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Monday saw Donald Trump sworn in for a groundbreaking second term as president, a key moment in his dramatic political resurrection. His inauguration speech laid out a bold agenda, with promises of swift executive actions on immigration and the ongoing cultural battles that have polarized American society, signaling that his administration’s approach would be both immediate and aggressive.
With his right hand lifted in a gesture of commitment and his left hand resting on the Bible passed down to him by his mother, the 47th President of the United States took the oath of office in a ceremony held under the towering Rotunda of the US Capitol. The solemnity of the occasion echoed through the chambers, symbolizing both personal and national renewal.
Former Republican president Donald Trump and the outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden shared an unusual moment as they rode together in a motorcade towards the Capitol, where the inauguration ceremony was being held indoors for the first time in years. The decision was made due to the freezing temperatures, leading to a much smaller-than-usual crowd gathering outside.
Earlier, they and their spouses met for a traditional tea at the White House.
“Welcome home,” Biden said to Trump as he and First Lady Jill Biden greeted their successors at the front door to the presidential residence.
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While Trump refused to attend Biden’s 2021 inauguration after falsely claiming electoral fraud by the Democrat, this time Biden has been keen to restore the sense of tradition.
Biden joined former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at the Capitol. Former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush were there but ex-first lady Michelle Obama pointedly stayed away.
Trump, 78, was a political outsider at his first inauguration in 2017 as the 45th president, but this time around he is surrounded by America’s wealthy and powerful.