[Pages S252-S258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           INAUGURAL CEREMONY

  Inauguration of Donald John Trump, January 20, 2025, 10 a.m.
  The Architect of the Capitol, Mr. Thomas Austin, accompanied by Mrs. 
Shannon Austin, entered the Great Rotunda.
  The Leadership of the 60th Presidential Inaugural Committee, Cochairs 
the Honorable Kelly Loeffler and Mr. Steve Whitcoff; and Executive 
Director Mr. Richard Walters entered the Great Rotunda.
  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, 
Jr., entered the Great Rotunda.

[[Page S253]]

  Former Senate Majority Leader, the Honorable Mitch McConnell, 
accompanied by the Honorable Elaine Chao; and the Honorable Elizabeth 
Dole, entered the Great Rotunda.
  Former Speakers of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Kevin 
McCarthy; the Honorable John Boehner, accompanied by Mrs. Debbie 
Boehner; and the Honorable Newt Gingrich, accompanied by Ambassador 
Callista Gingrich, and Mrs. Heather Foley entered the Great Rotunda.
  Members of the 119th United States House of Representatives, led by 
Majority Whip, the Honorable   Tom Emmer and Democratic Whip, the 
Honorable Katherine Clark, entered the Great Rotunda.
  The Chair of the National Governors Association, the Honorable Jared 
Polis, the Vice Chair of the National Governors Association, the 
Honorable Kevin Stitt, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia, the 
Honorable Muriel Bowser, entered the Great Rotunda.
  Members of the 119th Senate of the United States, led by Majority 
Leader, the Honorable John Thune; Majority Whip, the Honorable John 
Barrasso; and Democratic Whip, the Honorable Dick Durbin, entered the 
Great Rotunda.
  The President-elect's Cabinet and Cabinet-level designees entered the 
Great Rotunda.
  The Acting Dean of the Diplomatic Corps entered the Great Rotunda.
  Former Vice Presidents, the Honorable Dan Quayle, accompanied by Mrs. 
Marilyn Quayle, and the Honorable Michael Pence entered the Great 
Rotunda.
  The 42nd President of the United States William Jefferson Clinton, 
accompanied by the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, entered the Great 
Rotunda.
  The 43rd President of the United States, the Honorable George W. 
Bush, accompanied by Mrs. Laura Bush, entered the Great Rotunda.
  The 44th President of the United States, the Honorable Barack H. 
Obama entered the Great Rotunda.
  The Chief Justice of the United States, the Honorable John G. 
Roberts, Jr., and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the 
United States entered the Great Rotunda.
  The children of President-Elect Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka 
Trump, Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Barron Trump, escorted by the 
Assistant Secretary of the Senate, the Honorable Robert Paxton; and 
Deputy Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Lisa Grant, 
entered the Great Rotunda.
  The First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and the husband of the Vice 
President, Mr. Douglas Emhoff, escorted by the Republican Staff 
Director of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, 
Ms. Emily Leviner; the Senate Secretary for the Minority, the Honorable 
Gary Myrick; the House of Representatives Chief Administrative Officer, 
the Honorable Catherine Szpindor; and Mr. Bruce Fischer, entered the 
Great Rotunda.
  Mrs. Melania Trump and Mrs. Usha Vance, escorted by the Secretary of 
the Senate, the Honorable Jackie Barber; the Clerk of the House of 
Representatives, the Honorable Kevin F. McCumber; Mr. John Bessler; 
Mrs. Kelly Johnson; Mrs. Iris Weinshall-Schumer; and Mrs. Jennifer 
Scalise, entered the Great Rotunda.
  The President of the United States, the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, 
