Donald Trump is set to be sworn in for a historic second term as US president on Monday, pledging swift action to bring about what he calls a “golden age” for America.
Despite freezing weather forcing the inauguration indoors, Trump has promised an energetic start, vowing to sign around 100 executive orders within hours of taking office. These include declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border and overturning several of Joe Biden’s policies on diversity and oil drilling.
At a rally on Sunday, Trump emphasized his plan to address immigration, stating, “We’re going to stop the invasion of our borders.” He also promised to reverse what he called “transgender insanity” in schools and to pardon January 6 rioters, which he said would make his supporters “very happy.”
Trump’s inauguration marks a remarkable political comeback. At 78, he will replace Joe Biden as the oldest president ever to take office. He also becomes the second president in US history, after Grover Cleveland, to return to power after being voted out.
The ceremony, to be held inside the Capitol Rotunda, will feature three of the world’s richest men—Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos. Musk, who will oversee cost-cutting measures in the new administration, assured supporters of long-term success, saying, “We’ll make America strong for centuries.”
Trump’s return to power has drawn global attention and emboldened right-wing leaders worldwide. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will attend the inauguration, breaking with tradition that usually excludes foreign leaders.
For his supporters, Trump’s leadership promises transformative change, but for others, it raises concerns about his vow to target political opponents and journalists. Despite the controversies, Trump’s spokesman has proclaimed his inauguration as the start of a “Golden Age of America.”
