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In what might be remembered as one of the most eventful inaugurations in recent history, Donald J. Trump was sworn in for his second term as President of the United States in a ceremony as unique as the man himself. The event, held indoors due to the biting cold of Washington, DC, saw Trump take the oath of office in the Capitol Rotunda, surrounded by an audience that included not just political figures but also tycoons like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, signaling perhaps the administration’s close ties with business leaders.
Trump’s speech was a robust declaration of intent, lasting over an hour, significantly longer than his first inaugural address. He painted a grim picture of the country under the previous administration, speaking of an “era of decline” and “horrible betrayal,” with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris mere feet away. To highlight how self-serving and egotistical his term was, Biden ended his disastrous presidency by pardoning members of his own family, which was credibly accused of using their connection with him to enrich themselves, and by illegally and foolishly declaring a new amendment to the Constitution.
In contrast to the decline that the nation and the world has been experiencing for the past four years, Trump spoke about a vision of America rarely heard from our past leaders. His words were laced with promises of a “golden age,” where America would “flourish and be respected” once again. He spoke of “manifest destiny” and pledged to put an American flag on Mars. He spoke of reclaiming the Panama Canal, renaming Mount Denali in Alaska back to Mount McKinley, and changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Biden, and Barack Obama before him, spent their presidencies apologizing for American greatness – Trump embraces it.
The President reiterated his commitment to putting “America first” in every policy aspect, from trade to environmental regulations, and from immigration to law enforcement. He pledged to dismantle what he described as the “deep state,” promising reforms that would ensure government agencies operate in the interest of the American people, not political agendas. His speech was met with cheers from supporters but also set the stage for intense political battles ahead.
Following his address, Trump embarked on what could only be described as an executive action marathon. He didn’t just retreat into a back room to sign these actions and orders; he went to the Capitol One Arena in the heart of Washington, DC, where tens of thousands of his supporters waited for him. There, he signed a series of actions and threw the pens he used to sign them into the crowd. While his detractors whine and cry about oligarchy, under no previous president are regular citizens granted this type of access to history. Trump is truly a man of the people in his own unique way.
Trump began with an environmental policy reversal by signing an Executive Order to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, claiming it disadvantaged American workers and businesses. The agreement, which he pulled out of during his first term, is nothing more than a piece of paper. It bears no authority over the nations that signed onto it, which is why countries like China and India signed to begin with. Trump also removed the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), framing it as a move to safeguard American health policy from what he called “globalist oversight.”
In the realm of government operations, Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with the goal of streamlining federal activities, mandated a return to full-time in-person work for federal employees, froze federal hiring, and promoted a merit-based hiring system over what he described as “politically motivated criteria.” He also fired several high-profile individuals via Truth Social. “Let this serve as Official Notice of Dismissal for these four individuals, with many more, coming soon: Jose Andres from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, Mark Milley from the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars, and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President’s Export Council – YOU’RE FIRED!” Trump posted.
For border security and immigration, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, signaling his intent to use military assistance if necessary to secure it. He ended the catch-and-release policy, reinstated the remain-in-Mexico policy, and labeled cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, committing to aggressive action against drug trafficking. The cartels will now be under greater pressure than they ever have before, as well they should be. Fentanyl, which is brought through the southern border, kills over 100,000 Americans every year. If that is not a national emergency, the term has no meaning.
Legally and politically, one of the most controversial moves was the pardoning of nearly 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, asserting that they were unfairly targeted. Many of these people were outright political prisoners, as they walked into the Capitol building on that day to open doors and smiling guards. They never deserved anything more than a fine, and they were called the most horrific names imaginable from the highest office in the land. Trump undid that injustice with a stroke of his pen.
Trump also waded into cultural and social debates with actions that included banning transgender individuals from military service and issuing measures to protect “American women from radical gender ideology,” thereby rekindling discussions on social justice and equality in the nation. As he stated during his inaugural address, there are two genders – male and female.
On the economic and international front, he paused US foreign assistance, with a particular focus on UNRWA due to its alleged links to terrorism. He also extended the deadline for TikTok to divest from its Chinese ownership, aiming to protect American data. He removed the ban Biden put on arms exports to Israel and also removed the sanctions that Biden placed on Jews in Judea and Samaria.
Finally, among his more symbolic actions, Trump decided to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” an assertion of national identity. Some claim that this is also a way to get around some of Joe Biden’s prevention of oil drilling in the Gulf, as the name change is also a loophole in that regulation.
With over 200 orders signed and actions taken, this is just the briefest of summaries of what Trump has already accomplished within the first 12 hours of his presidency. The great American decline is over. The Biden presidency of gross incompetence and dementia has been left behind. Now there is a bold new vision of an American future that seemed unimaginable only a few years ago. The world better sit up and take notice: America is back!
By Moshe Hill
President Donald J. Trump Sworn In As 47th President, Gets To Work
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