Inauguration Day saw the peaceful transfer of power that marked a pivotal turning point in American history. President Donald J. Trump was historically re-elected President for a second non-consecutive term – a feat previously only accomplished by President Grover Cleveland in 1893. With the end of the Biden Administration and the ushering in of Trump’s Second Administration, the nation turns the page into a new chapter of American history.
The Inaugural swearing-in ceremony was forced indoors due to below-freezing weather in Washington DC. For the first time in 40 years, a Presidential Inaugural ceremony happened again in the US Capitol Building’s Rotunda. Before the ceremony, President-Elect Trump and Vice President-Elect Vance, with their wives, Melania Trump and Usha Vance, joined outgoing President Biden and Vice President Harris, with their spouses as well, at the White House. Afterwards, the massive motorcade drove to the US Capitol Building amidst an airtight security presence that blocked most of DC’s roads along the National Mall.
Guests filled the Capitol Rotunda. Billionaires like Elon Musk, who is President Trump’s appointee for the proposed Dept. of Govt. Efficiency, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Tik Tok CEO Shou Chew, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. World leaders like Argentinian President Javier Milei, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Italian PM Georgia Meloni, among dozens of other foreign officials were present at the ceremony. Additionally, celebrities like podcast legend Joe Rogan, comedian Theo Von, Jake & Logan Paul, UFC’s Dana White, Canadian NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, and Ireland’s professional boxer Conor McGregor.
The swearing in ceremony was preceded with performances by singers Christopher D. Maccio who sang ‘Oh, America!’ and Carrie Underwood with ‘America The Beautiful’. Following the performances and formal remarks from Inaugural Committee chairwoman Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the Oaths of Office were given to the Vice President-Elect and then President-Elect Trump. Vice President Vance was administered the Oath of Office by Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh while his wife, Usha Vance, their children, and Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, looked on. Following the swearing in of Vice President Vance, President-Elect Trump was escorted into the Rotunda and administered the Oath of Office of President of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts while the Trump family flanked the newly inaugurated President. After President Trump was officially sworn in, the Rotunda audience erupted with applause, as well as the Capital One Arena which was filled with thousands of supporters whom the President addressed later in the day. For the first time as President, President Trump spoke to the nation in his inaugural address.
“From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will, very simply, put America first.” President Trump said at the beginning of his address. “Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end. And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous, and free. America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before.”
President Trump broadly promoted his vision for the country, outlining key aspects of his campaign that he plans on implementing throughout the next four years beginning day one. From a ‘2 genders policy’ to the LA fires, Ukraine and Israel, the President spoke optimistically about the nation’s future under his Administration and the leadership that will compose it.
“We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future is ours, and our golden age has just begun.” the President said, concluding his inaugural address.
The work began immediately. Following a signing ceremony, traditional reviewing of the troops and performances by the military bands, President Trump proceeded to Capital One Arena where he would begin his administration signing various Executive Orders before the enthusiastic crowd of supporters that had been waiting for him. Pumping up the crowd, remarks were given by Congressman Byron Donalds, AR Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Turning Point CEO Charlie Kirk, close Trump friend and envoy appointee to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, DOGE Director presumptive Elon Musk, and VA Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The Presidential motorcade entered the arena with the new First Family, as well as Trump allies and appointees, taking their seats in a setup flanking the Presidential Seal. Entering before the energetic crowd of over 20,000, Vice President and Mrs. Vance made their way to the stage. Following the Vice President, President and Mrs. Trump entered the arena with ‘Hail to the Chief’ playing for the President. Before speeches were delivered, performances from Middletown High School Band, Stewarts Creek High School band from Tennessee, and historically black Mississippi Valley State University’s band commenced. Additionally, honor bands and guards from multiple law enforcement agencies performed, with appearances from Butler County, PA security forces that were present when President Trump was shot. A moment of silence was then held for slain firefighter Corey Comperatore. The inaugural parade featured talent from numerous cities across the United States, then ended with a stunning performance by the Mississippi Valley State University Band.
President Trump addressed the crowd with unceasing cheering heard throughout. The President placed a very large importance on the need to get hostages back from Hamas, building on the already freed hostages that were released on January 19th. The President also heavily criticized Fmr. President Biden’s preemptive pardons of Dr. Anthony Fauci, members of the January 6th Committee, law enforcement present at the Capitol on Jan. 6th, 2021, and his family. The pardons came shortly after President Biden’s even more controversial pardon of his son, Hunter, after his convictions for crimes that, 4 years ago, were labeled ‘misinformation’ and ‘right-wing conspiracies’ by the Biden Administration and complying news media.
“Did you know that Biden, while I was making my speech, pardoned his whole family? The brother, the whole deal was pardoned. Can you imagine that? While I was making my speech.” President Trump stated. “You know why he did it while I was speaking? Cause that way I couldn’t speak about it. I was speaking, I didn’t know he did it. I finished my speech and they said, ‘sir, he pardoned his whole family’ and I said ‘Ooh, can I go back out there and talk about it?’ Somehow that wouldn’t be very elegant. Our First Lady would say ‘please don’t do that.’”
Following his address the President walked over to the desk set up for him, shaking hands with the former hostages and family members of hostages being held by Hamas as he went. Sitting down, the President began taking the executive orders and signing what was before him. While announcing it to the crowd, President Trump began by rescinding 78 Biden-Era Executive Actions, Orders, Memorandums, and others. He then signed a regulatory freeze preventing bureaucrats from issuing more regulations until all of Trump’s cabinet nominees are confirmed and government control is solidified as well as a freeze on all federal hiring with exceptions on the US military with the same parameters regarding governmental control being solidified and objectives outlined. Following these, the President signed a requirement that federal workers return to full-time, in-person work immediately, a directive for every US Dept. to address the cost of living crisis in the country, the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Treaty, a letter to the UN explaining that the US is withdrawing from the Paris Climate Treaty, a directive to the federal government to promote the freedom of speech and prevent the censoring of free speech by the government going forward, with the last one being a directive to the federal government ending the weaponization of government against the adversaries of the previous administration. After signing the Executive Orders, the President headed over to the White House where he signed hundreds of additional Executive Orders, dismantling the legacy of President Joe Biden.
The President and Vice President, as well as their families, ended Inauguration Day after a series of balls that briefly halted Trump’s reversal of the last four years. As a new dawn of American history is upon the American people, we can only wish our President well, as his success will be our country’s success for the next four years.
