[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 11 (Monday, January 20, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S252-S258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INAUGURAL CEREMONY
Inauguration of Donald John Trump, January 20, 2025, 10 a.m.
The Architect of the Capitol, Mr. Thomas Austin, accompanied by Mrs.
Shannon Austin, entered the Great Rotunda.
The Leadership of the 60th Presidential Inaugural Committee, Cochairs
the Honorable Kelly Loeffler and Mr. Steve Whitcoff; and Executive
Director Mr. Richard Walters entered the Great Rotunda.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown,
Jr., entered the Great Rotunda.
[[Page S253]]
Former Senate Majority Leader, the Honorable Mitch McConnell,
accompanied by the Honorable Elaine Chao; and the Honorable Elizabeth
Dole, entered the Great Rotunda.
Former Speakers of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Kevin
McCarthy; the Honorable John Boehner, accompanied by Mrs. Debbie
Boehner; and the Honorable Newt Gingrich, accompanied by Ambassador
Callista Gingrich, and Mrs. Heather Foley entered the Great Rotunda.
Members of the 119th United States House of Representatives, led by
Majority Whip, the Honorable Tom Emmer and Democratic Whip, the
Honorable Katherine Clark, entered the Great Rotunda.
The Chair of the National Governors Association, the Honorable Jared
Polis, the Vice Chair of the National Governors Association, the
Honorable Kevin Stitt, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the
Honorable Muriel Bowser, entered the Great Rotunda.
Members of the 119th Senate of the United States, led by Majority
Leader, the Honorable John Thune; Majority Whip, the Honorable John
Barrasso; and Democratic Whip, the Honorable Dick Durbin, entered the
Great Rotunda.
The President-elect's Cabinet and Cabinet-level designees entered the
Great Rotunda.
The Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corps entered the Great Rotunda.
Former Vice Presidents, the Honorable Dan Quayle, accompanied by Mrs.
Marilyn Quayle, and the Honorable Michael Pence entered the Great
Rotunda.
The 42nd President of the United States William Jefferson Clinton,
accompanied by the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, entered the Great
Rotunda.
The 43rd President of the United States, the Honorable George W.
Bush, accompanied by Mrs. Laura Bush, entered the Great Rotunda.
The 44th President of the United States, the Honorable Barack H.
Obama entered the Great Rotunda.
The Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G.
Roberts, Jr., and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the
United States entered the Great Rotunda.
The children of President-Elect Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka
Trump, Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Barron Trump, escorted by the
Assistant Secretary of the Senate, the Honorable Robert Paxton; and
Deputy Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Lisa Grant,
entered the Great Rotunda.
The First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and the husband of the Vice
President, Mr. Douglas Emhoff, escorted by the Republican Staff
Director of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies,
Ms. Emily Leviner; the Senate Secretary for the Minority, the Honorable
Gary Myrick; the House of Representatives Chief Administrative Officer,
the Honorable Catherine Szpindor; and Mr. Bruce Fischer, entered the
Great Rotunda.
Mrs. Melania Trump and Mrs. Usha Vance, escorted by the Secretary of
the Senate, the Honorable Jackie Barber; the Clerk of the House of
Representatives, the Honorable Kevin F. McCumber; Mr. John Bessler;
Mrs. Kelly Johnson; Mrs. Iris Weinshall-Schumer; and Mrs. Jennifer
Scalise, entered the Great Rotunda.
The President of the United States, the Honorable Joseph R. Biden,
Jr., and Vice President of the United States, the Honorable Kamala Devi
Harris, escorted by Ranking Member of the Joint Congressional Committee
on Inaugural Ceremonies, the Honorable Deb Fischer; House Democratic
Leader, the Honorable Hakeem Jeffries; and Senate Majority Secretary,
the Honorable Robert Duncan, entered the Great Rotunda.
The Vice President-elect of the United States, the Honorable JD
Vance, escorted by the Executive Director for the Joint Congressional
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, Mr. Michael Wagner; Senate Deputy
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, Jason Bell; and House Deputy Sergeant
at Arms, Mr. Sean Keating, entered the Great Rotunda.
