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Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Alamy

Trump pushes culture war buttons in inauguration speech - here are the key moments

Increased border security, a US flag on Mars and ‘taking back’ Panama – Trump’s speech featured many of his campaign promises.

‘FROM THIS MOMENT on, America’s decline is over,’ an energetic Trump declared at Capitol Hill today.

Trump is back in office as the 47th President of the United States, and in his inauguration speech, the controversial political figure hit his usual notes on immigration, education, tariffs and ‘freedom’.

“I was saved by God for a reason,” he said during the speech at the US Capitol, referring to the assassination attempt against him on the campaign trail.

“I was saved by God to make America great again.”

The language used by the divisive politician hardly strayed from his usual rally rhetoric – here are some of the key moments:

Gender policy

Trump said that his government’s official policy would only recognise two genders, ending the current practice of providing a third gender option in some settings.

In a section of his speech targeting what he characterised as “radical woke theory”, and signalling a move against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Trump said:

I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life… As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.

The line earned Trump a standing ovation from many Republicans in attendance.

Trump added that he would make America a “colour blind and merit-based” society.

‘Plant the Stars and Stripes’ on Mars

Trump vowed in his speech that the US would again see itself as “a growing nation” that expands its territory, adding that the country would plant its flag on Mars.

We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.

The statement drew immediate applause from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who was seated beside Trump’s son Barron during the inauguration ceremony. 

Musk, a long-time advocate for the colonisation of Mars and close ally of Trump, applauded the president’s bold goal.

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama

Trump also vowed that the United States would be “taking back” the Panama Canal, alleging that China had gained control of the waterway.

We didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama. And we’re taking it back!

Trump has previously not ruled out using military force in Panama.

He said the spirit of a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter that relinquished control of the canal in 1999 had been violated.

The Panama Canal is not owned by China.

Tariffs and taxes

Promising to “return” the US to a “nation that is proud, prosperous and free”, Trump promised to revamp US trade, vowing tariffs and taxes on other countries to aid Americans. 

It’s a pledge that will be watched closely by businesses, officials and politicians in Ireland.

I will immediately begin the overhaul of our trade system to protect American workers and families. Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.

The changes the Trump administration made during that first term did not result in the damage to the Irish economy some feared. This time around, there are fears the outcome could be different.

Ireland serves as a base for nearly 1,000 U.S. companies, including the European outposts of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Pfizer. 

Border patrol

Trump also announced his intentions to issue a raft of executive orders aimed at reshaping how the United States deals with citizenship and immigration.

The 47th US president outlined how he will set to work “almost immediately” with a series of presidential decrees intended to drastically reduce the number of migrants entering the country.

First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. 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.

Trump added that he will send troops to the southern border to “repel the disastrous invasion of our country”, and will declare some cartels as foreign terror organisations.

Climate and cars

Trump promised to end the ‘Green New Deal’ in his speech – a term used to describe policies that address climate change and investment in renewable energy in the US.

We will end the green New Deal, and we will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry and keeping my sacred pledge to our great American auto workers. We will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could have dreamt possible just a few years ago.

The US president added that the US “will be a manufacturing nation once again”, saying the nation has “the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth – and we are going to use it”. 

‘Drill baby drill!’

He also pledged to fill strategic fossil fuel reserves up again “right to the top”, and export American energy “all over the world”.

Trump added that his administration would declare a “national energy emergency” to significantly expand drilling in the world’s top oil and gas producer, signalling a sharp departure from Joe Biden’s climate-focused policies.

The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices, and that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency. We will ‘Drill, baby, drill!’

‘Win like never before’

As well as policy pledges, Trump, in typical manner, included a number of lines filled with his style of hyperbolic positivity.

“I stand before you now as proof that nothing is impossible America, impossible is what we do best,” Trump declared, to yet another standing ovation from Republican lawmakers in attendance on Capitol Hill.

Trump promised the “four greatest years in American history”, saying, “we’re going to win like never before”.

America will be respected again and admired again – we will be prosperous, we will be proud.

Huffington Post journalist Yashar Ali described the address as “more of a campaign speech rather than an inaugural speech”, while Internet personality and Trump supporter Jake Paul said that any American who didn’t support Trump after the speech “simply hates America and doesn’t want what’s best for this country”.

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