“America will soon be greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before,” he said.
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“I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a really new era of national success. A tide of change is sweeping the country.”
Trump’s speech was slightly less dark than the “American carnage” address he gave at his first inauguration eight years ago, which depicted the US as a crime and drug-infested hellscape with “rusted-out factories, scattered like tombstones”; “mothers and children trapped in poverty”; and “forgotten men and women”.
But it nonetheless cast the US as a country that had lost its way under his predecessor – and one that only he could revive.
“We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer,” he said.
“Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent and unfair weaponizations of the Justice Department and our government will end.”
But much, of course, has changed since 2017. Back then, no sooner had Trump been sworn into office than almost 500,000 Americans raced to the streets to display their rage in what was the largest single-day protest in US history. Now, the mood in Washington feels less like resistance and more like resignation.
Critics who once criticised the incendiary Republican are scrambling to get in his good graces, and some of them even had VIP seating today, such as Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Trump, too, is a stronger political leader, emboldened by his election success.
“Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback. But as you see today, here I am,” he said.
Donald Trump endured two assassination attempts on his return to the White House.Credit: AP
Much of Trump’s comeback is rooted in his resilience. Here is a man who endured two assassination attempts, two impeachments, four criminal indictments and one criminal conviction. And yet more than 77 million Americans voted for him anyway because they were deeply unhappy with the status quo.
But while Trump has every right to boast about his astonishing return, he will soon face the challenge of meeting the high expectations he has set.
His sweeping executive orders, from dismantling environmental regulations to banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, could face inevitable legal challenges.
His tariff policies on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada could spark retaliatory measures, increasing prices for consumers and disrupting global supply chains.
His crackdowns on undocumented immigrants could lead to labour shortages in industries like agriculture, hospitality, and construction.
Even his pledge today to reinstate the “remain in Mexico” policy – which forced migrants to wait in Mexico until the date of their immigration case in court – would require Mexico’s co-operation.
Time will tell if Trump can deliver on the sweeping promises he made. For now, however, America’s 45th president has returned as its 47th, bigger and bolder than ever.
“Nothing will stand in our way,” he declared, “because we are Americans, the future is ours, and our Golden Age has just begun.”
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