Donald Trump promised a “new golden age of America” after he was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday.
“The decline is over,” he told about 600 allies, dignitaries and family members at the U.S. Capitol.
He used his inaugural address to balance the idea of an optimistic new dawn with his long-standing accusations that he was the target of a weaponized justice system and to promise a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration.
“As we meet today, our government faces a crisis of confidence,” he said.
“For years, a radical and corrupt establishment has stripped power and wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society were broken and seemingly in complete disrepair.”
As arctic temperatures pushed Washington, DC, outside, Trump was surrounded by Washington's political establishment, tech titans and MAGA allies for his inauguration at the Capitol.
It provided a visual illustration of how the former political outsider has conquered Washington in an extraordinary political comeback, becoming only the second president in history to win non-consecutive terms.
While his 20017 “American carnage” speech painted a bleak picture of a nation in an abyss of rampant crime, abandoned factories and a failed education system, this time he said he was “confident and optimistic” that there would be “a flood of change would come. floods the land.'
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States
President-elect Donald Trump talks with his vice presidential pick JD Vance in the Capitol Rotunda before they are both sworn in on Monday
Melania Trump cut a stylish figure in a hat by American fashion designer Eric Javits
But he also hit some of his favorite targets, railing against illegal immigrants coming from foreign prisons and “mental institutions.”
“We now have a government that cannot cope with even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time stumbling over a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad,” he said.
“It fails to protect our wonderful, law-abiding American citizens, but it does provide sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals.”
And he reflected on how he survived an assassination attempt and criminal charges to return to power in one of the greatest political comebacks in history.
“Those who would hinder our cause have tried to deprive me of my liberty and indeed, to take my life a few months ago, in a beautiful field in Pennsylvania, a murderer's bullet tore through my ear, but I felt and believed even more then so now my life has been saved for a reason,” he said.
“I was saved by God to make America great again.”
And his speech reflected his convincing victory, winning the popular vote and winning all seven crucial battleground states, as he laid out his plan of action with dozens and dozens of executive actions.
“With these actions we will begin America's full recovery and the revolution of common sense,” he said.
About 600 guests gathered in the Capitol Rotunda at the last minute due to the bitter winter weather gripping Washington, D.C.
The Bidens greet the Trumps at the White House on Monday morning
The loudest applause came when he promised that official government policy would recognize only two genders. He also said he would declare a national energy emergency and a national emergency at the southern border.
“My message to Americans today is that it is time for us to act again with courage, strength and the vitality of history's greatest civilization,” he said.
The setting, inside the Capitol, gave the speech something of a state of the union address.
Republicans cheered and cheered over his promises to crack down on immigrants and diversity, equity and inclusion programs, while Democrats continued to sit on their hands.
He returns to power a different man from the one sworn in after his shocking victory eight years ago, and he takes office in a Washington that bears little resemblance to the city he arrived in.
Then the city saw clashes between protesters and police, and hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in pink hats crowded the streets days before the inauguration.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai (L) and Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk speak ahead of the inauguration
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stands next to Miriam Adelson and former President Bill Clinton prior to the inauguration
This time, the protesters went through the motions with an air of resignation.
Trump confidant David Urban said “woke America” had surrendered.
“Last time everyone looked at us askance, as if to say, 'Ugh, I can't believe you guys think you won,'” he said. “Now everyone is clamoring to be part of it.”
High-profile critics like Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon's Jeff Bezos have been tamed. They are among the tech titans who donated $1 million to the inauguration and sit with the VVIPS in the Rotunda.
Even the setting shows how times have changed.
Four years ago, Trump supporters ransacked the U.S. Capitol building. This time, MAGA World took place in the seat of American democracy for the inauguration ceremony.
And eight years ago, Trump was unprepared for government. He had to put together a government of the Republican establishment and Wall Street.
First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff arrive for the ceremony
Trump with his running mate JD Vance at St. John's Church prior to their inauguration
Trump arrives in a very different Washington DC than where he was sworn in eight years ago. He has won over the tech titans and the protests have been muted. Here a helicopter waits to fly Joe Biden out of Washington after the inauguration ceremony
Merchandise for sale outside Capitol One Arena ahead of a Monday afternoon rally
This time, he has assembled a team of trusted loyalists who supported him for four years out of power.
The result is a plan that gets off the ground. Aides briefed reporters ahead of the ceremony on a series of executive orders, including 10 on border security and immigration.
An adviser told DailyMail.com that he will also sign an executive order halting all new foreign aid unless it is aligned with US strategic interests.
“The United States and American citizens are among the most generous people in the world,” a new White House policy adviser told DailyMail.com.
“But at this point we have to understand that foreign policy is domestic policy, and if it doesn't align with our interests, then Uncle Sam should stop opening his wallet.”
Other executive orders focus on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and proclaim that the U.S. federal government will recognize only two genders, male and female.