Jr., and Vice President of the United States, the Honorable Kamala Devi 
Harris, escorted by Ranking Member of the Joint Congressional Committee 
on Inaugural Ceremonies, the Honorable Deb Fischer; House Democratic 
Leader, the Honorable Hakeem Jeffries; and Senate Majority Secretary, 
the Honorable Robert Duncan, entered the Great Rotunda.
  The Vice President-elect of the United States, the Honorable JD 
Vance, escorted by the Executive Director for the Joint Congressional 
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, Mr. Michael Wagner; Senate Deputy 
Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, Jason Bell; and House Deputy Sergeant 
at Arms, Mr. Sean Keating, entered the Great Rotunda.
  The President-elect of the United States, Donald John Trump, escorted 
by the Staff Director for the Joint Congressional Committee on 
Inaugural Ceremonies, Elizabeth Farrar; House Sergeant at Arms, the 
Honorable William P. McFarland; Senate Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper, 
the Honorable Jennifer A. Hemingway; Senate Majority Leader, the 
Honorable John Thune; and the Joint Congressional Committee on 
Inaugural Ceremonies: House Democratic Leader, the Honorable Hakeem 
Jeffries; House Majority Leader, the Honorable   Steve Scalise; Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, the Honorable   Mike Johnson; Senate 
Democratic Leader, the Honorable Charles E. Schumer; Ranking Member of 
the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the 
Honorable Deb Fischer; and Chairwoman of the Joint Congressional 
Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, the Honorable Amy Klobuchar, entered 
the Great Rotunda.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the 60th 
Presidential inauguration.
  Today, President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance will take 
their oaths of office, and we will witness the peaceful transfer of 
power at the heart of our democracy.
  (Applause.)
  For the past year, I have chaired the Inaugural Ceremony Committee, 
which includes the leadership of Congress from both parties. We thank 
the committee and Capitol staff and law enforcement, who worked so hard 
over the last year and especially the last 3 days.
  You have done a beautiful job, and you have shown grace under 
pressure.
  (Applause.)
  Our theme this year is ``Our Enduring Democracy.'' The presence of so 
many Presidents and Vice Presidents here today is truly a testament to 
that endurance.
  We welcome President Biden and Dr. Biden. We welcome Vice President 
Harris and Doug Emhoff, President Obama, President Clinton and 
Secretary Clinton, President Bush and Laura Bush, Vice President Pence, 
and Vice President Quayle and Marilyn Quayle. The Justices of the U.S. 
Supreme Court are with us--all nine of them; I counted--and, of course, 
the Trump and Vance families.
  This ceremony marks what will soon be 250 years of our democracy. It 
is the moment when leaders, elevated by the will of the people, 
promised to be faithful to our Constitution, to cherish and defend it. 
It is the moment when they become--as we all should be--the guardians 
of our country.
  Through war and peace, through adversity and prosperity, we hold this 
inauguration every 4 years. And today, it falls on Martin Luther King 
Day--a further reminder that we must strive to uphold the values 
enshrined in our Constitution--the freedoms, the liberties, and as is 
inscribed on the entrance of the U.S. Supreme Court: ``Equal Justice 
Under Law.''
  (Applause.)
  But what makes this moment more than a passing ceremony is all who 
are watching it across the country--the people of this Nation, the 
ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
  President Kennedy, who at one point worked as a Senator in this 
building and would often walk through this very Rotunda, once said:

