Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th US president in a ceremony that combined traditional elements with intimate moments.
Due to freezing temperatures and wind chills, the ceremony, usually held outdoors in front of the US Capitol, was moved inside to the Capitol Rotunda. Supporters who had traveled to Washington, DC, watched the event live at the Capital One Arena.
Before the ceremony, Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania, and incoming Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha, attended a church service at St John’s Episcopal Church. Afterward, the inauguration ceremony took place in the Rotunda, attended by former presidents, foreign dignitaries, tech leaders like Elon Musk, Trump’s family, and new administration officials.
The event featured a performance of “America the Beautiful” by country star Carrie Underwood. Among the foreign dignitaries present were Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.
Trump took the oath of office and delivered an inaugural address in which he criticized the previous administration, denounced the “radical and corrupt establishment,” and outlined his future vision for the country.
He proposed expanding US territory, including “taking” the Panama Canal back from Panama, and declared a state of emergency at the southern border. Additionally, Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change again.
The day also included Trump signing executive orders, including freezing government hiring and halting new federal regulations, during a rally at the Capital One Arena for his supporters.
In the final hours of his presidency, Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons to individuals who might face repercussions under Trump’s administration, including his brothers, Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and members of the House Select Committee on the January 6 attack, such as Liz Cheney.