The President-elect of the United States, Donald John Trump, escorted
by the Staff Director for the Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies, Elizabeth Farrar; House Sergeant at Arms, the
Honorable William P. McFarland; Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper,
the Honorable Jennifer A. Hemingway; Senate Majority Leader, the
Honorable John Thune; and the Joint Congressional Committee on
Inaugural Ceremonies: House Democratic Leader, the Honorable Hakeem
Jeffries; House Majority Leader, the Honorable Steve Scalise; Speaker
of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Mike Johnson; Senate
Democratic Leader, the Honorable Charles E. Schumer; Ranking Member of
the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the
Honorable Deb Fischer; and Chairwoman of the Joint Congressional
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the Honorable Amy Klobuchar, entered
the Great Rotunda.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the 60th
Presidential inauguration.
Today, President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance will take
their oaths of office, and we will witness the peaceful transfer of
power at the heart of our democracy.
(Applause.)
For the past year, I have chaired the Inaugural Ceremony Committee,
which includes the leadership of Congress from both parties. We thank
the committee and Capitol staff and law enforcement, who worked so hard
over the last year and especially the last 3 days.
You have done a beautiful job, and you have shown grace under
pressure.
(Applause.)
Our theme this year is ``Our Enduring Democracy.'' The presence of so
many Presidents and Vice Presidents here today is truly a testament to
that endurance.
We welcome President Biden and Dr. Biden. We welcome Vice President
Harris and Doug Emhoff, President Obama, President Clinton and
Secretary Clinton, President Bush and Laura Bush, Vice President Pence,
and Vice President Quayle and Marilyn Quayle. The Justices of the U.S.
Supreme Court are with us--all nine of them; I counted--and, of course,
the Trump and Vance families.
This ceremony marks what will soon be 250 years of our democracy. It
is the moment when leaders, elevated by the will of the people,
promised to be faithful to our Constitution, to cherish and defend it.
It is the moment when they become--as we all should be--the guardians
of our country.
Through war and peace, through adversity and prosperity, we hold this
inauguration every 4 years. And today, it falls on Martin Luther King
Day--a further reminder that we must strive to uphold the values
enshrined in our Constitution--the freedoms, the liberties, and as is
inscribed on the entrance of the U.S. Supreme Court: ``Equal Justice
Under Law.''
(Applause.)
But what makes this moment more than a passing ceremony is all who
are watching it across the country--the people of this Nation, the
ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
President Kennedy, who at one point worked as a Senator in this
building and would often walk through this very Rotunda, once said:
In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of interest in
politics, ``holds office''; every one of us is in a position
of responsibility.
With that responsibility of citizenship comes an obligation not to
seek out malice, as President Lincoln once reminded us, but to view
others with the generosity of spirit, despite our differences.
With that responsibility of leadership comes an obligation to stand
our ground when we must and find common ground when we can.
With everything swirling around us, the hot mess of division, it is
on all of us--to quote an incredible songwriter, who just happened to
be born in my State--to ensure that our Nation's democracy is our
shelter from the storm.
There is a reason this ceremony takes place at the Capitol. In other
countries, it might be in a Presidential palace or a gilded executive
office building. Here, it is traditionally held at the Capitol, the
people's House. It is a fitting reminder of the system of checks and
balances that is the very foundation of our government--three equal
branches of government. That is how for nearly 250 years, our great
American experiment, grounded in the rule of law, has endured.
[[Page S254]]
So as we inaugurate a new President and Vice President, let us
remember that the power of those in this room comes from the people:
the construction workers who build our country, the teachers and
healthcare workers who nurture us, the troops defending our freedoms,
and, yes, the firefighters in Los Angeles putting themselves on the
line for us.
(Applause.)
Our democracy, strength, and grit must match theirs.
May God bless our Nation.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
Mrs. FISCHER. Good afternoon.
Endurance through the years is the ultimate test. To persevere
through time is the truest measure of an idea, an institution, and a
nation.
Our Founders wrote the Constitution so that America could withstand
all the twists and turns of time. They wrote it to guide us and to
preserve forever our right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.
But as much as the truths and principles enshrined in our
Constitution remain the same, our democracy promises the American
people the power to change, to chart their own destiny.
