President Donald J. Trump was sworn into office by Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday, just after 12 p.m., in the U.S. Capitol surrounded by elected officials, all living presidents and public figures. Minutes earlier, Vice President JD Vance also took the oath of office.
Trump then began his inauguration address, saying, “The golden age of America begins right now.”
“America will soon be greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before,” he said, adding that “From this moment on, America’s decline is over.”
While he began his speech with optimism, he also addressed the challenges he sees in the nation and outlined the changes he plans to implement during his early days in office.
He spent most of his speech discussing key issues and outlining his agenda for the early days of his administration.
Trump announced that he would declare a national emergency at the southern border, which received a standing ovation from most of the crowd. He mentioned that he will put an end to Biden’s catch-and-release policies, deploy armed forces to the border and designate cartels as terrorist organizations, which would allow them to be removed under the Alien Enemies Act.
“As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threats and invasions,” he said. “We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.”
He committed to building the strongest military in the nation’s history, highlighting his aim to be a “peacemaker and a unifier.” Trump pointed to the recent return of Israeli hostages to their families as a sign of progress, a statement that received bipartisan applause, including from former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The economy, which NBC News exit polls identified as the top issue for his voter base, was a central focus of the new president’s speech. He closely linked it to the topic of energy dominance. According to a press release from the White House outlining Trump’s initial priorities, some of his plans regarding energy include “ending Biden’s policies of climate extremism,” withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord and declaring a national energy emergency.
He then brought up social issues, saying, “We are going to bring law and order back to our cities.”
The White House’s press release stated that the Department of Justice will implement the death penalty for severe crimes against humanity, “including those who kill law enforcement officers and illegal migrants who maim and murder Americans.”
Trump also called for a “colorblind and merit-based” society, emphasized that there are “only two genders, male and female” and said he would “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.” He also announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and take back the Panama Canal.
Trump acknowledged his election success, stating “It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country.” He noted that he achieved a powerful victory in all seven swing states, in addition to winning the popular vote. He referenced his “political comeback” multiple times throughout the afternoon, later saying, “In America, the impossible is what we do best.”
Trump took a moment to acknowledge the victims of the Southern California wildfires and Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, as well as honoring Martin Luther King Jr., with Martin Luther King Jr. Day falling on Inauguration Day this year.
He concluded by tying his closing remarks back to his opening line.
“Our golden age has just begun,” he said, ending his speech.