NAIROBI, Kenya — Donald Trump, now the 47th President of the United States, marked his return to the Oval Office with a historic second inauguration on Monday.
Against a backdrop of tradition and tension, Trump vowed swift action on immigration and cultural reforms, setting the tone for a presidency poised to upend the status quo yet again.
Outgoing President Joe Biden and Trump shared a symbolic moment earlier in the day, arriving together in a motorcade and engaging in a brief, cordial tea at the White House—an effort to restore a semblance of bipartisan decorum.
Donald J. Trump Sworn In as the 47th President of the United States America is BACK. 🇺🇸
The star-studded event featured some of the world’s most influential figures, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Google’s Sundar Pichai.
Musk, a vocal supporter and key campaign financier, is set to play a pivotal role in Trump’s administration, spearheading cost-cutting initiatives.
Foreign leaders typically absent from such events also made an appearance, with Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni among the attendees. Notably absent, however, was Michelle Obama, while her husband, former President Barack Obama, joined other past presidents in a show of continuity.
Trump wasted no time outlining his ambitious plans. Among his first actions will be declaring a national emergency at the southern border and ending birthright citizenship, marking a sharp pivot from Biden’s immigration policies.
Additionally, Trump plans to redefine federal recognition of gender to only two biological sexes and eliminate diversity initiatives across federal agencies.
While Trump promises a “golden era” for America, his rhetoric paints a darker picture of the nation, one riddled with crises he has pledged to resolve “with historic speed and strength.”
The billionaire also aims to impose sweeping tariffs and revisit contentious global issues, such as U.S. aid to Ukraine, sparking concerns among allies.
Trump’s inauguration cements his place in history as the first U.S. president with a criminal record to hold office.
Despite the shadow of previous scandals, including the infamous hush-money case, his political resurgence is unprecedented.
At 78, Trump has also become the oldest president to take office, surpassing Biden.
For his supporters, this marks the dawn of a “brand new day.” For others, the next four years promise to be as polarizing as his first term.
