Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in the U.S. Capitol at midday today. Trump ran as the Republican candidate in the 2024 election, defeating democrat Kamala Harris by 86 electoral votes, 312 to 226.
The ceremony marked the 60th presidential inauguration in U.S. history. The inauguration indicated the beginning of Trump’s second term in office and JD Vance’s first term as vice president.
“From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world,” Trump said in his inaugural address. “We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.”
Inaugural ceremony
The ceremony started at approximately 11 a.m. EST when guests began taking their seats, and musical performances played by the Armed Forces Chorus continued throughout.
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Trump’s cabinet nominees were announced as they entered the Capitol, followed by Chief Justice John Roberts and the associate justices at 11:06 a.m.
At 11:20 a.m., members of the Trump family were announced and took their seats, followed by former Vice President Dan Quayle and former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
At approximately 11:43 a.m., Donald Trump was announced and walked onto the stage, where he was met with applause from the crowd.
After Trump took the stage, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led the inaugural proceedings.
“This ceremony marks what will soon be 250 years of our democracy,” Klobuchar said. “It is the moment when leaders, elevated by the will of the people, promise to be faithful to our Constitution, to cherish and defend it. It is the moment when they become, as we all should be, the guardians of our country, through war and peace, through adversity and prosperity.”
At 12:04 p.m., Trump took the presidential oath of office, administered by Roberts. Associate Justice Kavanaugh gave the vice-presidential oath.
Following his swearing-in, the announcer named Trump the 45th and 47th president of the U.S. He then delivered his inaugural address.
Address, RSO responses
“Under our administration of American patriots, we will be working to meet every crisis with dignity and power and strength,” Trump said in the address. “We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, prosperity, safety and peace for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed. For American citizens, Jan. 20, 2025, is Liberation Day.”
The president named a list of policy propositions, where he vowed to take a firm stance against illegal immigration by reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy and sending troops to the southern border.
“All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” Trump said.
During the campaign season, Trump announced a series of promises for his first day back in office, including mass deportation of migrants, the closing of the southern border and the pardoning of those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol.
“I’m looking forward to (America) being strong on the world stage,” said Jack LaMorte, senior in LAS and president of Illini Republicans. “I’m also really excited that he created the Department of Government Efficiency. I want to see spending get cut, and I want to see taxes get cut.”
Trump also said he would reduce inflation, with the economy being a key issue resonating with American voters. Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump said he would reverse many of former President Joe Biden’s economic policies.
“I will immediately begin the overhaul of our trade system to protect American workers and families,” Trump said. “Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.”
While the president will not impose tariffs on his first day, he explained that he will soon implement the External Revenue Service to collect all tariffs, duties and revenues.
“I think that the rich are definitely going to get richer under Donald Trump, but I don’t think that that means that the poor are going to get poorer,” LaMorte said. “I think, if anything, there are going to be more jobs available, and most people in the country are going to end up having more money in their pockets.”
Another point Trump made in his speech was that it would become the official policy of the U.S. government to recognize males and females as the only two genders.
“On Day 1, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content onto the shoulders of our children,” Trump said at a rally in August. “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or a mask mandate.”
Emma Darbro, senior in LAS and president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action at the University, expressed concerns that Trump’s second term will deepen the already partisan split.
“I think it’s going to be an unprecedented era of political division, and a lot of people who support Trump think that he has the potential to unite this country,” Darbro said. “He is an inherently polarizing individual, and by him winning despite all of his questionable actions, it has demonstrated that bad men can still come out on top.”
On Jan. 10, Trump was sentenced by a Manhattan judge on 34 counts of business fraud, making him the first convicted felon to take office. Judge Juan Merchan issued Trump an unconditional discharge, meaning Trump will not serve any jail time but will have a criminal record.
“You know, you don’t get convicted on 34 felonies on a whim,” Darbro said. “There are people here to uphold the law, and we are upholding the law today by swearing him in against a lot of people’s probably better judgment. But Democrats aren’t storming the Capitol today because we’re upset about it.”
In his address, Trump also vowed to restore faith in systems of government, defend free speech and prevent the misuse of state power against political opponents.
“We will stand bravely,” Trump said in his closing remarks. “We will live proudly. We will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future is ours, and our Golden Age has just begun.”
The full inaugural address transcript can be found here.
