President Donald Trump took the oath of office just after 11 a.m. CT on Monday, Jan. 20. – Photo provided
By Robert Tabern | Editor, with reports from the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald Trump declared Monday, Jan. 20, that the "golden age of America begins right now" and vowed that the nation's challenges would be "annihilated" by his MAGA movement in an inaugural address that echoed the themes and grievances of his trademark rally speeches.
Trump, in a relatively sedate and focused style, spoke for nearly 40 minutes in the Capitol rotunda after he was sworn in as the United States' 47th president.
In a second set of freestyle remarks in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall, Trump attacked political adversaries, called the 2020 election "totally rigged" and blamed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for his supporters' attacking the building on Jan. 6, 2021, in a futile effort to overturn the 2020 election.
In the evening, at a rally in Washington's Capital One Arena, Trump went further in assailing Democrats and praising Jan. 6 "hostages" who were convicted at trial. President Trump said he was issuing roughly 1,500 pardons in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also commuted the sentences of six people involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol, including Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was serving 22 years in federal prison.
Also, on his first day in office, Trump issued 10 executive orders on immigration. They include declaring a national emergency to deploy military personnel to the border, suspending refugee resettlement and ending birthright citizenship.
Trump signed an executive order pulling the United States out of the Paris climate agreement. Trump also signed an executive order that a White House official described as "protecting women from radical gender ideology" when he presented the document to the president for his signature. The details of the order were not immediately clear. Trump has frequently referred to transgender women as men, and he has vowed to bar transgender women from participating in women’s sports.
Meanwhile, just minutes before he left office, Joe Biden announced a set of sweeping pre-emptive pardons for members of his family, including his two brothers and his sister, after some on the right suggested they should face prosecution. Biden's pardons also included Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, and staff members of the House Jan. 6 committee and Capitol and Washington Metropolitan police officers who testified before it.
Seventh District Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany issued the following statement about Trump’s second inauguration: "Today is a historic moment for all Americans as we witness President Trump take the oath of office. This day marks the beginning of a new era, one grounded in the promise to put American citizens first. Together, we will strengthen our borders, revitalize our economy, and restore America's strength on the world stage."
