On Monday (20), coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Republican Donald Trump was sworn in for a presidential term until 2028, ending Joe Biden's Democratic istration. At 78, Trump becomes the oldest US head of state to take office, following his initial term from 2017 to 2021, and the first to hold office after being convicted of federal crimes.
With one hand on a Bible inherited from his mother, Trump vowed to “protect the Constitution” under the Capitol dome, the same place where, on January 6, 2021, his ers tried to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's victory.
“America's golden hour begins now. Every day of my istration, I will not allow anyone to take advantage of us. I will simply put 'America' first,” he said after welcoming former presidents and politicians to the ceremony.
Trump's speech was marked by the thesis that US citizens face risks from migrants, particularly from Latin America, and accused the Biden istration of being “incapable” of handling the country's internal crises while being involved in “continuous catastrophes” abroad.
To the surprise of those present, Trump, known for his xenophobic and racist discourse, quoted Black leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968): “For Americans, January 20, 2025, is liberation day.” He added, “To the Black and Hispanic communities, I thank you for the tremendous trust and love you have shown me. I heard your voices on the campaign trail and look forward to working with you in the years to come. Today is Martin Luther King Day, and in his honor, let's make his dream come true.”
Trump announced that he would sign a series of “historic orders” later that day to “restore America.” “First, I will declare a State of Emergency on our southern border,” he declared, receiving a standing ovation from those in the Capitol.
The new president also said he would declare the cartels to be terrorists: “I will direct our government to use federal forces to eliminate the presence of all gangs. We're going to do it on a level that no one has ever done before.”
Referring to escalating energy prices in the US, Trump declared a State of Emergency in the national energy sector: "We will drill baby, drill," he said, using his classic phrase about drilling for oil.
Trump also reiterated the threats he had made public since his victory in the November elections. “We're going to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Trump said. Mexico's progressive president, Claudia Sheinbaum, already countered him by suggesting renaming the US “Mexican America.”
The Republican also announced the country's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, a pact aimed at minimizing the effects of the climate crisis. This is the second time the US has broken the pact; the first was during Trump's previous term in office.
The decision, published on the official White House website, is part of the Trump istration's list of priorities. The decision came a few days after the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record.
Ultra-conservative billionaires' presence
Billionaires Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk arrive for Trump's inauguration ceremony / Julia Demaree Nikhinson / POOL / AFP
The inauguration was attended by businessmen and billionaires who the global far right, such as Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), and Elon Musk, who will be part of Trump's government.
“After years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free speech, I will sign a decree to end all government censorship and bring back free speech to America,” said Trump, nodding to the owners of Meta and the social network X, who promote far-right speech under the slogan of “free speech.”
Leaders of the world's far-right attended the inauguration, including Argentina's president, Javier Milei, and Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who was defeated by Nicolás Maduro. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was also invited by Trump, but his departure from Brazil was vetoed by Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court.
Elon Musk gestures to Trump ers during the inaugural parade inside Capitol One Arena in Washington, DC / Angela Weiss/AFP
Speaking of “free speech”, far-right billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the social network X and companies Tesla and SpaceX, generated a wave of indignation after making a strange gesture reminiscent of the Nazi salute to Trump ers, hours after the Republican's inauguration.
The gesture came after Musk stressed that Trump's inauguration “marked a turning point for human civilization” and expressed his excitement about plans to land a manned mission on Mars during Trump's second term. “I just want to thank you guys for making this happen,” said the billionaire, before slapping his right hand to his chest, fingers spread, and extending his right arm diagonally upwards, fingers together and palm facing down.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which campaigns against anti-Semitism, defines the Nazi salute as “raising the outstretched right arm with the palm down.”
Musk has made several contributions to Trump since his presidential campaign, totaling US$ 250 million.