       In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of interest in 
     politics, ``holds office''; every one of us is in a position 
     of responsibility.

  With that responsibility of citizenship comes an obligation not to 
seek out malice, as President Lincoln once reminded us, but to view 
others with the generosity of spirit, despite our differences.
  With that responsibility of leadership comes an obligation to stand 
our ground when we must and find common ground when we can.
  With everything swirling around us, the hot mess of division, it is 
on all of us--to quote an incredible songwriter, who just happened to 
be born in my State--to ensure that our Nation's democracy is our 
shelter from the storm.
  There is a reason this ceremony takes place at the Capitol. In other 
countries, it might be in a Presidential palace or a gilded executive 
office building. Here, it is traditionally held at the Capitol, the 
people's House. It is a fitting reminder of the system of checks and 
balances that is the very foundation of our government--three equal 
branches of government. That is how for nearly 250 years, our great 
American experiment, grounded in the rule of law, has endured.

[[Page S254]]

  So as we inaugurate a new President and Vice President, let us 
remember that the power of those in this room comes from the people: 
the construction workers who build our country, the teachers and 
healthcare workers who nurture us, the troops defending our freedoms, 
and, yes, the firefighters in Los Angeles putting themselves on the 
line for us.
  (Applause.)
  Our democracy, strength, and grit must match theirs.
  May God bless our Nation.
  Thank you.
  (Applause.)
  Mrs. FISCHER. Good afternoon.
  Endurance through the years is the ultimate test. To persevere 
through time is the truest measure of an idea, an institution, and a 
nation.
  Our Founders wrote the Constitution so that America could withstand 
all the twists and turns of time. They wrote it to guide us and to 
preserve forever our right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness.
  But as much as the truths and principles enshrined in our 
Constitution remain the same, our democracy promises the American 
people the power to change, to chart their own destiny.
  That is the beauty. That is the importance of democracy. It allows 
the endurance, the permanence of a nation through change. It allows 
nations, like our United States, both to avoid the obstacles and to 
seize the opportunities God has placed before us, all while staying 
true to our founding principles.
  Today is our country's 60th inauguration ceremony. Like all the 
others before it, it is a celebration of our right to set our uniquely 
American course. The past several years have been trying at times for 
many, many Americans and also for the nations of the free world that we 
humbly strive to lead.
  In November, Americans chose again to steer this Nation toward 
greatness--the secure, safe, and prosperous future that our Founders 
envisioned for all of us. And today, we celebrate not only their 
decision to do so but also the simple right and wisdom of a free people 
to make their own choice so that their Nation might endure.
  And now, allow me to welcome Archbishop Timothy Doland and Reverend 
Franklin Graham, who will deliver our invocation.
  Please rise.
  Archbishop DOLAND. Be still and know that I am God, supreme among the 
nations, supreme on the Earth. Let us pray.
  Remembering General George Washington on his knees at Valley Forge, 
recalling Abraham Lincoln at his second inaugural: ``with malice toward 
none, with charity for all, with the firmness in the right as God gives 
us to see the right,'' remembering General George Patton's instructions 
to his soldiers as they began the Battle of the Bulge eight decades 
ago, pray. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by 
night. Pray by day.
