By Julia Marnin
Staff Writer
Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on Friday, Jan. 20, assuming the role of commander in chief.
He delivered an inaugural address with promises of rebuilding the nation and giving it back to the “forgotten men and women.”
The day began with Trump and his wife, Melania, going to tea and coffee hosted by former president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.
Afterwards, guests gathered at the Capitol building for the swearing-in ceremony.
Former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter were present for the event, however, George H. W. Bush was unable to attend due to a respiratory illness, according to USA Today.
The transfer of power began as Vice President Mike Pence took his oath administered by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States (envato elements).
According to The New York Times, Pence was sworn in with Ronald Reagan’s bible.
Then, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administered Trump’s oath of office to him, using a family Bible and President Abraham Lincoln’s Bible, according to Washington Post.
Trump gave his inaugural address moments after the transition of power took place. This was a historic moment as the transition made Trump the oldest president to take office.
In his 16-minute speech, Trump proclaimed messages and promises that were familiar to his campaign.
He thanked the Obamas, saying, “They have been magnificent” during the transition period.
The speech had a populist spirit, as it portrayed a willingness in Trump to work toward the interests of the average American citizen.
He described not only a transfer of power taking place between two administrations, but a transfer of power from Washington D.C. to “the American People.”
Trump stated that what matters is that “our government is controlled by the people” and said a “historic movement” is beginning in which “a nation exists to serve its citizens.”
He continued his speech by painting an image of a country that needs to be fixed and an “American carnage” that needs to end.
He mentioned issues that he felt had caused the alleged carnage, such as poverty, abandoned factories, a flawed education system, crime and drugs.
In order to resolve these issues, Trump addressed the American people by saying, “I will fight for you with every breath in my body.”
He later stated, “We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our dreams.”
Trump briefly mentioned foreign policy by promising to “reinforce old alliances and form new ones” and also deal with the threat of “radical Islamic terror.”
He infused patriotic ideals throughout his address and hinted at a new chance for national unification: “A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our hearts and heal our divisions.”
The speech ended with Trump’s signature campaign slogan: “Make America great again.”
Following the address, 16-year-old Jackie Evancho sang the National Anthem.
Afterwards, Obama and his wife departed in a helicopter to Joint Base Andrews to say their farewells before leaving on a vacation to Palm Springs, Calif.
Prior to the inaugural parade that began at 3 p.m., Trump, his wife and leaders in Congress attended a luncheon. There, Trump asked former rival Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton to stand. He said, “I have a lot of respect for these two people,” according to The New York Times.
The celebration of the new president included the inaugural parade that stretched down Pennsylvania avenue.
As the many ceremonies took place, Washington D.C. was filled with protests.
According to The New York Times, most of the protests were peaceful, however, clashes between protesters and police occurred.
The police brought out tear gas, as some of the protesters became violent and vandalized local businesses. Shop windows were broken and some protesters burned a limousine. Many arrests were made.
Trump and his wife attended three inaugural balls that night. According to CNN, aides said there were few inaugural activities because Trump wants to get to work as soon as possible.
Many House Democrats boycotted the event, according to Fox News.
