On January 20, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States.
The inauguration, which has mostly occurred outdoors in the past, was moved into the United States Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. due to low temperatures. At noon, Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office to President-elect Trump.
This inauguration marked the second time in U.S. history that a president has served two non-consecutive terms, with the first being Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s. Because Trump was convicted of 34 felonies related to a 2017 effort to cover up payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, it was also the first time a convicted felon assumed the office of President. Trump, however, received no fines or jail time for his felonies.
During his inaugural address, President Trump promised to lead the U.S. into a “golden age.” Then, he proceeded to a signing ceremony, during which he signed over 100 executive orders. One order issued pardons for approximately 1,500 rioters who participated in the insurrection on January 6, 2021 and reductions of sentences for 14 people. He also signed an order to suspend the ban on TikTok for 75 days, and withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization as he did in 2017.
Trump’s cabinet picks, such as Pete Hegseth for the Secretary of Defense and Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary, have attended hearings before Senate subcommittees. The Senate has confirmed Pete Hegseth while confirmation votes for the others have yet to come. Other cabinet picks who will face Senate confirmation votes include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department and Tulsi Gabbard for the Director of National Intelligence.
In addition to his cabinet picks, Trump has begun highlighting the plans he will prioritize in the first 100 days of his term. In his inaugural address, he commented on taking control of the Panama Canal, which had been transferred back to Panama in 1977 by former President Jimmy Carter.
He has also indicated intentions of seizing Greenland with potential military force, citing defense and national security reasons. Trump claimed that the territories are vital to the nation’s economic future and safety, despite the fact that U.S. ships are currently allowed to pass through the Panama Canal. Greenland, meanwhile, holds a strategic U.S. Space Force Base and is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally.
Boston Latin School U.S. History II teacher Mrs. Robin Kirkpatrick says, “For my part, I think a lot of the rhetoric […] is political theater. Trump is a demagogue who has found success in sort of deftly playing to his reactionary, ‘America First’ base. Rhetoric like this, whether about retaking the Panama Canal or [Greenland], excites that base.”
Another crucial part of Trump’s campaign and inaugural address is the economy, as he plans to establish the External Revenue Service. This aims to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, the three largest importers of U.S. goods. Trump has stated that he will increase the prices of goods from Canada and Mexico by 25 percent and increase prices of goods from China by ten percent.
BLS AP U.S. History and Economics teacher Mr. Dominic Rinaldi expresses his concerns: “Realistically, this is going to make the day-to-day cost of living more expensive for every single American, because the cost of the tariffs are going to be passed on to the consumer, which will […] serve to funnel more money from the bottom of our pyramid all the way up to the top.”
Aiming to limit government spending, Trump has brought Elon Musk and Republican politician Vivek Ramaswamy to co-head the new Department of Government Efficiency, but Ramaswamy has opted instead to potentially run for governor of Ohio. Musk plans to increase government efficiency by shrinking and eliminating certain agencies, while decreasing the federal workforce — a proposed project with an end date of July 4, 2025.
Trump has additionally stated that he would use military force to carry out the largest mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in the country. ICE raids have been reported, included around the Boston area after undocumented immigrants in the country. Felix Hirsch (II) states, “In Massachusetts, because this is a very blue state, immigrants are relatively safer than those in more conservative areas. […] Hopefully I’m right, but […] it’s extremely hard to guess what Trump will actually do.”
Along with mass deportations, Trump has also signed an executive order eliminating birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants, but it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge because it is a direct violation of the 14th Amendment. Trump, however, has mentioned an alternative involving the deportation of undocumented immigrants along with any children born in the U.S.
Although Trump’s intended policies are projected to affect a wide range of people, it is unclear whether they will succeed in being implemented.
Mr. Rinaldi concludes, “I […] try to infuse as many current events as [I] can [into the curriculum]. That’s the best I can foreseeably do right now. I’m kind of living through it like everybody else and taking my best swing, and that’s all I ask of my students: just take your best swing.”