That is the beauty. That is the importance of democracy. It allows
the endurance, the permanence of a nation through change. It allows
nations, like our United States, both to avoid the obstacles and to
seize the opportunities God has placed before us, all while staying
true to our founding principles.
Today is our country's 60th inauguration ceremony. Like all the
others before it, it is a celebration of our right to set our uniquely
American course. The past several years have been trying at times for
many, many Americans and also for the nations of the free world that we
humbly strive to lead.
In November, Americans chose again to steer this Nation toward
greatness--the secure, safe, and prosperous future that our Founders
envisioned for all of us. And today, we celebrate not only their
decision to do so but also the simple right and wisdom of a free people
to make their own choice so that their Nation might endure.
And now, allow me to welcome Archbishop Timothy Doland and Reverend
Franklin Graham, who will deliver our invocation.
Please rise.
Archbishop DOLAND. Be still and know that I am God, supreme among the
nations, supreme on the Earth. Let us pray.
Remembering General George Washington on his knees at Valley Forge,
recalling Abraham Lincoln at his second inaugural: ``with malice toward
none, with charity for all, with the firmness in the right as God gives
us to see the right,'' remembering General George Patton's instructions
to his soldiers as they began the Battle of the Bulge eight decades
ago, pray. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by
night. Pray by day.
Observing the birthday of the Reverend Martin Luther King, who
warned, without God, our efforts turn to ashes. We, blessed citizens of
this one Nation under God, humbled by our claim that in God we trust,
gather, indeed, this inauguration day to pray for our President Donald
J. Trump, his family, his advisers, his Cabinet, his aspirations, his
Vice President, for the large blessings upon Joseph Biden, for our men
and women in uniform, for each other whose hopes are stoked this new
year, this inauguration day.
We cannot err in relying upon that prayer from the Bible upon which
our President will soon place his hand in oath. As we make our own the
supplications of King Solomon for wisdom, as he began his governance,
God of our fathers, in Your wisdom, You set man to govern Your
creatures, to govern in holiness and justice, to render justice with
integrity, give our leader wisdom, for he is Your servant, aware of his
own weakness and brevity of life.
If wisdom, which comes not from You be not with him, he shall be held
in no esteem. Send wisdom from Heaven that she may be with him, that he
may know Your designs.
Please, God, bless America. Please, mentor every flaw. You are the
God in whom we trust who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
Reverend GRAHAM. Mr. President, in the last 4 years, there were
times, I am sure, you thought it was pretty dark. But look what God has
done. We praise Him and give Him glory.
(Applause.)
Let us pray.
Our Father and our God, Thou has said blessed is the Nation whose God
is the Lord.
As the Prophet Daniel prayed: ``Blessed be the name of God forever
and ever. For wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the
seasons. He removes kings. He raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the
wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.''
Our Father, today, as President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of
office once again, we come to say thank you, O Lord, our God.
Father, when Donald Trump's enemies thought he was down and out, You
and You alone, saved his life and raised him up with strength and power
by Your mighty hand.
We pray for President Trump; that You will watch over, protect,
guide, direct him. Give him Your wisdom from Your throne on high. We
ask that You would bless him and that our Nation would be blessed
through him.
We also ask that You would bless and protect Melania, his First Lady.
We thank You for the beauty, the warmth, and grace that she shows not
only to this Nation but to the whole world.
We thank You for Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife Usha and
their young family. May he be a strength to President Trump, to stand
beside him, to hold up his arms like Aaron held up the arms of Moses in
the midst of battle.
The Prophet Samuel reminded the people it was You that brought them
up from the land of Egypt. And he said, now stand still that I may
reason with you before the Lord. So, Father, we take this moment to
stand still, to remember the great things that You have done for this
Nation.
Thank you for the protection, the bounty, the freedoms that we so
enjoy. We remember to keep our eyes fixed on You. And may our hearts be
inclined to Your voice. We know that America can never be great again
if we turn our backs on You. We ask for Your help.
We pray all of this in the name of the king of kings, the lords of
lords, Your son, my Savior, and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
(Christopher Macchio performed ``O, America'' accompanied by the
Armed Forces Chorus.)
MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Associate Justice
Kavanaugh to administer the Vice Presidential oath of office.
The Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, BRETT KAVANAUGH,
administered to the Vice President-elect the oath of office prescribed
by the Constitution, which he repeated as follows:
I, James David Vance, do solemnly swear that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the United States against all
enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely,
without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and
that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the
office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
Associate Justice KAVANAUGH. Congratulations, Mr. Vice President.
(Applause.)
MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Chief Justice
Roberts to administer the Presidential oath of office.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, JOHN G. ROBERTS, JR.,
administered to the President-elect the oath of office prescribed by
the Constitution, which he repeated, as follows:
I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear that I will
faithfully execute the office of President of the United
States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve,
protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So
help me God.
The Chief Justice. Congratulations, Mr. President.
(Applause.)
(United States Marine Band performs ``Battle Hymn of the Republic.'')
(Applause.)
Mrs. FISCHER. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and pleasure to
introduce to you the 45th and the 47th President of the United States
of America, Donald J. Trump.
(Applause.)
The PRESIDENT. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very, very
much.
Vice President Vance, Speaker Johnson, Senator Thune, Chief Justice
Roberts, Justices of the U.S. Supreme
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Court, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, President
Biden, Vice President Harris, and my fellow citizens, the golden age of
America begins right now.
(Applause.)
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.
During every single day of the Trump administration, I will--very
simply--put America first.
(Applause.)
Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The
scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent, and unfair
weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end.
(Applause.)
And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud,
prosperous, and free.
(Applause.)
America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than
ever before.
(Applause.)
I return to the Presidency confident and optimistic that we are at
the start of a thrilling new era of national success. A tide of change
is sweeping the country, sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and
America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.
But, first, we must be honest about the challenges we face. While
they are plentiful, they will be annihilated by this great momentum
that the world is now witnessing in the United States of America.
As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust. For
many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and
wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken
in seemingly incomplete disrepair.
We now have 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.
It fails to protect our magnificent law-abiding American citizens but
provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from
prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country
from all over the world.
We have a government that is giving unlimited funding to the defense
of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more
importantly, its own people. Our country can no longer deliver basic
services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful
people of North Carolina being treated so badly--
(Applause.)
--and other States who are still suffering from a hurricane that took
place many months ago, or more recently, Los Angeles, where we are
watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago, without even a
token of defense. They are raging through the houses and communities,
even affecting some of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in
our country, some of whom are sitting here right now. They don't have a
home any longer. That is interesting.
We can't let this happen. Everyone is unable to do anything about it.
That is going to change.
We have a public health system that does not deliver in times of
disaster, yet more money is spent on it than any country anywhere in
the world.
And we have an education system that teaches our children to be
ashamed of themselves, in many cases, to hate our country, despite the
love that we try so desperately to provide to them.
All of this will change starting today, and it will change very
quickly.
(Applause.)
My 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. From this moment on, America's decline is
over.
(Applause.)
Our liberties and our Nation's glorious destiny will no longer be
denied, and we will immediately restore the integrity, competency, and
loyalty of America's government.
Over the past 8 years, I have been tested and challenged more than
any President in our 250-year history, and I have learned a lot along
the way. The journey to reclaim our Republic has not been an easy one;
that I can tell you. Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to
take my freedom and indeed to take my life. Just a few months ago, in a
beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin's bullet ripped through my
ear, but I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was
saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.
(Applause.)
Thank you very much.
That is why, each day, under our administration of American patriots,
we will be working to meet every crisis with dignity and power and
strength. We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope,
prosperity, safety, and peace for citizens of every race, religion,
color, and creed. For American citizens, January 20, 2025, is
liberation day.
(Applause.)
It is my hope that our recent Presidential election will be
remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the
history of our country. As our victory showed, the entire Nation is
rapidly unifying behind our agenda with dramatic increases in support
from virtually every element of our society--young and old, men and
women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, urban,
suburban, rural. And very importantly, we had a powerful win in all
seven swing States, and the popular vote we won by millions of people.
(Applause.)
To the Black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the
tremendous outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with
your vote. We set records, and I will not forget it. I have heard your
voices in the campaign, and I look forward to working with you in the
years to come.
Today is Martin Luther King Day, and in his honor--this will be a
great honor--but, in his honor, we will strive together to make his
dream a reality. We will make his dream come true.