  Observing the birthday of the Reverend Martin Luther King, who 
warned, without God, our efforts turn to ashes. We, blessed citizens of 
this one Nation under God, humbled by our claim that in God we trust, 
gather, indeed, this inauguration day to pray for our President Donald 
J. Trump, his family, his advisers, his Cabinet, his aspirations, his 
Vice President, for the large blessings upon Joseph Biden, for our men 
and women in uniform, for each other whose hopes are stoked this new 
year, this inauguration day.
  We cannot err in relying upon that prayer from the Bible upon which 
our President will soon place his hand in oath. As we make our own the 
supplications of King Solomon for wisdom, as he began his governance, 
God of our fathers, in Your wisdom, You set man to govern Your 
creatures, to govern in holiness and justice, to render justice with 
integrity, give our leader wisdom, for he is Your servant, aware of his 
own weakness and brevity of life.
  If wisdom, which comes not from You be not with him, he shall be held 
in no esteem. Send wisdom from Heaven that she may be with him, that he 
may know Your designs.
  Please, God, bless America. Please, mentor every flaw. You are the 
God in whom we trust who lives and reigns forever and ever.
  Amen.
  Reverend GRAHAM. Mr. President, in the last 4 years, there were 
times, I am sure, you thought it was pretty dark. But look what God has 
done. We praise Him and give Him glory.
  (Applause.)
  Let us pray.
  Our Father and our God, Thou has said blessed is the Nation whose God 
is the Lord.
  As the Prophet Daniel prayed: ``Blessed be the name of God forever 
and ever. For wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the 
seasons. He removes kings. He raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the 
wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.''
  Our Father, today, as President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of 
office once again, we come to say thank you, O Lord, our God.
  Father, when Donald Trump's enemies thought he was down and out, You 
and You alone, saved his life and raised him up with strength and power 
by Your mighty hand.
  We pray for President Trump; that You will watch over, protect, 
guide, direct him. Give him Your wisdom from Your throne on high. We 
ask that You would bless him and that our Nation would be blessed 
through him.
  We also ask that You would bless and protect Melania, his First Lady. 
We thank You for the beauty, the warmth, and grace that she shows not 
only to this Nation but to the whole world.
  We thank You for Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife Usha and 
their young family. May he be a strength to President Trump, to stand 
beside him, to hold up his arms like Aaron held up the arms of Moses in 
the midst of battle.
  The Prophet Samuel reminded the people it was You that brought them 
up from the land of Egypt. And he said, now stand still that I may 
reason with you before the Lord. So, Father, we take this moment to 
stand still, to remember the great things that You have done for this 
Nation.
  Thank you for the protection, the bounty, the freedoms that we so 
enjoy. We remember to keep our eyes fixed on You. And may our hearts be 
inclined to Your voice. We know that America can never be great again 
if we turn our backs on You. We ask for Your help.
  We pray all of this in the name of the king of kings, the lords of 
lords, Your son, my Savior, and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
  Amen.
  (Christopher Macchio performed ``O, America'' accompanied by the 
Armed Forces Chorus.)
  MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Associate Justice 
Kavanaugh to administer the Vice Presidential oath of office.
  The Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, BRETT KAVANAUGH, 
administered to the Vice President-elect the oath of office prescribed 
by the Constitution, which he repeated as follows:

