Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as the President of the United States on Monday, marking the beginning of another tumultuous four-year term characterized by his commitment to expand executive authority, deport millions of immigrants, seek revenge against political adversaries, and redefine America’s role on the global stage.
This inauguration signifies a remarkable resurgence for a political maverick who has weathered two impeachment trials, a felony conviction, two assassination attempts, and an indictment related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The ceremony will occur at noon (1700 GMT) within the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, four years after a violent breach by Trump supporters aimed at reversing the Republican’s defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. For the first time in four decades, the swearing-in will be held indoors due to severe cold weather.
Trump, the first U.S. president since the 19th century to secure a second term after losing the presidency, has pledged to grant pardons “on Day One” to many of the over 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, insurrection.
This commitment is part of a series of executive actions related to immigration, energy, and tariffs that Trump plans to implement immediately after taking the oath of office. During a rally in Washington on Sunday, he promised to enforce stringent immigration policies on his first day.
As he did in 2017, Trump returns to office as a disruptive and chaotic force, determined to overhaul the federal government while expressing significant skepticism towards the U.S.-led alliances that have defined global politics since World War II.
The former president comes back to Washington with renewed confidence after winning the national popular vote against Vice President Kamala Harris by over 2 million votes, driven by widespread voter dissatisfaction with ongoing inflation, although he still fell short of achieving a 50% majority. In 2016, Trump won the presidency through the Electoral College despite receiving nearly 3 million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton.
Jeremi Suri, a presidential historian at the University of Texas at Austin, draws parallels between the current period and the late 19th century, when Grover Cleveland became the only other president to serve non-consecutive terms. He notes that, similar to today, that era was marked by significant upheaval, characterized by industrial advancements that reshaped the economy, a surge in wealth inequality, and a peak in the proportion of immigrant Americans.
“We are witnessing a fundamentally transformed economy and a country that is different in terms of its racial, gender, and social composition, and we are grappling with the implications of these changes,” he remarked. “This is an existential moment.”
Trump will benefit from Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, which have largely eliminated any dissent within the party. His advisors have proposed plans to replace nonpartisan bureaucrats with loyalists chosen for their allegiance.
Even prior to his inauguration, Trump established a competing power base shortly after his election victory, engaging with world leaders and raising eyebrows by suggesting the possibility of seizing the Panama Canal, claiming Greenland from NATO ally Denmark, and imposing tariffs on major U.S. trading partners.
His impact was evident in the recent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Trump, whose envoy participated in the negotiations in Qatar, had warned of severe consequences if Hamas failed to release hostages before his inauguration.
During his campaign, Trump asserted he would resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict on his first day in office, although his advisors have conceded that any peace agreement will require several months to achieve. Unlike in 2017, when he appointed many traditionalists to key positions, Trump has now prioritized loyalty over experience in selecting a range of controversial cabinet nominees, some of whom have been vocal critics of the very agencies they are set to lead.
The support of Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, is notable, as he invested over $250 million to assist in Trump’s election efforts. Other prominent tech billionaires, including Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, and Tim Cook of Apple, are also expected to attend Monday’s ceremony alongside Musk, as reported by Reuters and various media outlets.
On Sunday, Trump announced plans to visit Los Angeles County on Friday, which has been severely affected by wildfires.
‘AMERICAN CARNAGE’
The inauguration will take place under stringent security measures, following a campaign marked by a rise in political violence, including two assassination attempts against Trump, one of which involved a bullet narrowly missing him. Federal authorities remain vigilant after a New Year’s Day incident in New Orleans, where a U.S. Army veteran, allegedly motivated by the Islamic State, drove a truck into a crowd, resulting in 14 fatalities. The FBI has issued warnings regarding the possibility of similar attacks.
Eight years prior, Trump’s inaugural address was characterized by a grim outlook, as he pledged to eradicate the “American carnage” associated with crime-ridden urban areas and lax border security, contrasting sharply with the optimistic tone typically adopted by newly elected presidents. Foreign governments will be closely analyzing the tone of Trump’s speech on Monday, given the inflammatory rhetoric that characterized his campaign.
The traditional parade along Pennsylvania Avenue, which typically passes by the White House, will now be held indoors at the Capital One Arena, the same venue where Trump hosted his victory rally on Sunday. In the evening, Trump is scheduled to attend three inaugural balls.
As part of the day’s festivities, Trump will commence the signing of what could be numerous executive orders. Some of these actions are expected to tighten immigration policies by designating drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations” and declaring a state of emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a source familiar with the preparations. Additional orders may focus on dismantling Biden’s environmental regulations and withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, as reported by various sources.
Many of these executive orders are anticipated to encounter legal challenges. Notably, Trump will be the first individual with felony convictions to assume the presidency, following a New York jury’s verdict that found him guilty of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to an adult film actress. He avoided penalties at sentencing, partly due to the judge’s recognition of the challenges in imposing sanctions on an incoming president.
Winning the election also effectively shielded Trump from two federal indictments concerning efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the retention of classified documents, in line with a Justice Department policy that prohibits prosecuting presidents while they are in office. A report released last week by Special Counsel Jack Smith indicated that sufficient evidence had been collected to secure a conviction against Trump in the election-related case had it proceeded to trial.
