In an inaugural speech that appealed to the core tenets preached during his presidential campaign, tinged with an overtone of palpable anger and a suggestion of protectionism, Trump addressed the core promises that brought him into the White House, and vowed to bring back jobs, fortify America's borders and restore America's wealth.
"Today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another," Trump said in his inauguration speech. "We are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people."
In his speech, Trump described an America riven by crime and social tumult, as Obama sat nearby.
"This American carnage stops right here and stops right now," Trump said.
"The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," Trump said as light rain began to fall. "Everyone is listening to you now."
Markets may have been spooked by Trump's hint of protectionism as per the following: "We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs."
Trump described closed factories as "tombstones" that dot the county and said the federal government has spent billions defending "other nations' borders while refusing to defend our own."
The Republican president said the U.S. "will confront hardships but we will get the job done."
He vowed that the oath of office he just took "is an oath of allegiance to all Americans" and said that the country will share "one glorious destiny."
“Together we will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again,” Trump said in his speech. “And, yes, together we will make America great again.”
* * *
Full transcript below:
Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world, thank you. We the citizens of America are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people. Together we will determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come. We will face challenges. We will confront hardships, but we will get the job done. Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent. Thank you.Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning, because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people. For too long, a small group in our nation's capitol has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but the jobs left, and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs, and while they celebrated in our nation's capitol, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.
That all changed starting right here and right now, because this moment is your moment. It belongs to you. It belongs to everyone gathered here today, and everyone watching, all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration, and this, the United States of America, is your country.
What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January 20th, 2017 will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before.
At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction, that a nation exists to serve its citizens. Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public, but for too many of our citizens a different reality exists. Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation, an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge, and the crime, and the gangs, and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.