       I, James David Vance, do solemnly swear that I will support 
     and defend the Constitution of the United States against all 
     enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and 
     allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, 
     without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and 
     that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the 
     office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

  Associate Justice KAVANAUGH. Congratulations, Mr. Vice President.
  (Applause.)
  MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Chief Justice 
Roberts to administer the Presidential oath of office.
  The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, JOHN G. ROBERTS, JR., 
administered to the President-elect the oath of office prescribed by 
the Constitution, which he repeated, as follows:

       I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear that I will 
     faithfully execute the office of President of the United 
     States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, 
     protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So 
     help me God.

  The Chief Justice. Congratulations, Mr. President.
  (Applause.)
  (United States Marine Band performs ``Battle Hymn of the Republic.'')
  (Applause.)
  Mrs. FISCHER. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and pleasure to 
introduce to you the 45th and the 47th President of the United States 
of America, Donald J. Trump.
  (Applause.)
  The PRESIDENT. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very, very 
much.
  Vice President Vance, Speaker Johnson, Senator Thune, Chief Justice 
Roberts, Justices of the U.S. Supreme

[[Page S255]]

Court, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, President 
Biden, Vice President Harris, and my fellow citizens, the golden age of 
America begins right now.
  (Applause.)
  From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected 
again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we 
will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.
  During every single day of the Trump administration, I will--very 
simply--put America first.
  (Applause.)
  Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The 
scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent, and unfair 
weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end.
  (Applause.)
  And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, 
prosperous, and free.
  (Applause.)
  America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than 
ever before.
  (Applause.)
  I return to the Presidency confident and optimistic that we are at 
the start of a thrilling new era of national success. A tide of change 
is sweeping the country, sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and 
America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.
  But, first, we must be honest about the challenges we face. While 
they are plentiful, they will be annihilated by this great momentum 
that the world is now witnessing in the United States of America.
  As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust. For 
many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and 
wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken 
in seemingly incomplete disrepair.
  We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at 
home, while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalog of 
catastrophic events abroad.
  It fails to protect our magnificent law-abiding American citizens but 
provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from 
prisons and mental institutions that have illegally entered our country 
from all over the world.
  We have a government that is giving unlimited funding to the defense 
of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more 
importantly, its own people. Our country can no longer deliver basic 
services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful 
people of North Carolina being treated so badly--
  (Applause.)
  --and other States who are still suffering from a hurricane that took 
place many months ago, or more recently, Los Angeles, where we are 
watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago, without even a 
token of defense. They are raging through the houses and communities, 
even affecting some of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in 
our country, some of whom are sitting here right now. They don't have a 
home any longer. That is interesting.
  We can't let this happen. Everyone is unable to do anything about it. 
That is going to change.
  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.
  And 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.
  All of this will change starting today, and it will change very 
quickly.
  (Applause.)
  My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a 
horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place 
and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy, 
and indeed their freedom. From this moment on, America's decline is 
over.
  (Applause.)
  Our liberties and our Nation's glorious destiny will no longer be 
denied, and we will immediately restore the integrity, competency, and 
loyalty of America's government.
  Over the past 8 years, I have been tested and challenged more than 
any President in our 250-year history, and I have learned a lot along 
the way. The journey to reclaim our Republic has not been an easy one; 
that I can tell you. Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to 
take my freedom and indeed to take my life. Just a few months ago, in a 
beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin's bullet ripped through my 
ear, but I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was 
saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.
  (Applause.)
  Thank you very much.
  That is why, each day, under our administration of American patriots, 
we will be working to meet every crisis with dignity and power and 
strength. We will move with purpose and speed to bring back hope, 
prosperity, safety, and peace for citizens of every race, religion, 
color, and creed. For American citizens, January 20, 2025, is 
liberation day.
  (Applause.)
  It is my hope that our recent Presidential election will be 
remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the 
history of our country. As our victory showed, the entire Nation is 
rapidly unifying behind our agenda with dramatic increases in support 
from virtually every element of our society--young and old, men and 
women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, urban, 
suburban, rural. And very importantly, we had a powerful win in all 
seven swing States, and the popular vote we won by millions of people.
  (Applause.)
  To the Black and Hispanic communities, I want to thank you for the 
tremendous outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with 
your vote. We set records, and I will not forget it. I have heard your 
voices in the campaign, and I look forward to working with you in the 
years to come.
  Today is Martin Luther King Day, and in his honor--this will be a 
great honor--but, in his honor, we will strive together to make his 
dream a reality. We will make his dream come true.
  (Applause.)
  National unity is now returning to America, and confidence and pride 
is soaring like never before.
  In everything we do, my administration will be inspired by a strong 
pursuit of excellence and unrelenting success. We will not forget our 
country; we will not forget our Constitution; and we will not forget 
our God. Can't do that.
  (Applause.)
  Today, I will sign a series of historic Executive orders. With these 
actions, we will begin the complete restoration of America and the 
revolution of common sense. It is all about common sense.
  (Applause.)
  First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border.
  (Applause.)
  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. We will reinstate my ``Remain in 
Mexico'' policy.
  (Applause.)
  I will end the practice of catch-and-release.
  (Applause.)
  And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous 
invasion of our country.
  (Applause.)
  Under the orders I sign today, we will also be designating the 
cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
  (Applause.)
  And by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, I will direct our 
government to use the full and immense power of Federal and State law 
enforcement to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal 
networks bringing devastating crime to U.S. soil, including our cities 
and inner cities.
  (Applause.)
  As Commander in Chief, I have no higher responsibility than to defend 
our country from threats and invasions, and that is exactly what I am 
going to do. We will do it at a level that nobody has ever seen before.
  Next, I will direct all members of my Cabinet to marshal the vast 
powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and 
rapidly bring down costs and prices.

