaugural balls throughout the city – the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball.
During his first day of power, Trump is expected to sign more than 200 executive actions. This would include executive orders, which are legally-binding, and other presidential directives like proclamations, which are usually not. An executive order is a written order issued by the president to the federal government which does not require congressional approval.
Who was in attendance?
Many US senators and House members were in attendance, as well as guests of the incoming administration.
After Trump, Vance and their families, the next most important attendees were the outgoing president and vice-president. We saw Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris – who lost the November election to Trump – with their respective spouses Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff.
Former presidents and first ladies were often on the guest list, but former first lady Michelle Obama skipped this year’s inauguration. Mrs. Obama was noticeably absent from a recent memorial for former President Jimmy Carter, remaining instead in Hawaii. She has attended every inauguration since her husband’s in 2009, including Trump’s first swearing-in in 2017.
Mrs. Obama’s husband Barack was there, though, along with another former president, George W. Bush, and his wife Laura Bush. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, another Democrat, was not in attendance.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg, Apple leader Tim Cook, and Google chief Sundar Pichai were seen taking seats at St John’s Church as the day got under way.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew reportedly attended. The app has been in the spotlight as it is now subject to a US law that tries to ban it for security reasons, though Trump has pledged to intervene.
China’s Vice President Han Zheng was also in attendance, along with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.
