Washington — President Trump delivered an inaugural address after he was sworn in for a second term Monday, promising that he’ll bring the United States into a “golden age” and rescue the nation from what he claimed was a “decline” wrought by his predecessor’s policies.
In his speech, the president invoked familiar themes from the campaign trail, including immigration and the economy, and repeated his attacks on the Justice Department and federal government.
“National unity is now returning to America and confidence and pride is soaring like never before,” Trump said. “In everything we do, my administration will be inspired by a strong pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our country, we will not forget our Constitution, and we will not forget our God.”
Following the inauguration, the president is expected to sign a series of executive actions.
Here are the highlights from Trump’s second inaugural address.
“The golden age of America begins right now”
The president kicked off his speech with a declaration that “the golden age of America begins right now.”
Mr. Trump said that under his watch, the nation will “flourish and be respected again” around the world and suggested that he would oversee a turnaround from the prior four years.
“During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply put America first,” he said.
The president also repeated his claims that the Justice Department was weaponized against him said his “top priority” would be creating a country that is “proud, prosperous and free.”
Trump rails against U.S. “decline”
The president quickly pivoted in his speech to lament the state of the nation under his predecessor’s policies. Mr. Trump condemned the U.S. education and health systems, saying, “My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal, and all of these many betrayals that have taken place and to give the American people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom.”
Mr. Trump claimed that the government cannot provide basic services, as demonstrated by the devastation in western North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Helene in late September. The president also turned to a familiar topic, the southern border.
“From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” he said.
Trump recalls assassination attempt
Mr. Trump spoke briefly about the attempted assassination against him that took place during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
The president declared that he believes his life was spared “for a reason.”
“I was saved by God to make America great again,” he said.
Mr Trump painted the assassination attempt as part of a series of efforts to stop him from returning to the White House.
“The journey to reclaim our republic has not been an easy one,” the president said. “Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take our freedom and indeed, to take my life.”
Later in the speech, Mr. Trump said that he defied expectations to return to the White House.
“Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback, but as you see today, here I am,” he said. “The American people have spoken.”
Executive actions on immigration, energy and trade
Trump used his inauguration address to lay out a series of executive actions that he plans to take, now that he has been sworn into office.
On immigration, he said he would declare a national emergency at the southern border, a promise that earned him a standing ovation from those in the Rotunda.
He also said his administration would reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy that he put in place during his first term and end catch-and-release, the practice of detaining and then releasing migrants with the promise of a future court date.
Mr. Trump said he will also send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to “repel” what he has claimed is an “invasion,” and designate drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
“As commander in chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend our country from threat and invasions and that is exactly what I am going to do,” he said.
Mr. Trump said he would also direct the members of his Cabinet to tackle inflation and bring down costs. He pledged to declare a “national energy emergency.”
“We will drill, baby, drill,” he said, another promise met with a standing ovation.
The president reiterated his plans to impose tariffs and taxes on foreign nations to “enrich our citizens,” and he said he would issue an executive order aimed at stopping government censorship.
Trump said that under his administration, the position of the federal government would be that there are two genders: male and female. He also pledged to reinstate U.S. service members who were removed from the military because of objections to the COVID-19 vaccine and provide them back pay.
The Gulf of Mexico, Denali and the Panama Canal
Trump confirmed that he would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
He also said that Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, would be renamed Mount McKinley.
The U.S. recognized the mountain as Mount McKinley, named for President William McKinley, in 1917. But in 2015, under the Obama administration, it was restored to Denali, the traditional Native Alaskan name.
Alaska’s two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, support keeping the name Denali.
Mr. Trump also reiterated that his administration will seek to reassert control over the Panama Canal.
“We’re taking it back,” he said.
The U.S. relinquished control of the canal in 1999, and it is now run by the Panama Canal Authority.
A U.S. flag on Mars
Mr. Trump said his administration would work to put U.S. astronauts on Mars.
“We will pursue our Manifest Destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars,” he said.
The declaration earned a thumbs-up from billionaire Elon Musk, who was seated on the platform along with the CEOs from other technology companies, like Jeff Bezos.
Both Bezos, through his company Blue Origin, and Musk, who owns Space-X, have launched rockets into space.
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