[[Page S256]]

  (Applause.)
  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.
  (Applause.)
  America will be a manufacturing nation once again. And we have 
something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have--the 
largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth--and we are going 
to use it. Going to use it.
  We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, 
right to the top, and export American energy all over the world.
  (Applause.)
  We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our 
feet that will help to do it.
  With my actions today, 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 autoworkers.
  (Applause.)
  In other words, you will be able to buy the car of your choice. We 
will build automobiles in America again at a rate that nobody could 
have dreamt possible just a few years ago.
  And thank you to the autoworkers of our Nation for your inspiring 
vote of confidence. We did tremendously with their vote.
  (Applause.)
  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.
  (Applause.)
  For this purpose, we are establishing the External Revenue Service to 
collect all tariffs, duties, and revenues. It will be massive amounts 
of money pouring into our Treasury, coming from foreign sources. The 
American dream will soon be back and thriving like never before.
  To restore competence and effectiveness to our Federal Government, my 
administration will establish the brandnew Department of Government 
Efficiency.
  (Applause.)
  After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional Federal efforts 
to restrict free expression, I will also sign an Executive order to 
immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech 
to America.
  (Applause.)
  Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to 
persecute political opponents, something I know something about. We 
will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again. Under my 
leadership, we will restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under 
the constitutional rule of law.
  (Applause.)
  And we are going to bring law and order back to our cities.
  This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to 
socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and 
private life.
  (Applause.)
  We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.
  (Applause.)
  As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the U.S. 
Government that there are only two genders: male and female.
  (Applause.)
  This week, I will reinstate any servicemembers who were unjustly 
expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate, 
with full back pay.
  (Applause.)
  And I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to 
radical political theories and social experiments while on duty. It is 
going to end immediately. Our Armed Forces will be free to focus on 
their sole mission: defeating America's enemies.
  (Applause.)
  Like in 2017, we will again build the strongest military the world 
has ever seen. We will measure our success not only by the battles we 
win but also by the wars that we end and, perhaps most importantly, the 
wars we never get into.
  (Applause.)
  My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That is 
what I want to be: a peacemaker and a unifier. I am pleased to say that 
as of yesterday, 1 day before I assumed office, the hostages in the 
Middle East are coming back home to their families.
  (Applause.)
  Thank you. America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, 
most powerful, most respected Nation on Earth, inspiring the awe and 
admiration of the entire world.
  A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the 
Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and we will restore the name of 
a great President, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should 
be and where it belongs. President McKinley made our country very rich 
through tariffs and through talent. He was a natural businessman and 
gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, 
including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the 
country of Panama after the United States--the United States, I mean, 
think of this, spent more money than was ever spent on a project before 
and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal.
  We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should 
have never been made, and Panama's promise to us has been broken. The 
purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally 
violated. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated 
fairly in any way, shape, or form, and that includes the U.S. Navy.
  And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn't 
give it to China; we gave it to Panama. And we are taking it back.
  (Applause.)
  Above all, my message to Americans today is that it is time for us to 
once again act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of history's 
greatest civilization. So as we liberate our Nation, we will lead it to 
new heights of victory and success. We will not be deterred.
  Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our 
children safe, healthy, and disease-free.
  The United States will once again consider itself a growing nation, 
one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our 
cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and 
beautiful horizons. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the 
stars, launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on 
the planet Mars.
  (Applause.)
  Ambition is the lifeblood of a great nation, and right now our Nation 
is more ambitious than any other. There is no nation like our Nation. 
Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and 
pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts. The 
call of the next great adventure resounds from within our souls.
  Our American ancestors turned a small group of colonies on the edge 
of a vast continent into a mighty Republic of the most extraordinary 
citizens on Earth. No one comes close. Americans pushed thousands of 
miles through a rugged land of untamed wilderness. They crossed 
deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers, won the Wild West, 
ended slavery, rescued millions from tyranny, lifted billions from 
poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, launched mankind into 
the heavens, and put the universe of human knowledge into the palm of 
the human hand. If we work together, there is nothing we cannot do and 
no dream we cannot achieve.
  Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic 
political comeback, but as you see today, here I am. The American 
people have spoken.
  (Applause.)
  I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that 
something is impossible to do. In America, the impossible is what we do 
best.
  From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, from 
Chicago to Miami, from Houston to right here in Washington, DC, our 
country was forged and built by the generations of patriots who gave 
everything they had for our rights and for our freedom. They were 
farmers and soldiers, cowboys and factory workers, steelworkers and 
coal miners, police officers and pioneers who pushed onward, marched 
forward, and let no obstacle defeat their spirit or their pride. 
Together, they laid down the railroads, raised up the skyscrapers, 
built great highways, won two World Wars, defeated fascism

