Trump’s first day in office signing orders

On the inaugural day of Trump’s presidency Issuing directives. Following a measured inaugural address that envisioned a new “golden age in America,” President Trump plunged into an overflow room at the U.S. Capitol, abandoning the teleprompter to share his unfiltered thoughts with the gathered audience.
“I had several points to make that were decidedly contentious, yet amidst JD, Melania, and others, they implored, ‘Please, sir. The speech is remarkably unifying and eloquent. “Please, sir, refrain from making such statements,” Trump remarked, addressing Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump. “I believe this speech surpassed the one I delivered upstairs,” Trump remarked after his 30-plus minute address, during which he outlined his intentions to pardon individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and elaborated on his wife’s discomfort with her feet.
On Monday, President Trump executed a series of executive orders in the Oval Office. Four years post his departure from Washington, and merely two hours into his renewed presidency, Trump signaled his intent to govern according to his own principles, showing no inclination to temper the persona that facilitated his resurgence to the White House. His inaugural day in office revealed a tendency to oscillate between gravitas and spectacle, engaging in the formalities of Washington one moment and rallying his fervent base the next. In contrast to the tightly controlled approach of former President Joe Biden, Donald Trump has signaled a firm intention to defy any attempts by friends, allies, and advisers to limit his autonomy.
In contrast to 2017, when Trump entered Washington as a political outsider with limited connections, he now returns equipped with a deeper understanding of governmental operations, a clearer strategy for advancing his agenda, and a more determined approach to overcoming opposition. Trump’s team dedicated months to compiling a multitude of executive orders—ranging from the incremental to the substantial—that the incoming president could promptly endorse upon taking office, a demonstration of authority intended to assert his influence. The rapidity of developments within a mere 24 hours was remarkable: Trump announced a federal hiring freeze, mandated the return of government employees to the office on a five-day schedule, initiated efforts to abolish birthright citizenship, took measures to withdraw from a significant international climate agreement, and advocated for the cessation of government-supported diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Numerous actions taken by him are likely to face legal scrutiny.
In the weeks and months ahead, the president’s advisers have committed to advancing their efforts. Plans are being formulated to significantly reduce federal expenditure, initiate the dismissal of thousands of long-serving government personnel, and implement widespread deportations. There are additional significant signs suggesting that although Trump remains unchanged, his second term could present a different landscape. Attending Trump’s Inauguration were prominent figures from the tech and media sectors, including Mark Zuckerberg of Meta Platforms and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. Both individuals had long been targets of Trump’s derision. Throughout the presidential campaign, he implied the possibility of incarcerating Zuckerberg.
There they stood, arrayed behind him as he presented his second inaugural address, seated alongside other influential executives who had gathered to pay their respects to the newly inaugurated commander in chief. The return to the White House was not solely a matter of Trump reoccupying his former position. A number of senior staff members found themselves returning to the desks they occupied merely four years prior. An official recounted the experience of entering the White House in the initial term, unfamiliar with the locations of restrooms or the boundaries of restricted areas. The official remarked that it felt akin to “the first day of school.” However, this time, numerous Trump aides are rejoining as seasoned White House insiders familiar with the dynamics of the West Wing.
Karoline Leavitt, having previously interned and subsequently served as an assistant press secretary during Trump’s initial term, assumed the role of the president’s chief spokeswoman upon her arrival at the White House on Monday. She assisted press aides, a number of whom were not part of the Trump administration four years prior, in disseminating a series of transcripts and executive orders. “It is gratifying to return!” Leavitt stated. Staff and advisers of the Trump administration, notably incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles and billionaire Elon Musk, convened on Monday afternoon to establish their presence in the offices. Musk, at the helm of the recently established Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is anticipated to operate from an office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, mere steps from the West Wing.
On Monday night, Trump convened in the Oval Office with reporters for approximately 45 minutes, addressing inquiries related to immigration, tariffs, and foreign policy while utilizing a large black Sharpie to endorse executive orders. A reporter inquired whether he had perused the letter that Biden had left for him. Trump subsequently approached the resolute desk, presenting a letter—addressed to “47”—to the cameras, quipping that he might consider reading it aloud. “What a great feeling,” Trump remarked when inquired about the experience of re-entering the Oval Office. “Among the more gratifying experiences I have encountered.”