President Donald Trump declared ‘now, the work begins’ at his inaugural parade in Washington and immediately delivered on his promise by signing an executive order to undo 78 of former President Biden’s presidential actions.
‘You are now witnessing the dawn of the golden age of America,’ he declared to great applause. ‘We’re not going to put up with that crap anymore.’
Trump turned his rally at a downtown Washington arena into a signing ceremony as he grabbed his pen and issued multiple executive actions to institute major policy changes.
He then went back to the Oval Office – his first appearance of his second term – to sign several more.
The president said he would sign pardons back at the White House and indicated those convicted in the riot on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. would be released Monday.
Trump officially halted 78 Biden-era executive orders, announced a regulatory freeze preventing bureaucrats from issuing regulations until the Trump administration has full control of the government and a freeze on all federal hiring except for military and a few other essential areas.
He also ordered a requirement that federal workers return to full-time in-person work, a directive to every department and agency to address the cost of living crisis, and announced withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty.
Donald Trump made good on his word that ‘now the work begins’ as he immediately started signing executive orders when took the stage at his inaugural parade in Washington
Trump turned his rally at a downtown Washington arena into a signing ceremony for executive actions that his new administration is taking to institute major policy changes
Trump also signed a government order restoring freedom of speech and preventing censorship of free speech and one ending the ‘weaponization of government against the political adversaries of the previous administration’
Some of the orders he signed first including a Biden border bill, a regulatory freeze and a freeze on federal hiring.
The setup included a small desk, chair and microphone, where Trump was sitting to attach his signature to official actions.
He showed off his signature as he signs an initial round of executive orders before tossing the pens into the crowd.
Trump declared at his indoor parade that he will sign pardons for ‘a lot of people’ who were convicted for the attack on the U.S. Capitol as the crowd cheered enthusiastically.
‘We won, we won, but now the work begins,’ Trump said to start his remarks at the end of the parade in the packed Capitol One Arena in Washington, DC.
The president during his wide-ranging remarks also attacked special counsel Jack Smith and complained about being investigated.
The president mentioned that Biden pardoned his family members on Monday, one of his final acts as president. The crowd booed as the president said it happened while Trump was making his speech at the U.S. Capitol.
‘Has anyone ever heard of Kamala?’ Trump also said as he relived his 2024 election victory before the crowd of supporters.
Trump was introduced at event by special envoy Steve Witkoff after a touching moment where he shook hands with the families of hostages taken from Israel during the attack on October 7, 2023.
During his address, Trump went into graphic detail about the carnage of the attack on Israel and repeated it shouldn’t ever have happened multiple times as he rambled.
The president went on to thank the crowd who came to witness the parade and praised those participating.
‘You’re witnessing the dawn of the golden age of America,’ Trump said to the still packed room.
He also specifically thanked members of his family including the first lady, his children and grandchildren.
Son Barron Trump received perhaps the loudest applause of the group as his dad mentioned how tall he is.
Eric Trump raised his fist as the crowd chanted his name, and Ivanka Trump blew kisses.
Kai Trump, the president’s eldest grandchild and daughter of Donald Jr., also waved to the crowd.
Trump and the first lady along with Vice President Vance and his family all entered the arena through the crowd.
At times the military band played and during another moment people tried to get the wave going and snacked on concession stand foods.
The announcer acknowledged that the format was different for a parade from what people are used to.
Trump’s family members filed into the room and stood in the first row of a three-row viewing box behind the stage as people clapped.
Donald Trump announced that ‘now the work begins’ as he took the stage at his inaugural parade in Washington
Families of hostages from Israel attended the inauguration parade, including several with family members still in captivity and others whose loved ones have died
Ivanka Trump gestures when she arrives at Capital One Arena after President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in
Melania Trump arrives and greets the crowd at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade
Kai Madison Trump, the president’s eldest grandchild, waves to the crowd
The family members took the stage, lining up to shake hands with Trump.
A few individuals along the aisle got to greet the president directly as he entered the room.
The president announced intentions to immediately sign pardons for those imprisoned from January 6, work on bringing back Israeli hostages and several other policy priorities.
Families of hostages from Israel attended the inauguration parade, including several with family members still in captivity and others whose loved ones have died.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s appointee for special envoy for peace in the Middle East, kicked off the speaking portion following the parade by celebrating the return of three Israeli hostages Sunday.
‘For the former hostages here today, welcome home,’ Trump said after being introduced by Witkoff.
By the time Trump arrived in the building, the crowd was growing antsy. People who waited hours could be heard shouting ‘we want Trump’ after waiting most of the afternoon while he wrapped up at the U.S. Capitol.
The police and first responders from Butler County, PA started out the parade as they paid homage to Corey Comperatore who was killed in the assassination attempt on Trump in July. Comperatore’s fireman jacket was carried during the parade and a moment of silence was held in his memory.
Others participating it the parade were the New York Military Academy, Palm Beach Police and Fire Rescue, the New York City Police Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, the Florida Firefighters Pipes and Drums and the Middletown, Ohio high school marching band, which all marched in a loop around the arena floor.
JD Vance received a warm welcome as he arrived with his wife Usha and young children
The president’s youngest son was greeted to cheers of ‘Barron, Barron, Barron’ by the adoring crowd inside the Capital One Arena
Melania Trump greets audience members at the Presidential Parade
Barron Trump gestures to the crowd as he received a raucous welcome
The newly inaugurated president and vice-president greet well-wishers, while JD Vance’s son looks less than impressed
Vance graduated from Middletown High School in 2003. The community raised more than $140,000 through private donations and grants to send students from Vance’s hometown to Washington.
