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The Pitt News

The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News

The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News

Trump declares a national emergency at the Southern U.S. border, vows to expand fracking industry during 47th presidential inauguration

(AP Photo/Morry Gash, Pool)
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump holds the Bible during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.

At his second presidential inauguration — the first held indoors since Reagan’s in 1984 — Donald Trump addressed the nation for the first time as 47th president of the U.S.Ěý

“The golden age of America begins right now,” Trump said during his speech.Ěý

The incoming president was sworn in for a second term on Monday, after which he laid out a series of executive orders and policies he intends to implement in office. His priorities will include a declaration of national emergency at the Southern U.S. border, the deployment of the military to begin a mass deportation of immigrants lacking permanent legal status and a commitment to increase the fracking industry in the U.S.Ěý

During his presidential campaign, Trump ran on a focused on reducing illegal immigration, targeting high rates of inflation and cutting government spending. He reaffirmed these policies and outlined his plan for the presidency during his customary inaugural address.Ěý

At the ceremony, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Jeffrey Bezos — the CEOs of Meta and X and founder of Amazon, respectively — sat in front of the president-elect’s entire Cabinet, an acknowledgment of their importance to according to White House pool reports.

Trump’s first executive order as commander in chief was to declare a national emergency at the Southern U.S. border, planning to begin mass deportation of “illegal aliens” and to “reinstate [the] ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy” he began during his first term. He will also deploy U.S. troops to “repel the disastrous invasion of our country.”

Trump also said he plans to end the practice of “catch and release,” which refers to the within the U.S. after a period of detainment.Ěý

Trump also promised in his inaugural address that he would “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,” referring to hisĚý

“We have an education system that teaches our children to be ashamed of themselves in many cases, to hate our country despite the love that we try so desperately to provide to them,” Trump said.Ěý

Despite this anti-equity stance, Trump voiced a commitment to embracing diversity in his presidency, saying he intends to “bring back hope, prosperity and safety to every race, religion, color and creed.”

“To Black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with your vote. We have set records and I will not forget it,” Trump said during his address. “I have heard your voices in the campaign and I look forward to working with you in the years to come.”Ěý

Trump said his second priority as president will be to use the resources of his Cabinet to target high inflation rates in the U.S., a key issue for many of his voters. He said he would declare a national energy emergency and put all economic efforts into expanding the fracking industry in the U.S.Ěý

Trump also said he will end the Green New Deal and revoke the electric vehicle mandate.Ěý

In the wake of devastating wildfires spreading through southern California, Trump criticized the federal government’s infrastructure and the Biden administration’s response to natural disasters that occurred during his presidency, including the North Carolina hurricanes from earlier this year.Ěý

This criticism was also directed to the U.S. healthcare system, although Trump and during his first term.Ěý

“We have a public health system that does not deliver in times of disaster, yet more money is spent on it than any country anywhere in the world,” Trump said.Ěý

Trump promised later in his address that he would reinstate military personnel who were discharged because they refused the COVID-19 vaccine.Ěý

Further initiatives laid out in Trump’s inaugural address include his intention to target high rates of inflation in the U.S., establish a Department of Government Efficiency, change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and require the U.S. government to only recognize two genders.Ěý

After his inaugural remarks, Trump joined his supporters in Capital One Arena, where they had been moved as a result of Ěý

There, a White House pool reporter said Trump revealed to the inauguration attendees that he had cut references to Biden’s last-minute pardoning of the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 Attack from his speech — at the behest of Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump. He referred to the committee as “Unselect Committee of Political Thugs” and promised to pardon charged in the Jan. 6 riot.Ěý

According to pool reports, Trump did not comment on Biden’s last-minute preemptive pardoning of his family members and critics of Trump’s first term of the presidency.Ěý

ĂČĂĂÉçÇř°˛×ż°ćĎÂÔŘ the Contributor
Abby Lipold, News Editor
Abby Lipold is the News Editor for the News Desk. She is a double major in English Nonfiction Writing and Economics, and she has been writing for The Pitt News since January 2022. You can contact Abby at [email protected].