On January 20, 2025, Donald J. Trump was sworn into office as the 47th President of the United States of America at the age of 78 years old. Trump joins Grover Cleveland as one of only two presidents to serve two nonconsecutive terms.
The inauguration took place in the Capitol Building in Washington D.C, the first to be held inside the building since Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1985. Outgoing President and Vice President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attended the event, along with former president George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as the former First Lady, Laura Bush. World leaders from China, El Salvador, and Italy were also in attendance. While Benjamin Netenyahu was initially planning on joining these prominent figures, he was unable to be present in the end.
Prior to the inauguration, “Trump’s team had been planning executive actions to be signed on day one” (CNN 10). These executive orders included new immigration and border policies, energy production, and DEI initiatives, all of which were presented in Trump’s address to the nation. In this speech, he also criticized past leaders and emphasized his objective of, “Bringing America back to the top.”
After the inauguration, President Trump issued 42 executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations, including the pardoning of nearly 1500 participants of the January Sixth Riots (CBS). On the first full day of his presidency, Trump issued mass deportations. He also established the DOGE (Department Of Government Efficiency), issued foreign policy directives, withdrew from the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Agreement, renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and eased restrictions on oil and fossil fuel drilling (BBC News). While signing these orders in the Oval Office, Trump added that he did not believe the ceasefire in Gaza would hold.
Soon after, Trump met with Benjamin Netenyahu, where they likely spoke about the situation in Iran. Afterwards, Trump reported that their meeting was “productive”. Netanyahu was the first foreign leader Trump met with privately in his second term. The 2025 Presidential election marked history in American politics, beginning a presidency with new executive actions, large involvement in foreign affairs, and a highlight on Donald J. Trump’s plans for the future of the American people.