(Applause.)
National unity is now returning to America, and confidence and pride
is soaring like never before.
In everything we do, my administration will be inspired by a strong
pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our
country; we will not forget our Constitution; and we will not forget
our God. Can't do that.
(Applause.)
Today, I will sign a series of historic Executive orders. With these
actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the
revolution of common sense. It is all about common sense.
(Applause.)
First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border.
(Applause.)
All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the
process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to
the places from which they came. We will reinstate my ``Remain in
Mexico'' policy.
(Applause.)
I will end the practice of catch-and-release.
(Applause.)
And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous
invasion of our country.
(Applause.)
Under the orders I sign today, we will also be designating the
cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
(Applause.)
And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our
government to use the full and immense power of Federal and State law
enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal
networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities
and inner cities.
(Applause.)
As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend
our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am
going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.
Next, I will direct all members of my Cabinet to marshal the vast
powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and
rapidly bring down costs and prices.
[[Page S256]]
(Applause.)
The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and
escalating energy prices, and that is why, today, I will also declare a
national energy emergency. We will drill, baby, drill.
(Applause.)
America will be a manufacturing nation once again. And we have
something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have--the
largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth--and we are going
to use it. Going to use it.
We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again,
right to the top, and export American energy all over the world.
(Applause.)
We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our
feet that will help to do it.
With my actions today, we will end the Green New Deal, and we will
revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry and
keeping my sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers.
(Applause.)
In other words, you will be able to buy the car of your choice. We
will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could
have dreamt possible just a few years ago.
And thank you to the autoworkers of our Nation for your inspiring
vote of confidence. We did tremendously with their vote.
(Applause.)
I will immediately begin the overhaul of our trade system to protect
American workers and families. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich
other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our
citizens.
(Applause.)
For this purpose, we are establishing the External Revenue Service to
collect all tariffs, duties, and revenues. It will be massive amounts
of money pouring into our Treasury, coming from foreign sources. The
American dream will soon be back and thriving like never before.
To restore competence and effectiveness to our Federal Government, my
administration will establish the brandnew Department of Government
Efficiency.
(Applause.)
After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional Federal efforts
to restrict free expression, I will also sign an Executive order to
immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech
to America.
(Applause.)
Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to
persecute political opponents, something I know something about. We
will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again. Under my
leadership, we will restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under
the constitutional rule of law.
(Applause.)
And we are going to bring law and order back to our cities.
This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to
socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and
private life.
(Applause.)
We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.
(Applause.)
As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the U.S.
Government that there are only two genders: male and female.
(Applause.)
This week, I will reinstate any servicemembers who were unjustly
expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate,
with full back pay.
(Applause.)
And I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to
radical political theories and social experiments while on duty. It is
going to end immediately. Our Armed Forces will be free to focus on
their sole mission: defeating America's enemies.
(Applause.)
Like in 2017, we will again build the strongest military the world
has ever seen. We will measure our success not only by the battles we
win but also by the wars that we end and, perhaps most importantly, the
wars we never get into.
(Applause.)
My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That is
what I want to be: a peacemaker and a unifier. I am pleased to say that
as of yesterday, 1 day before I assumed office, the hostages in the
Middle East are coming back home to their families.
(Applause.)
Thank you. America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest,
most powerful, most respected Nation on Earth, inspiring the awe and
admiration of the entire world.
A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the
Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and we will restore the name of
a great President, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should
be and where it belongs. President McKinley made our country very rich
through tariffs and through talent. He was a natural businessman and
gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did,
including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the
country of Panama after the United States--the United States, I mean,
think of this, spent more money than was ever spent on a project before
and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal.
We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should
have never been made, and Panama's promise to us has been broken. The
purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally
violated. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated
fairly in any way, shape, or form, and that includes the U.S. Navy.
And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn't
give it to China; we gave it to Panama. And we are taking it back.
(Applause.)
Above all, my message to Americans today is that it is time for us to
once again act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of history's
greatest civilization. So as we liberate our Nation, we will lead it to
new heights of victory and success. We will not be deterred.
Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our
children safe, healthy, and disease-free.
