Donald Trump Officially Back in the White House

Donald Trump is spending the night back in the White House after being sworn back into office on Monday. Here is a look at the Inauguration Day festivities as well as what Trump's actions were on his first day in the Oval Office.

Inauguration Day in Washington, D.C.

Donald Trump was sworn in as the nation's 47th president on Monday in Washington, D.C. A mass of frigid air originating in Siberia descended over the nation's capital over the weekend, forcing the relocation of the inauguration festivities from the steps of the U.S. Capitol to the indoor Capitol Rotunda.

Hundreds of lawmakers and former presidents gathered inside the rotunda to watch history being made as Trump was sworn in for the second time. JD Vance was also sworn in as vice president. Also in attendance for the ceremonies was a bevy of tech billionaires, representing a departure from the more traditional Inauguration Day festivities. Special guests of Trump included CEO of Meta and Facebook Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Trump began his official inauguration address on a positive note, saying that the country was entering its "golden age." However, it did not take long for the rhetoric to turn negative as the newly sworn-in president attacked his political enemies and criticized the policies of the outgoing administration of Joe Biden.

The president's immediate family were all seated in the rotunda to witness the pomp and circumstance. New first lady Melania Trump stole the headlines in the fashion world with her unique hat that invoked a military style and nearly obscured her eyes. The hat was designed by fellow New Yorker Eric Javits. The first lady paired the hat with a navy silk wool double-breasted coat and her signature stiletto heels.

Bidens Leave the White House After Hosting Trumps

The Trumps began the day with a service at St. John’s Episcopal Church. The pair then were greeted at the White House by President Biden and first lady Jill Biden. It was reported that the two couples had tea together before heading to the Capitol.

Once the Bidens departed the White House for the last time, a team of about 100 executive residence staff members prepared the home for the Trump family. A fleet of incoming and outgoing moving trucks was standing by to complete the quick transition.

Jill Biden was seen leaving her home of four years wearing a purple overcoat and blouse, representing a bipartisan hue. The outfit was designed by Ralph Lauren.

Outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff also rolled out the welcome mat for Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance.

Trump Signs Flurry of Executive Orders

The day brought more than just speeches, ceremonies, and inaugural balls. Trump leveraged his new power to sign a flurry of executive orders and pardons on his first day in office.

The new president rescinded 78 executive actions from the Biden era. Many of the orders had also been signed on Biden's first day in office in 2021. Trump revoked a policy that mandated that all federal agencies extend sex discrimination laws to include gender identity and sexual orientation. Trump also revoked an order that mandated that workers in the executive branch sign an ethics pledge. The president also reversed an order that allowed transgender individuals to serve throughout the U.S. military.

On a global scale, Trump revoked a Biden-era action that removed Cuba from the list designating the island nation as a state sponsor of terror. It was just recently that Biden had removed Cuba from the list.

Trump went through with his plans to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO). And in a move that is sure to send alarm bells to environmentalists, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Trump Tackles Immigration

As he promised on the campaign trail, Trump took on immigration from day one. During his inauguration speech earlier in the day, Trump said that he was going to declare a national emergency at the border with Mexico. The action released the use of more resources and personnel from the Department of Defense.

The newly installed Trump administration eliminated the use of an app that allowed migrants to reach out to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to notify of their intention to cross the border into America. The app also allowed migrants to schedule appointments with border authorities in an effort to declare asylum.

Critics of the new president say that Trump’s moves on immigration are happening during a time when border crossings have been steadily declining. There have been fewer border crossings now when compared to when Trump left office in 2021.

Pardons Issued on Both Sides of the Political Aisle

Monday also brought a slew of pardons issued on both sides of the political aisle. Just before leaving office, Biden issued a number of preemptive pardons with the goal of protecting critics of Trump.

Biden used his fleeting executive powers to guard against action by Trump to strike Biden family members as well as the members of Congress that served on the committee that investigated Trump's involvement in the January 6 Capitol riots. For example, Biden pardoned former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, a lawmaker who had been targeted by Trump in the past.

Biden also issued clemency for Dr. Anthony Fauci and Gen. Mark Milley. Additionally, Biden issued preemptive pardons for his brothers James and Frank, as well as his sister Valerie and their spouses. The announcement of Biden's pardons came at the last minute when the president was already seated in the rotunda just prior to the transfer of power.

Once he made his triumphant return to the Oval Office, Trump pardoned almost 1,500 people. The president issued pardons for almost every person who had been charged for their role in the Capitol insurrection. He also commuted the sentences for members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers previously convicted on charges of seditious conspiracy.

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