Trump declares ‘Golden Age’ in America in inaugural address

President Trump on Monday declared it was the beginning of a new “Golden Age" in America, pledging to restore a country that he said had been decimated by the previous administration as he officially took the oath of office for his second White House term.

In an inaugural address from the Capitol, Trump depicted a nation in disrepair and laid out an ambitious agenda that he argued was validated by his election victory in November.

The president, in taking a shot at his predecessor Joe Biden, who was also seated directly next to the lectern as he spoke, said he was inheriting a government that "cannot manage even a simple crisis at home, while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of catastrophic events abroad."

"Our recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal, and all of these many betrayals that have taken place, and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and, indeed, their freedom," Trump said. "From this moment on, America's decline is over."

Trump said he would address the "inflation crisis," which he blamed on overspending by the Biden administration. He vowed to declare a national emergency at the southern border and to impose tariffs on foreign goods.

He said he would end "weaponization" of the Justice system. He vowed the official policy of the government would be that there are "only two genders." And he cast himself as a "peacemaker," even as he signaled he would seek to reclaim ownership of the Panama Canal.

Trump delivered his address in the Capitol Rotunda after Monday’s inauguration proceedings were moved indoors in anticipation of bitterly cold temperatures in the nation’s capital. It was the first time an inauguration took place inside since 1985 for then-President Ronald Reagan’s second inaugural ceremony.

The change in plans meant fewer people could be in the room to witness Trump’s swearing in and remarks in person. Attendees who made it inside the Rotunda and were seated directly behind the lectern included Trump’s Cabinet nominees and senior officials, former presidents and vice presidents, GOP donors and tech industry leaders like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Sundar Pichai.

Hundreds of other guests were relegated to an overflow room in the Capitol, including members of Congress, governors, New York Mayor Eric Adams and influencer Logan Paul.

Thousands of Trump supporters who intended to watch from the National Mall witnessed the events via livestream at nearby Capital One Arena.

Trump’s 2017 inauguration speech was widely remembered for its references to “American carnage” and a pledge to put “America First,” a sharply different tone than the typical notes of optimism and unity that are hallmarks of inaugural addresses.

Monday’s address carried some of those same echoes, as Trump promised to put America first and argued he'd been left with "plentiful" challenges.

But he was at times reflective, speaking about the rally last July where he was grazed by a bullet. And, as he did throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump argued the nation's success would ultimately unify its citizens.

"I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success," Trump said. "A tide of change is sweeping the country."

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