On Monday, Jan 20, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. The inauguration, held in the United States Capitol, drew audiences worldwide as supporters tuned in to listen to his promises of a better nation, and critics braced for the consequences his divisive rhetoric will have on the country. Shortly after taking the oath of office, Trump delivered his 29-minute inaugural address, designed to inspire unity and prosperity. However, beneath these themes of American empowerment lay a speech dripping with hypocrisy, fear-mongering and a troubling glimpse into the next four years ahead.
As Trump stood at the podium, stating his unwavering support of “everyday Americans,” a front row of billionaires gleefully cheered him on. This glaring hypocrisy of double standards fueled his rise to power, a self-described “outsider” who leverages the very elitist power structures that he pretends to dismantle.
From the beginning of his address, Trump painted a rather dreary portrait of the nation, declaring that “American carnage” was ravaging the nation. He illustrated a country filled with struggling families, factories closing and crime running rampant, conveniently ignoring the facts: violent crime is at historic lows, the economy is booming and inflation rates are only decreasing. This incredibly dystopian and simply inaccurate representation felt beyond exaggerated and entirely unpresidential. His framing of the country was designed to evoke fear. Rather than highlighting American success, he chose to depict the country as being on the edge of ruin and positioned himself as the one person who would be able to fix it. By portraying himself as the sole savior of what he deems a failing nation, Trump directly undermines the democratic principles this country was established on.
One of the executive orders Trump discussed in his address was that he would be immediately implementing “a national emergency at our southern border” where “all illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.” This kind of rhetoric and dehumanizing language was a calculated tactic to appeal to the xenophobia Trump himself has fueled in this country. His obsession with using immigrants as a scapegoat is not a simple dividing technique; it is an attempt to distract citizens from the real systematic issues with the United States immigration procedures that he has absolutely no intention of addressing or solving.
Another theme Trump emphasized in his address was the supposed transfer of power from political elites to the American people, stating, “We are transferring power to you, the people.” This sentiment was met with a round of applause from the audience. However, when juxtaposed with the reality of his administration, it is evident that it is yet another hollow promise. He has appointed one of the wealthiest cabinets in United States history, with corporate executives and 13 billionaires occupying key roles. It begs the question: How can a government that is led by hedge fund managers and oil tycoons claim to understand the reality and struggles of everyday Americans?
The speech’s focal point was his “America First” mantra, which was as isolationist as it was equally short-sighted. Trump promised to put American interests above all else, especially regarding trade and foreign policy. Trump claimed he would overhaul the trade systems and alleged, without presenting any evidence, that “there will be massive amounts of money pouring into our treasury, coming from foreign sources.” This transactional nature and approach could very well isolate and alienate allies, disrupt international partnerships and undermine the United States’ standing on the global stage. His comments about renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” and “taking back” the Panama Canal were not just outrageous but dangerous and underscore an incredibly worrying nationalistic and somewhat imperialistic nature of Trump’s goals. It raises an alarming question: How does Trump plan on being “respected all over the world again” by turning his back on the very nations we depend on for trade and diplomacy?
Potentially most troubling was Trump’s complete departure and rejection of climate initiatives. He proudly announced in his speech that his administration would immediately withdraw the United States from the Green New Deal, calling it a “job-killing disaster,” completely dismissing initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and scientific proof of climate change. With his comments and framing of environmental action as a threat to economic growth, Trump completely ignored the long-term environmental and financial costs of not acting on climate change now. These remarks set a worrying tone for the next four years, suggesting an administration willing to turn away from sustainability and global efforts to address and resolve the climate and environmental crisis.
All the aforementioned decisions have come only one day into his presidency. From completely dismantling years of environmental efforts to repeatedly inciting fear and fueling division, undermining democratic principles and completely alienating our allies, his actions within the first 24 hours of his presidency have already set a troubling precedent. With 208 weeks ahead, Americans must come to terms with the incredibly jarring reality of the road ahead and what the future of this nation will look like if this is how his administration begins. This address was not meant to unify the country but to warn it. It was a glimpse into the hypocrisy and unchecked power that will dictate the next four years. The question for Americans now isn’t just about how we feel but how we will address the relentless attacks on real American values and democracy before the nation and its role in the world are irreparably damaged.
