With the 2025 inauguration on January 20th, the forty-second Martin Luther King Jr Day, Donald Trump returned to power as the 47th president of the United States.
This marks only the second time in American history a President has served two nonconsecutive terms, Trump having held office from 2017 to 2021. President Trump is now the first convicted felon and oldest individual, 78, to take the position of presidency.
Trump’s inauguration comes after his controversial transition of power to President Joe Biden on January 6th, 2021. President Trump had refused to concede the presidency in which, the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimated that 2,000 supporters stormed the United States Capital, resulting in five deaths and 1,600 rioters federally charged.
Trumps second swearing-in this time was more contained, having been moved indoors to the United States Capitol Rotunda because of forecast concerns over the dangerously cold weather in Washington, D.C., but was nevertheless loaded with controversy.
In the Rotunda, Trump recited the oath of office. By convention, presidents-elect raise their right hands and place their left on a scared book of their choosing to take the oath, affirming that he will “faithfully discharge the duties of the office.” President Trump was sworn in with his Lincoln Bible and a childhood Bible given to him by his mother, though he did not place his hand on either; an act that has been further scrutinized even though it is not required by the Constitution.
Newly sworn-in presidents usually give a speech, referred to as the inaugural address. Most presidents use their inaugural address to present their vision of America and to set forth their goals for the nation during their administration.
President Trump’s inaugural address began with his declaration that a golden age of America has begun, delivering on his campaign slogan to “Make America Great Again.”
In his 30-minute speech, Trump outlined his dream for a historic political comeback—from being twice-impeached and facing national charges for hoarding federal classified documents, falsifying business records, obstructing the peaceful transition of power after the 2020 election, and participating to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
In Trump’s speech he announced potential executive actions to fight illegal immigration, increase energy production by facilitating oil extraction, boost American manufacturing through tariffs on foreign goods, recognize the existence of only two genders, and rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.”
After the inaugural luncheon, held by the Joint Congressional Committee, the president and vice president, usually travel down Pennsylvania Avenue for the inaugural procession parade. But because of forecast concerns, the inauguration parade was moved indoors to the Capital One Arena. It was here that billionaire Elon Musk questionably gestured to the crowd in what appeared to be a Nazi salute. Musk, having previously been criticized for allowing pro-Nazi accounts on his social media platform X, dismissed the controversy on X, describing the “salute hoax” as “just another part of the ‘dirty tricks campaign.’”
On the Capital One Arena stage, Trump signed the first of what is now roughly 200 executive orders, including withdrawing from the Paris climate accord and freezing most federal hiring. After signing each order, Trump tossed his used pens to the members of the audience.
Moving to the Oval Office, Trump continued to sign executive orders, undoing Biden administration mandates and implementing his “America first” policies. The executive orders included a proclamation that flags are to be flown at full staff on inauguration day (flags had been flying half-staff after the death of President Jimmy Carter on December 29th), the pardoning of about 1,500 people involved in the January 6th insurrection, the extension of the TikTok ban for 75 days, and the reversal of birthright citizenships from parents who are unauthorized immigrants.
Trump and his supporters then attended three inaugural balls: the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Liberty Ball, and the Starlight Ball.
The Commander-in-Chief Ball, geared toward military service members, was accompanied by the president thanking the Space Force and other service members as his biggest supporters.
The Liberty Ball, meant for public supporters of the president, included performances by Jason Aldean, Rapper Nelly, and Village People. Guest awaiting arrival could take photos with Trump’s infamous Fulton County Sheriff’s Office mug shot, where he had been arrested to charges relating to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.
The final ceremony of the night was the Starlight Ball, where major donors to the president’s campaign were invited to attend.
Mr. Trump has begun his second administration with the vision that in his next four years in office, he alone can “give people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom.”