After the inauguration was moved inside, supporters who traveled to Washington, D.C., from all over the country waited in line starting the night before to get into the Capital One Arena.
The arena hosted a viewing party for Trump’s swearing in ceremony before he made his way to the event to kick off the official Inaugural parade Monday afternoon.
Inside the arena, Trump fans were decked out in a sea of red MAGA hats and other Trump branded apparel.
A number of people wore star-spangle suits and American flag adorned outfits, waving Trump signs and American flags despite the cold air pumping through the room.
During the ceremony, people in the largely packed arena were able to watch the event on the big screens in the center of the room as large red and gold electronic banners displayed the words ’60th Presidential Inauguration’ overhead.
As Trump, the first lady, his family and other MAGA favorites like Pete Hegseth, Elon Musk and Tulsi Gabbard showed up on the screen, the crowd in the just over 20,000 seat arena cheered.
When President Biden, former Secretary Hillary Clinton, other Democrats and former Vice President Mike Pence appeared on the screens, Trump’s supporters booed. For Pence, a man could be heard shouting ‘traitor’ while there were a few chants of ‘lock her up’ for Clinton.
During Trump’s inaugural address, lines about declaring an emergency at the border, only having two genders, the U.S. entering a ‘golden age’ and god saving his life received wild applause.
Eric Trump and Lara Trump attend a rally on the inauguration day for U.S. President Donald Trump’s second Presidential term
Trump fans were decked out in a lot of red MAGA hats and other Trump branded apparel
A number of people wore star-spangle suits and American flag adorned outfits. They waved Trump signs and American flags despite the cold air pumping through the room
As the president walked Biden out to depart Washington outside the capitol, people could be heard singing ‘na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye.’
Trump promised a ‘new golden age of America’ after being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday.
‘The decline is over,’ he told about 600 allies, dignitaries and family members inside the U.S. Capitol building.
He used his inaugural address to balance the idea of an optimistic new dawn with tough talk, mixing his long-standing accusations that he was the target of a weaponized justice system with a promise a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration.
‘As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust,’ he said.
‘For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair.’
As Arctic temperatures blasted Washington, D.C., outside, Trump was surrounded by the Washington political establishment, tech titans, and MAGA allies for his inauguration inside the Capitol building.
It offered a visual illustration of how the one-time political outsider has conquered Washington in an extraordinary political comeback, becoming only the second president in history to win non-consecutive terms.
Where in 2017, his ‘American carnage’ speech conjured a bleak image of a nation in an abyss of rampant crime, abandoned factories, and a failed education system, this time he said he was ‘confident and optimistic’ that a ‘tide of change is sweeping the country.’
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States
President-elect Donald Trump talks to his vice presidential pick J.D. Vance in the Capitol Rotunda before they are both sworn into office on Monday
Melania Trump cut a stylish figure in a hat by American fashion designer Eric Javits
But he also hit some of his favorite targets, railing against illegal immigrants arriving from foreign prisons and ‘mental institutions.’
‘We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad,’ he said.
‘It fails to protect our magnificent law abiding American citizens, but provide sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals.’
And he reflected on how he had survived an assassination attempt and criminal prosecutions to return to power in one of the greatest political comebacks in history.
‘Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and indeed, to take my life just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear, but I felt then and believe, even more so now that my life was saved for a reason,’ he said.
‘I was saved by God to make America great again.’
At more than 2800 words the speech was twice as long as his 2017 effort, giving the impression of a man in a hurry to get on with the business of government.
He used it to reflect his convincing November victory, winning the popular vote and all seven of the pivotal battleground states, and his plan for action with dozens and dozens of executive actions.
When Trump spoke of January 6 during his informal remarks after the ceremony, people at the arena remained in their seats to watch. They laughed at his jokes, booed his critics when their names were mentioned and remained enraptured for the speech that had some of his more popular rally lines.
Peter Navarro, Kellyanne Conway, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other Trump allies were in the arena to warm up the crowd ahead of Trump’s remarks.
Elon Musk also made an appearance saying ‘his is what victory feels like,’ as he dancing onto the stage.
He called it a ‘fork in the road of human civilization’
‘This one really mattered,’ he said of the election and thanked Trump’s supporters for ‘making it happen’
‘It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured,’ Musk said.
He also vowed to ‘take DOGE to Mars.’
Trump’s swearing in was broadcast to the Capital One Arena
MAGA fans gathered
More MAGA fans gathered to cheer on Trump and Vance
During his remarks, the crowd started chanting ‘Elon, Elon.’
He said he is super fired up for the future and would work his a** off for them.
‘Man I cannot wait,’ Musk said of the future.
Navarro praised supporters for waiting in line in the cold Monday morning. He also spoke about going to prison but claimed the people he met in prison never did anything as bad as Dr. Anthony Fauci or Alvin Bragg.
Conway said the Trump sequel is going to be a ‘kicka** better than the original.’ For the event she was wearing the same red, white and blue coat she wore for Trump’s first inauguration.
Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) spoke about it being the best day ever and vowed Trump is ‘taking it all back.’
Huckabee Sanders said it was surreal to be back in Washington. She said GOP governors have been holding the line until Trump was back in the White House.
Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) called Trump’s inauguration speech the best inauguration speech ever.
‘We did it everybody,’ said conservative activist Charlie Kirk taking the stage to rancorous cheers.
