On January 25th 2025, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. In his opening remarks, he declared, “From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer” (The White House). His statement marked a clear departure from the previous administration, reaffirming his commitment to the “Make America Great Again” vision.
Just four years after leaving office, Trump has returned, vowing to “reclaim our republic” and purge the nation’s enemies–including his own critics (The White House). He openly condemned those who opposed him during his time away, from political adversaries to former allies who distanced themselves. He spoke about perceived personal attacks he has endured, citing his impeachments, multiple indictments, a conviction on 34 felony counts, and widespread criticism of his handling of global crises like COVID-19.
Trump’s inauguration carried both a personal and political message. “Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback,” he declared. “But as you see today, here I am. The American people have spoken.”
Inauguration day began with former President Biden welcoming Trump back to the White House before they rode together to the Capitol. Due to the cold temperatures, the ceremony was held indoors (NPR).
While the event featured the usual roster of political figures, a notable addition stood out: the Silicon Valley row. This presence symbolized the new alliance Trump is forging with the tech industry. Some of America’s most influential tech billionaires attended, signaling a partnership between the administration and tech giants like Meta, Amazon, and Tesla.
Most notably, Mark Zuckerberg–the CEO of Meta, the parent organization to WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram–pledged his allegiance with Trump by announcing his reversal of DEI and fact-checking policies soon after the inauguration. Trump has repeatedly stated his commitment to the reversal of DEI policies in his first weeks in office.
Despite the modernization of Trump’s inauguration, tradition still played a role. The three surviving former presidents–Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama–attended, maintaining patriotism despite their lack of public support for Trump’s agenda. Trump’s former Vice President, Mike Pence, was also present, despite previously expressing concerns about Trump’s return to power. Pence became the first vice president not to serve in a president’s subsequent term since 1944 (New York Times).
In addition to all the other accolades that come with Trump’s inauguration, Trump made history as the oldest person ever inaugurated as president. Trump entered office at 78 years and seven months, surpassing Biden, who took office at 78 years and two months. In contrast, Vice President J.D. Vance, 40, became the third-youngest vice president in U.S. history (New York Times).
As Trump took the oath he was surrounded by family, and his wife Melania Trump held two Bibles for his oath into office. One Bible was given to him decades ago by his mother and the other used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. Trump did not put his hand on them, breaking a tradition of being sworn into office (NPR).
Trump did keep tradition in mind during the inauguration, though. He shook Biden’s hand after taking the oath and escorted the previous president and Dr. Jill Biden to a Marine helicopter on the East Front of the Capitol to bid them farewell as they began their journey to post-Presidential life.
Though an Inauguration might seem notable enough for a first day in office, Trump also signed many executive orders, 78 of them revoking former president Joe Biden’s policies. He ordered a crackdown on immigration by starting mass deportations around the country and withdrew the United States from both the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization. Within the first few hours he was able to mark a new regime of policy.