The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation,
one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our
cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and
beautiful horizons. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the
stars, launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on
the planet Mars.
(Applause.)
Ambition is the lifeblood of a great nation, and right now our Nation
is more ambitious than any other. There is no nation like our Nation.
Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and
pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts. The
call of the next great adventure resounds from within our souls.
Our American ancestors turned a small group of colonies on the edge
of a vast continent into a mighty Republic of the most extraordinary
citizens on Earth. No one comes close. Americans pushed thousands of
miles through a rugged land of untamed wilderness. They crossed
deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers, won the Wild West,
ended slavery, rescued millions from tyranny, lifted billions from
poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, launched mankind into
the heavens, and put the universe of human knowledge into the palm of
the human hand. If we work together, there is nothing we cannot do and
no dream we cannot achieve.
Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic
political comeback, but as you see today, here I am. The American
people have spoken.
(Applause.)
I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that
something is impossible to do. In America, the impossible is what we do
best.
From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, from
Chicago to Miami, from Houston to right here in Washington, DC, our
country was forged and built by the generations of patriots who gave
everything they had for our rights and for our freedom. They were
farmers and soldiers, cowboys and factory workers, steelworkers and
coal miners, police officers and pioneers who pushed onward, marched
forward, and let no obstacle defeat their spirit or their pride.
Together, they laid down the railroads, raised up the skyscrapers,
built great highways, won two World Wars, defeated fascism
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and communism, and triumphed over every single challenge that they
faced.
After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the
4 greatest years in American history. With your help, we will restore
American promise, and we will rebuild the Nation that we love. And we
love it so much. We are one people, one family, and one glorious Nation
under God.
So to every parent who dreams for their child and every child who
dreams for their future, I am with you. I will fight for you, and I
will win for you. They are going to win like never before.
(Applause.)
Thank you. Thank you.
In recent years, our Nation has suffered greatly, but we are going to
bring it back and make it great again, greater than ever before. We
will be a nation like no other, full of compassion, courage, and
exceptionalism. Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of
unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally
unpredictable.
America will be respected again and admired again, including by
people of religion, faith, and good will. We will be prosperous. We
will be proud. We will be strong. And we will win like never before. We
will not be conquered. We will not be intimidated. We will not be
broken. And we will not fail.
From this day on, the United States of America will be a free,
sovereign, and independent nation. We will stand bravely. We will live
proudly. We will dream boldly. And nothing will stand in our way
because we are Americans. The future is ours. And our golden age has
just begun. Thank you. God bless America. Thank you all. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, performing ``America the
Beautiful,'' please welcome the Armed Forces Chorus and Carrie
Underwood.
(Performance of ``America the Beautiful'' by Carrie Underwood
accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus.)
(Applause.)
MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Fisher will now introduce
the benediction clergy.
Mrs. FISCHER. I now call on Rabbi Ari Berman, Pastor Lorenzo Sewell,
and Rev. Frank Mann to provide prayers of benediction.
Rabbi BERMAN: Let us pray.
Almighty God, your profit Jeremiah walked the streets of Jerusalem
and blessed its inhabitants with:
(English translation of statement made in Hebrew as follows:)
Blessed is the one who trusts in God.
Thousands of years later, this great Nation, which adopted these
words as its motto, ``In God We Trust,'' stands at a moment of historic
opportunity. Americans are searching for meaning.
Our merciful Father, help us rise to meet this moment. Bless
President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance with the strength
and courage to choose the right and the good. Unite us around our
foundational Biblical values of life and liberty, of service and
sacrifice, and especially of faith and morality, which George
Washington called the indispensable supports of American prosperity.
Guide our schools and college campuses, which have been experiencing
such unrest, to inspire the next generation, to pair progress with
purpose, knowledge with wisdom, and truth with virtue.
Hear the cry of the hostages, both American and Israeli, whose pain
our President so acutely feels. We are so thankful for the three young
women who yesterday returned home and pray that the next 4 years brings
peace to Israel and throughout the Middle East.
Almighty God, grant all Americans the opportunity to realize our
shared dream of a life filled with peace and plenty, health and
happiness, compassion and contribution. Stir within us the confidence
to rise to this moment, for while we trust in God, God's trust is in
us, the American people.
