Trump’s Vision for a Bold New Era

By Jason Collins

The Debut of America’s 47th President

The moment that MAGA fans have been dreaming about and that Democrats never thought would happen at the start of the elections has, indeed happened, and Donald J. Trump is now officially the 47th president of the United States. Trump’s inauguration was carried out in true Trump form with a pre-inaugural rally turned dance party, an aggressive address, and signing a slew of executor orders, effectively erasing Joe Biden’s legacy moments after officially becoming the president. 

Didn’t catch the events? Don’t worry. We did, and here’s what you missed. 

Trump Dances To The Village People 

In true MAGA form, Trump held a celebration rally in a downtown arena on the eve of his inauguration, and fans of the “Trump Dance,” the one where he shakes his hips and punches his arms, were in for a real treat. Joining Trump on his brightly lit stage were the pop band the Village People, who performed their hit song “Y.M.C.A.” Some fans even changed the lyrics to M.A.G.A as they celebrated their Republican hero. 

During the rally, Trump thanked his supporters, telling them,

The American people have given us their trust, and in return, we’re going to give them the best first day, the biggest first week, and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history. 

The Swearing-In Ceremony 

Due to the frigid weather, the event, which was supposed to be outdoors, was moved inside the Capitol rotunda and led by Chief Justice John Roberts. The ceremony started with opera singer Christopher Macchio performing “O America!” and Trump taking the oath on the Lincoln Bible and a Bible his mother gifted him in 1995. 

Many tech and business leaders who finally supported Trump’s campaign when his victory was assured appeared among the former and current members of Congress, such as Kevin McCarthy, John Boehner, and Mitch McConnell. Of course, the CEO of X and Tesla, Elon Musk, was there to support his partner as their budding friendship was on display at the inauguration events. Musk was even seated in prime seating, which was historically reserved for the president’s family and past presidents. Other tech giants who were there to support Trump were Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, and Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok. 

Former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama attended the inauguration, including Clinton’s wife, Hillary. However, former First Lady Michelle Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were absent from the ceremony. 

Takeaways From Trump’s Address 

After being sworn in, Trump delivered a rather aggressive address. He took a moment to slam former President Biden, saying,

My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal. From this moment on, America’s decline is over.

He also told attendees he intended to sign a stream of executive orders from his first moments in office, and he made good on his promise.  In his address, Trump explained that he would make America great again,

I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success. A tide of change is sweeping the country. Sunlight is pouring over the entire world. And America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.

Declaring a state of emergency at the southern border 

In his address, Trump reiterated his intentions to make good on his campaign promise of ending the border crisis. His priority is to declare an emergency on the southern border with Mexico. He explained,

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. 

He also took the time to pledge the return of his 2019 “Remain in Mexico” policy, which made asylum seekers stay in Mexico while waiting for their immigration appointments. 

Ending the weaponization of justice

As the first-ever US president to be charged and convicted of felony crimes, which he maintains were nothing more than the weaponization of the Justice Department, which he plans to stop. Trump told attendees,

Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end.

Vows to stop foreign wars 

Trump also portrayed himself as a peacemaker who vowed to end foreign wars and celebrated his role in helping implement the ceasefire in Gaza. He said he wanted to be seen as “a peacemaker and a unifier.” 

Yet, only moments later did he vow to regain control of the Panama Canal from Panama and look at new policies that expand our territory. 

It doesn’t quite give peacemaker vibes, does it? 

A vision of a color-blind society  

Trump also vowed to create a society that is built on merit rather than racially divisive policies like DEI and affirmative action, saying,

I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will forge a society that is color-blind and merit-based.

This also means that protections for transgender and nonbinary Americans could be potentially dismantled, which is what the Democrats fought so hard to avoid. He explained,

As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female.

Trump’s speech ended with a performance from country singer Carrie Underwood who went a cappella asking the crowd to join in after a music malfunction.  

What He Did on His First Day in Office 

Trump promised to sign executive orders swiftly in his address, and he wasn’t lying. In his first moments in office, he issued pardons for about 1,500 convicted or charged in the Jan. 6 attack, signed an order to pause Congress’ TikTok ban for 75 days, and reversed several immigration orders from Biden’s presidency. He also temporarily suspended the U.S. Refugee Admission Program and added a freeze on any new federal regulations while he builds his administration. 

He also took executive action to rename several US landmarks to honor American greatness. The Gulf of Mexico has become the Gulf of America and Denali, North America’s highest peak, has been returned to its original name of Mount McKinley. In a surprise move, Trump announced that he is withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization. Dr. Ashish Jha, a former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, warned CNN that this strategic move would only “give China more political influence around the world.” 

Hours after taking office, Trump issued two executive orders directing the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to open investigations into Biden’s administration’s weaponization of law enforcement. 

This slew of executive orders and changes happened on his first day in office, so it’s clear that Trump is ready to get to work and fulfill his campaign promises. What does this mean for Americans? From now on, Americans can expect to see more aggressive policy reversals, sweeping executive orders, and polarizing rhetoric as Trump revamps federal departments and implements his zealous America-first policies as he seeks to build his legacy. One thing is certain: Trump’s second term will be anything but conventional.