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Eyes ahead

An overview of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration
President Donald Trump is the second president to have served two non-consecutive terms. (photo by Nikolas Liepins, contributed by NSPA)
President Donald Trump is the second president to have served two non-consecutive terms. (photo by Nikolas Liepins, contributed by NSPA)
Nikolas Liepins

At noon today, Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance were sworn in as the 47th president and 50th vice president of the U.S., respectively. In attendance were former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and other notable political figures and guests such as Elon Musk.

After Vance and Trump took the oath of office, Trump gave his inaugural address, in which he claimed that the “Golden Age of America begins now.”

Most emphasized in his speech was the idea that his presidency will be a turning point for the American people, and from this point on, areas of the country, such as the economy, healthcare and education, will be improved.

“Our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous and free,” Trump said in his inaugural speech. “America will soon be greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before.”

In highlighting problems the U.S. currently faces, Trump described the country’s inability to deliver basic services, including care for natural disasters, such as the wildfires affecting those in LA.

He also emphasized that the public health and education systems need to change. Today’s education, he said, teaches students to be ashamed of themselves and hate their country.

Regarding the assassination attempt against him with a more positive viewpoint, Trump said he believes he survived for a reason.

“I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said.

Addressing his win, Trump expressed gratitude towards the Black and Hispanic communities for their support, recognizing their contributions and promising to not forget them. Trump also recognized Martin Luther King Jr. and urged others to help him make King’s dream come true.

Unlike typical inauguration speeches, Trump outlined a list of actions he intends to take beginning today, the start of his presidency. They include changes in immigration, environmental and other policies and enactments.

Immigration

Trump intends to declare a national emergency at the Southern border and send troops there for enforcement. All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and the government will soon begin the process of sending illegal immigrants back to their original countries.

As part of Trump’s changes on immigration policies comes the end of “catch and release,” a phrase referring to the release of migrants into the U.S. while awaiting a court date.

Trump intends to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, as well as enact the Alien Enemies Act of 1789, which permits the president to detain or deport natives and citizens of an enemy country during wartime. The act has been put into place during the War of 1812, WWI and WWII, most notably playing a role in the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Environment

As far as his changes on environmental policy, Trump intends to declare a national energy emergency, saying in his speech that America will “drill, baby, drill” in attempts to gain higher profits from oil.

Trump also wants to end the Green New Deal and the electric vehicle mandate, which dictates the number of electric vehicles automobile manufacturers are required to assemble and dealerships to sell.

Government affairs

To increase the efficiency of the economy, Trump plans to enact a new External Revenue Service that will establish tariffs and taxes on foreign countries.

Inside of the government, he plans to establish the new Department of Government Efficiency, led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. He also hopes to reinstate, with full back pay, any service members expelled from the military due to refusal to receive a COVID vaccine.

Other changes

To bring back free speech, Trump said, he will sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship. He also hopes to stop efforts to “socially engineer race and gender” into public and private life, instead making sure society is colorblind and merit-based. He claims that it is now official policy that there are only two genders: male and female.

Trump also proposed the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, as well as the renaming of Denali, a mountain in Alaska, to Mount McKinley, its former name until 2015.

Due to Trump’s belief that the Panama Canal is currently being operated by China, he plans to take it back. According to the New York Times, the Panama Canal is still being operated by Panama, but a Hong Kong-based company’s ownership of ports on both sides of the canal has raised security concerns.

Finally, Trump voiced his encouragement of the pursuit of Manifest Destiny and the sending of Americans to Mars.

After the inauguration speech, Vance and Trump spoke to supporters in Emancipation Hall in the Capitol. For Trump, the rest of the day includes an exclusive luncheon and multiple balls, as well as an Oval Office signing ceremony, in which he plans to sign more than 50 executive orders.

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About the Contributor
Ava Campbell
Ava Campbell, Editor-in-Chief
Welcome back! My name is Ava Campbell, and I am honored to say that I am this year’s Editor-in-Chief of The Journal. Although the reality of senior year hasn’t hit me yet, I’m so blessed to be spending the end of my time at SHS with this amazing group of people. In my Journal career, I’ve been both the Sports Editor and a Features reporter. Outside of The Journal, I play the flute in our band. I also volunteer at Indianapolis Animal Care Services (adopt, don’t shop!), where I get to spend time helping dogs and cats whom I adore so much. I am a mother of two guinea pigs, whose names are Hamilton and Lafayette. You can guess, then, what I listen to in my free time. I also love baking, drinking boba, math and reading as many books as I can. Finally, I love you, dear reader, for caring about journalism! Let the fun begin!