Donald Trump inauguration recap: Presidential pardons and executive orders on a big first day in office

Georgina Noack and Max Corstorphan
The Nightly
US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office.
US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office. Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP

President Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of America.

On Monday local time, the Republican took the oath of office at the Capitol Rotunda, returning for his second term as president.

Scroll down for a recap of all the day’s events.

Key Events

That’s a wrap on Day One of Trump 2.0
Trumps appear at first of three balls
Trump withdraws US from World Health Organisation
Trump pardons about 1500 people who stormed Capitol
Trump signs order to end birthright citizenship
Donald Trump signs executive orders at inauguration event
January 6 Capitol rioters to be pardoned
Trump welcomes families of Israeli hostages
Zuckerberg caught ‘checking out’ Amazon billionaire’s fiancee
Melania's subtle message with fashionable return
Musk’s inauguration ‘salute’ sparks concern
Disaster as inauguration singer’s track doesn’t play
‘This is what victory feels like’: Musk screams, dances at parade
First image of Trump’s official signing ceremony
Executive orders planned as Trump goes on blitz
Trump vows to act on January 6 ‘hostages’
Trump signs first documents as 47th US president
Trump cracks down on immigration and border
Former President Joe Biden departs Capitol
What happens now President Trump has been sworn in?
‘America will be respected again’
‘Panama’s promise to us has been broken’
Trump to rename Gulf of Mexico
Trump will be ‘peacemaker and unifier’
Services members to be given backpay after COVID dismissal
Only two genders in the United States
Trump to ‘bring back free speech’
Trump details string of executive orders
Trump reveals first executive order
Trump welcomes ‘golden age of America’
Melania holds bibles as oath taken
Trump sworn in as 47th President of United States
J.D. Vance sworn in as vice president
Cheers erupt as Trump returns
President Joe Biden has left the White House
Max Corstorphan

Executive orders planned as Trump goes on blitz

President Donald Trump has revealed details about the flurry of executive orders and directives that he plans to make within his first few hours as the 47th President of the United States.

Sharing the details in his inauguration speech, Mr Trump revealed he will shortly crack down on the border, trans rights and energy, just as a start.

Two sources familiar with the plans said more than 200 such orders and directives could be released in what is known internally as a “shock-and-awe” effort.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE PLANNED EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Max Corstorphan

Trump takes back POTUS X account

Moments after President Donald Trump was sworn in, X posts from the Biden administration were archived on the @POTUS social media account.

Mr Trump’s team posted a video, writing “America is back”.

Max Corstorphan

Trump vows to act on January 6 ‘hostages’

President Donald Trump has spoken about his inauguration address, revealing Melania Trump assisted him.

“It’s such a nice speech. I think it’s, you know, it all depends on your delivery. How was the delivery? Was it good?” Mr Trump asked the crowd.

“She (Melania) said it is such a beautiful speech, you can’t put things in there that you are going to put in, and I was going to talk about the J6 hostages.

“But you will be happy, because it is action, not words that count, and you will see a lot of action on the J6 hostages.

“I was going to talk about the things that Joe did today - the pardons for people that were guilty of very bad crimes, like the unselect committee of political thugs, where literally what they did is destroyed and deleted all of the information, all of the hearings, practically not a thing left.

“They deleted all the information on Nancy Pelosi having turned down the offer of 10,000 soldiers.”

Max Corstorphan

Trump delivers lengthy second speech in spillover room

Many attendees invited to the inauguration were forced to watch President Donald Trump’s swearing-in from a spillover room within the Capitol.

The inauguration was moved from the Mall to the Capitol Rotunda due to freezing weather.

After taking the oath, Mr Trump visited the spillover room to make a second, unscripted speech.

Mr Trump said the weather looked good today but it was actually “freezing”.

“You would have been very unhappy. The sun was very deceptive.”

Mr Trump continued thanking many Republicans while criticising Democrats.

He spoke about the “beautiful” people in the room and his confusion over Democrats supporting Liz Cheney.

Max Corstorphan

Trump signs first documents as 47th US president

President Donald Trump has signed the first official documentation as the 47th President of the United States.

Although many documents were just official paperwork, Mr Trump also signed an order that American flags will be flown at full mast on any inauguration day moving forward.

It follows the Biden administration move to have flags flown at half mast following the death of former President Jimmy Carter.

Max Corstorphan

Trump cracks down on immigration and border

The US government will no longer recognise the citizenship of children born in the United States to immigrants who lack legal status, one of 10 immigration-related executive orders President Donald Trump plans to sign Monday, an administration official told reporters.

The official did not provide details on how the administration planned to implement a change that scholars say would be illegal and quickly challenged.

Trump’s order would reinterpret the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution, which grants citizenship to all people born on US soil, and exclude babies born to parents illegally in the country.

The changes would apply to future births, the official said.

Trump will issue other executive orders that will ramp up deportations, restart border wall construction and send US troops to patrol the 2000-mile (2300km) boundary with Mexico, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the administration for a call with reporters.

READ THE FULL STORY

Max Corstorphan

Trump delays China trade war

President-elect Donald Trump will not unveil China-specific tariffs on his first day in office, as the incoming administration starts with potential engagement with Beijing rather than another trade war, according to people familiar with the matter.

The decision not to immediately target Beijing on Monday reflects a shift by the incoming president into a negotiating mode and an eagerness to cut another deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a person familiar with the decision said.

Instead, Mr Trump will call for federal agencies to study tariff policies and the US’s trade relationship with China, Canada and Mexico, according to incoming officials for the Trump White House.

​​READ THE FULL STORY​​

Max Corstorphan

Former President Joe Biden departs Capitol

Former US President Joe Biden and former First Lady Jill Biden have departed Washington DC in a helicopter after President Donald Trump was sworn in.

After the farewell ceremony, the Biden’s entered the Air Force helicopter.

It is understood the couple are headed to their home in Delaware.

Mr Biden’s departure marks the end of his 50 years in US politics.

Max Corstorphan

What happens now President Trump has been sworn in?

President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden are departing the Capitol Rotunda.

Mr Biden will shortly depart Washington DC in a US Air Force helicopter.

Mr Trump will move on to an indoor parade taking place inside at Capital One Arena, where he is expected to sign executive orders in front of a live crowd.

The newly-sworn in President will return to the White House for lunch, where he is expected to sign more executive orders.

There will be three balls throughout the day that Mr Trump will attend.

Max Corstorphan

‘America will be respected again’

“In recent years, our nation has suffered greatly,” President Donald Trump said.

“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 goodwill.

“The future is ours and our golden age has just begun. Thank you. God bless America.”

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