In his address, the 47th president took aim at illegal immigration and the culture wars as he portrayed himself as a national saviour chosen by God.
These are the key takeaways from Trump’s inaugural address:
Promise of an American ‘golden age’
“The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world,” Trump said in the US Capitol, where his inauguration was held indoors for the first time in decades due to freezing weather.
‘Saved by God’ to rescue America
“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.”
‘Only two genders’
As for transgender athletes, he told a rally on Sunday he would act on his first day to stop the participation of trans athletes in women’s sports.
Immigration crackdown
“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 US soil, including our cities and inner cities.”
The bitter cold weather forced Trump’s inauguration indoors for the first time since Ronald Reagan’s in 1985. Source: EPA / Kevin Lamarque
Overseas wars and plans for peace
“We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defence of foreign borders, but refuses to defend American borders, or, more importantly, its own people.”
Energy and climate
According to a White House document, the US will also withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. In addition, Trump said he would revoke what he has called an electric vehicle mandate.
‘Stars and stripes on Mars’
One of Trump’s closest advisers is tech billionaire Elon Musk, whose space company SpaceX has long had the goal of taking people to Mars.
Gulf of Mexico name change
“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.”
Taking back the Panama Canal
“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 United States 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’re taking it back.”