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and communism, and triumphed over every single challenge that they 
faced.
  After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the 
4 greatest years in American history. With your help, we will restore 
American promise, and we will rebuild the Nation that we love. And we 
love it so much. We are one people, one family, and one glorious Nation 
under God.
  So to every parent who dreams for their child and every child who 
dreams for their future, I am with you. I will fight for you, and I 
will win for you. They are going to win like never before.
  (Applause.)
  Thank you. Thank you.
  In recent years, our Nation has suffered greatly, but we are going to 
bring it back and make it great again, greater than ever before. We 
will be a nation like no other, full of compassion, courage, and 
exceptionalism. Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of 
unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally 
unpredictable.
  America will be respected again and admired again, including by 
people of religion, faith, and good will. We will be prosperous. We 
will be proud. We will be strong. And we will win like never before. We 
will not be conquered. We will not be intimidated. We will not be 
broken. And we will not fail.
  From this day on, the United States of America will be a free, 
sovereign, and independent nation. We will stand bravely. We will live 
proudly. We will dream boldly. And nothing will stand in our way 
because we are Americans. The future is ours. And our golden age has 
just begun. Thank you. God bless America. Thank you all. Thank you. 
Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
  (Applause.)
  MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, performing ``America the 
Beautiful,'' please welcome the Armed Forces Chorus and Carrie 
Underwood.
  (Performance of ``America the Beautiful'' by Carrie Underwood 
accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus.)
  (Applause.)
  MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Fisher will now introduce 
the benediction clergy.
  Mrs. FISCHER. I now call on Rabbi Ari Berman, Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, 
and Rev. Frank Mann to provide prayers of benediction.
  Rabbi BERMAN: Let us pray.
  Almighty God, your profit Jeremiah walked the streets of Jerusalem 
and blessed its inhabitants with:
  (English translation of statement made in Hebrew as follows:)
  Blessed is the one who trusts in God.
  Thousands of years later, this great Nation, which adopted these 
words as its motto, ``In God We Trust,'' stands at a moment of historic 
opportunity. Americans are searching for meaning.
  Our merciful Father, help us rise to meet this moment. Bless 
President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance with the strength 
and courage to choose the right and the good. Unite us around our 
foundational Biblical values of life and liberty, of service and 
sacrifice, and especially of faith and morality, which George 
Washington called the indispensable supports of American prosperity.
  Guide our schools and college campuses, which have been experiencing 
such unrest, to inspire the next generation, to pair progress with 
purpose, knowledge with wisdom, and truth with virtue.
  Hear the cry of the hostages, both American and Israeli, whose pain 
our President so acutely feels. We are so thankful for the three young 
women who yesterday returned home and pray that the next 4 years brings 
peace to Israel and throughout the Middle East.
  Almighty God, grant all Americans the opportunity to realize our 
shared dream of a life filled with peace and plenty, health and 
happiness, compassion and contribution. Stir within us the confidence 
to rise to this moment, for while we trust in God, God's trust is in 
us, the American people.
  America is called to greatness, to be a beacon of light and a mover 
of history.
  May our Nation merit the fulfillments of Jeremiah's blessing, that 
like a tree planted by water, we shall not cease to bear fruit.
  May all of humanity experience Your love and Your blessing. May it be 
Thy will and let us say amen.
  Pastor SEWELL. Let us pray for our 47th President.
  Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that You gave our 45th and now 
our 47th President a millimeter miracle.
  We are grateful that You are the one that have called him for such a 
time as this; that America would begin to dream again.
  We pray that we would fulfill the true meaning of our creed that ``We 
hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.''
  We pray that You use our President; that we would live in a nation 
where we will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content 
of our character.
  Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we are so grateful today that 
You will use our 47th President so we would ``sing with new meaning `My 
country `tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where 
my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, 
let freedom ring!' ''
  And because America is called to be a great nation, we believe that 
You will make this come true.