America is called to greatness, to be a beacon of light and a mover
of history.
May our Nation merit the fulfillments of Jeremiah's blessing, that
like a tree planted by water, we shall not cease to bear fruit.
May all of humanity experience Your love and Your blessing. May it be
Thy will and let us say amen.
Pastor SEWELL. Let us pray for our 47th President.
Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that You gave our 45th and now
our 47th President a millimeter miracle.
We are grateful that You are the one that have called him for such a
time as this; that America would begin to dream again.
We pray that we would fulfill the true meaning of our creed that ``We
hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.''
We pray that You use our President; that we would live in a nation
where we will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content
of our character.
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we are so grateful today that
You will use our 47th President so we would ``sing with new meaning `My
country `tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where
my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside,
let freedom ring!' ''
And because America is called to be a great nation, we believe that
You will make this come true.
So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New
Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New
York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of
Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous [hilltops] of
California!
But, God, we are asking You not only that, ``Let freedom ring from
Stone Mountain Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of
Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill [in]
Mississippi''--from every State, every city, every village, and every
hamlet.
And when we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day,
where all of your children, Black men and White men, Protestant and
Catholic, Jew and Gentile, will be able to sing in the meaning of that
old Negro spiritual: Free at last, free at last. Thank you, God
Almighty, we are free at last.
If you believe where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, come
on, put your hands together and give your great God great glory.
(Applause.)
Reverend MANN. Almighty and Eternal God, we gather here today in
reverence, joined in our shared hopes and dreams for our beloved
Nation.
In this sacred moment of the inauguration of President Donald J.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance, we turn our hearts to You, seeking
Your divine assistance and abundant blessings upon this pivotal moment
in history.
We come before You with profound gratitude for the many gifts You
have bestowed upon our land. Thank You for the freedoms we cherish, for
the strength of our communities, and for the resilience of our spirit.
As our President and Vice President embrace their newly appointed
roles, we humbly implore that Your everlasting love and wisdom will
envelope them. Grant them the clarity of mind to navigate the
challenges that lie ahead and the compassion to serve all citizens with
fairness and integrity.
May their hearts be filled with a giving spirit and sincere
understanding for those whom they represent.
May they be beacons of hope in times of uncertainty and prophetic
voices in defending the dignity of all created life.
We pray for a spirit of collaboration to flourish in our government
and across our Nation, fostering an environment where dialogue and
heartfelt listening will prevail over division or discord.
May each decision made by our President and Vice President reflect
the values of justice and peace.
As we embark on this new chapter, we also seek Your comfort, O God,
for those who feel lost or disheartened. In this time of transition,
may Your light shine upon them, reaffirming their belief in a brighter
tomorrow.
May we all strive to lift one another, supporting our fellow citizens
with kindness and empathy, recognizing that together, we can overcome
any adversity.
Grant us the strength to endure, the courage to face our fears, and
the clarity to see the light that remains, even when clouds of
uncertainty may gather.
Inspire our new leaders to be champions for the vulnerable and
advocates for those whose voices are often silenced. May they pursue
policies that
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promote the well-being of all, seeking to build bridges that will
foster unity and belonging.
As we stand witness to this inauguration, we hold fast to the faith,
to our faith, and the goodness of each of us and the possibility of
change.
We trust that with Your guidance, O God, our Nation can move forward
to a future filled with promise, prosperity, and understanding.
And, finally, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the beloved parents
of President Trump. Without Mary and Fred Trump, this day would never
be the miracle that has just begun. From their place in Heaven, may
they shield their son from all harm by their loving protection and give
him the strength to guide our Nation along the path that will make
America great again.
Let us go forth now with these words of President Trump's emblazoned
on our hearts: As long as we have pride in our beliefs, courage in our
convictions, and faith in our God, then we will not fail.
We stand tall. We stand proud because we are Americans. And Americans
kneel to God and to God alone.
Amen.
(Applause.)
MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for our
national anthem.
(Performance of the national anthem by Christopher Macchio, the Naval
Academy Glee Club, the Armed Forces Chorus, and the United States
Marine Band.)
(The inaugural ceremony was concluded at 12:58 p.m.)
____________________