The big event of the day was Trump’s inaugural address, and we’ll give you a quick rundown of what it was about because many of the things he said will be relevant to you in the near future.
President Donald Trump’s second inaugural address gave us a better understanding of the issues he will focus on during his second term — and what his vision for America will be.
“America’s golden age begins now,” Trump said. “From this day forward, our country will prosper.” He said the U.S. would be “the envy of the world” and that “no one will take advantage.”
Trump promised during the campaign to push for tariffs on foreign goods, expand oil drilling, and deport immigrants without legal status in the country.
In his inaugural address, he said he would sign “a series of executive orders” that would focus on immigration and the economy. Trump said he would declare a “national emergency at our southern border,” halt immigration, and deport “criminal immigrants.” “We’re going to do this on a level that no one has ever seen,” Trump promised.
Trump also said he would declare an “energy emergency,” repeal the Green New Deal and the electric vehicle mandate, and create a “Foreign Revenue Service” to equalize tariffs on goods from other countries.
Trump says these measures will help build American “prosperity,” though he said after the election that it would be “hard” to lower prices. Prices and inflation are consistently top concerns for many Americans.
“My first priority will be to build a proud, prosperous, and free nation,” Trump said in his address.
According to a poll, only 31 percent of Americans believe that imposing tariffs or fees on goods imported from other countries helps the U.S. economy. It’s clear that Trump will begin his presidency in a difficult position.
Culture and immigration have always been fuel for Trump’s political approval ratings. Illegal immigration has been a key priority for his base. In a recent NPR/PBS poll, 4 in 10 Republicans favored mass deportations of illegal immigrants, and more than half said they strongly supported it.
Trump has said that U.S. policy will be to rule that there are only two genders — “male and female.” LGBT+ rights have also been hotly debated in the 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump has also vowed to restore political justice, though it’s unclear how far he’ll go. “The scales of justice will be rebalanced,” Trump promised in his address, adding that the weaponization of the courts for political persecution will end. Trump has focused on increasing his electoral influence among black and Latino voters, especially men.
“Thank you to the Black and Hispanic communities for the love and trust you’ve shown me,” Trump said.
Trump did win a record 46% of the Latino vote for a Republican, according to exit polls. He won only 11% of black voters, but saw an improvement among black men.
Trump then noted that he would be inaugurated on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and vowed, “We’re going to strive to make his dream come true. We’re going to make his dream come true.” President Biden, seated behind Trump, was seen with a slight smirk.
Trump also promised to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, rename Alaska’s Denali back to Mount McKinley, and that the country would reclaim control of the Panama Canal.
When Trump said he would rename the Gulf of Mexico, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom Trump defeated for president in 2016, shook her head and giggled.
“My legacy will be a peacemaker and a unifier,” Trump said. “That’s what I want to be — a peacemaker and a unifier.”
Of course, many of the things Trump calls for are not supported by all Americans. For example, a recent NPR poll found that Americans are evenly divided on the issue of deportation, with a majority believing that a 25% tariff on Canadian goods would hurt the economy more than it would help it.
In his inaugural address, Trump recounted an assassination attempt he survived during the campaign and said he believed he was “saved by God” for a purpose.
“They were trying to take my freedom and, in fact, take my life,” Trump said. “I felt like my life was saved for a reason. God saved me to make America great again.”