Trump takes power in Washington, declaring “America’s decline is over”

Washington — President Trump took power for another four years on Monday, vowing to create a nation that is “greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before” as he heralded his return to the White House. 

“The golden age of America begins right now,” Mr. Trump began his 30-minute speech. “From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.” 

Mr. Trump said he is “confident and optimistic” that the U.S. is “at the start of a thrilling new era of national success.” 

“From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” he declared, reiterating a similar theme from his 2017 speech, when he portrayed himself as the only one who could save the nation. 

He asserted that he not only has a political mandate to carry out his agenda, but also a divine one, after he survived an assassination attempt months before he won the election. 

“I felt then and believed even more so now that my life was saved for a reason, I was saved by God to make America great again,” he said. 

Mr. Trump painted a bleak picture of the nation, saying he’s that he’s taking over a government facing “a crisis of trust,” adding that a “radical and corrupt establishment” has left the nation in “disrepair.” He said the federal government can no longer provide basic services and claimed that the situation at the southern border is out of control.  

He vowed to declare a national emergency at the southern border in one of his first acts in office, saying “all illegal entry will immediately be halted.” He also said he would begin the process of deporting millions of criminal undocumented immigrants and send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. 

Trump also outlined a number of other policies, including reinstating service members who were “unjustly expelled” from the military for refusing vaccine requirements, renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and saying that under his administration there will be only “two genders.” 

Mr. Trump, who returns to office as a convicted felon, also invoked the legal troubles he’s faced since leaving office. 

“Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents — something I know something about,” Mr. Trump said. “We will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again under my leadership. We will restore fair, equal and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law.” 

Fearing that Mr. Trump would retaliate against his political enemies, former President Joe Biden issued a number of pardons during his last hours in office, including those associated with the investigation into the Capitol riot as well as his own family members. 

Mr. Trump took the oath of office in a rare indoor ceremony in the Capitol in the same room where a violent mob of his supporters stormed through four years earlier to block Congress from certifying Biden’s election victory. 

Wearing a navy suit and purple tie, Mr. Trump took the oath administered by Chief Justice John Roberts at 12:01 p.m. Mr. Trump was accompanied by his wife, Melania, who wore a long navy coat and matching hat, as well as his five children, Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka, Tiffany and Barron. 

The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Trump’s predecessors, a tradition the president defied in 2021 as he falsely claimed the election was stolen from him. Former first lady Michelle Obama was absent — her office had said ahead of the inauguration that she would not attend. Earlier in the day, Mr. Trump and his wife had tea at the White House with the outgoing president and first lady, another tradition the Trumps did not observe when Biden succeeded him in 2021. 

Shortly after 1 p.m., Mr. Trump and the first lady stood alongside the Bidens on the east side of the U.S. Capitol. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, said their goodbyes and were ushered away in a black SUV. 

Biden and his wife boarded the presidential helicopter, which flew them out of Washington to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.