Trump Returns to White House as Nation's 47th President
By Sherri Weiss and Michele Dennis, EEW Political Correspondents
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th US President in the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via EEW MAGAZINE
WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (EEW Newswire) Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Friday, marking a dramatic return to the White House after defeating incumbent President Joe Biden in the 2024 election.
The inauguration follows a turbulent campaign, which included two failed assassination attempts against him, criminal indictments, and his efforts to contest the results of the 2020 election. At 78, Trump becomes only the second president in U.S. history to serve non-consecutive terms, joining Grover Cleveland.
"A new American era starts today," Trump declared during his inaugural address.
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th US President in the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. SAUL LOEB/Pool via EEW MAGAZINE
Trump took the oath of office at noon on Friday inside the U.S. Capitol, with Chief Justice John Roberts administering the ceremony. His running mate, J.D. Vance, was sworn in as vice president moments earlier.
In his first act as president, Trump is expected to sign multiple executive orders, with at least ten aimed at addressing border security and immigration. White House officials announced that one of the administration's first actions will be declaring a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, deploying military forces to the region, and reinstating the "Remain in Mexico" policy, which requires asylum applicants to stay in Mexico while awaiting U.S. court hearings.
Additionally, the administration plans to explore changes to birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not legally present in the country.
Due to severe weather, the inauguration was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda. Attendees included President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who were defeated by Trump in the November election, along with former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Former First Lady Hillary Clinton accompanied her husband, while Michelle Obama was absent from the event.
The ceremony also drew prominent figures from the tech industry, including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. They were seated near Trump’s family members and cabinet appointees.
Trump, who had been defeated by Biden in 2020, returns to the presidency with a promise to issue pardons for many of the individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Speaking on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Trump referenced the civil rights leader’s legacy, stating that his administration would “strive together to make his dream a reality.”
“To the Black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and trust you have shown me with your vote,” Trump said. “We set records, and I will not forget it.”
"We will make his dream come true," Trump added, referring to King’s vision for racial equality and justice.
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