       So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New 
     Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New 
     York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of 
     Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of 
     Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous [hilltops] of 
     California!

  But, God, we are asking You not only that, ``Let freedom ring from 
Stone Mountain Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of 
Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill [in] 
Mississippi''--from every State, every city, every village, and every 
hamlet.
  And when we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day, 
where all of your children, Black men and White men, Protestant and 
Catholic, Jew and Gentile, will be able to sing in the meaning of that 
old Negro spiritual: Free at last, free at last. Thank you, God 
Almighty, we are free at last.
  If you believe where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, come 
on, put your hands together and give your great God great glory.
  (Applause.)
  Reverend MANN. Almighty and Eternal God, we gather here today in 
reverence, joined in our shared hopes and dreams for our beloved 
Nation.
  In this sacred moment of the inauguration of President Donald J. 
Trump and Vice President JD Vance, we turn our hearts to You, seeking 
Your divine assistance and abundant blessings upon this pivotal moment 
in history.
  We come before You with profound gratitude for the many gifts You 
have bestowed upon our land. Thank You for the freedoms we cherish, for 
the strength of our communities, and for the resilience of our spirit.
  As our President and Vice President embrace their newly appointed 
roles, we humbly implore that Your everlasting love and wisdom will 
envelope them. Grant them the clarity of mind to navigate the 
challenges that lie ahead and the compassion to serve all citizens with 
fairness and integrity.
  May their hearts be filled with a giving spirit and sincere 
understanding for those whom they represent.
  May they be beacons of hope in times of uncertainty and prophetic 
voices in defending the dignity of all created life.
  We pray for a spirit of collaboration to flourish in our government 
and across our Nation, fostering an environment where dialogue and 
heartfelt listening will prevail over division or discord.
  May each decision made by our President and Vice President reflect 
the values of justice and peace.
  As we embark on this new chapter, we also seek Your comfort, O God, 
for those who feel lost or disheartened. In this time of transition, 
may Your light shine upon them, reaffirming their belief in a brighter 
tomorrow.
  May we all strive to lift one another, supporting our fellow citizens 
with kindness and empathy, recognizing that together, we can overcome 
any adversity.
  Grant us the strength to endure, the courage to face our fears, and 
the clarity to see the light that remains, even when clouds of 
uncertainty may gather.
  Inspire our new leaders to be champions for the vulnerable and 
advocates for those whose voices are often silenced. May they pursue 
policies that

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promote the well-being of all, seeking to build bridges that will 
foster unity and belonging.
  As we stand witness to this inauguration, we hold fast to the faith, 
to our faith, and the goodness of each of us and the possibility of 
change.
  We trust that with Your guidance, O God, our Nation can move forward 
to a future filled with promise, prosperity, and understanding.
  And, finally, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the beloved parents 
of President Trump. Without Mary and Fred Trump, this day would never 
be the miracle that has just begun. From their place in Heaven, may 
they shield their son from all harm by their loving protection and give 
him the strength to guide our Nation along the path that will make 
America great again.
  Let us go forth now with these words of President Trump's emblazoned 
on our hearts: As long as we have pride in our beliefs, courage in our 
convictions, and faith in our God, then we will not fail.
  We stand tall. We stand proud because we are Americans. And Americans 
kneel to God and to God alone.
  Amen.
  (Applause.)
  MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for our 
national anthem.
  (Performance of the national anthem by Christopher Macchio, the Naval 
Academy Glee Club, the Armed Forces Chorus, and the United States 
Marine Band.)
  (The inaugural ceremony was concluded at 12:58 p.m.)

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