Donald Trump inauguration 2025 live: Trump is sworn in as 47th president
- Donald Trump has been sworn in for a second term as president of the United States at noon local time (17:00 GMT) in Washington, DC.
- Trump used his inaugural address to reiterate his grievances against his political opponents, saying he would “liberate” the country from a “radical and corrupt establishment”.On January 20, 2017, Elizabeth Lagesse stopped by a coffee shop in downtown Washington, DC, on her way to Trump’s first inauguration as US president. The chemical engineering student had planned to join the protests taking place against his incoming administration.
But as soon as she walked out of the cafe, Lagesse found herself swept up in a police “kettle”, a controversial manoeuvre in which officers encircle crowds, preventing anyone from leaving. Lagesse was arrested along with dozens of others.
Some 234 people, including journalists, medics and legal observers, were ultimately arrested in Washington, DC, that day. All faced felony charges, including rioting and conspiracy to riot — serious crimes that carried the risk of decades in prison.
Experts have argued that what happened was a startling example of government overreach, with historic implications for the right to free assembly under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Those implications, experts warn, resonate well into the present day, as Trump takes office for a second term.
Trump’s Panama Canal threat would breach UN Charter
He is the president of the United States and he says he is going to take the Panama Canal back. Now, if he did that, that would be a breach of the UN Charter.
That’s the governing document that has framed international relations since World War II. Not just a matter of history though, this sets a precedent.
The reason the US condemned Russia for its invasion of Ukraine was the breach of the UN Charter. If Trump took back the Panama Canal, he’d be doing the same.
And so what kind of message does it send to China with regards to Taiwan? If Trump takes back the Panama Canal, then why can’t China take control of Taiwan?
UN chief urges engagement as Trump promises to withdraw from Paris Agreement
A spokesperson for United Nations chief Antonio Guterres says US cities, states and businesses must remain engaged on climate change as Trump pledges to double down on the extraction of fossil fuels.
The Trump White House also has announced plans to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the global pact that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to tackle the climate crisis.
“It is crucial that the United States remains a leader on environmental issues,” UN spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino said.
“The collective efforts under the Paris Agreement have made a difference, but we need to go much further and faster together.”
Ending the war in Ukraine is among the priorities of the Trump administration.
Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, told Fox News on January 8: “I would like to set a goal on a personal level, professional level. I would say let’s set it at 100 days.”
As optimistic as that sounds for a war that will reach its third anniversary next month, 100 days represents a step back from an even more optimistic timetable.Asked how he would end the Ukraine war at a news conference on January 7 at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump pulled away from his statement on the campaign trail that he would do it in 24 hours, calling the negotiation “a tough one”.
Migrants left in limbo as entry appointments made on Biden-instituted app cancelled
As Trump’s term begins, authorities have announced that an app introduced by the Biden administration to manage immigration appointments at the US-Mexico border has been shut down and all appointments cancelled, effective immediately.
Many migrants and asylum seekers spend months waiting with their families for a coveted appointment through CBP One, which is used to schedule entry hearings.
Videos shared on social media showed migrants breaking down in tears after learning that their appointments had been cancelled.
Andrea Flores, a former Obama administration official, slammed the move as “not only deeply unfair to the human beings who were following the rules” but one that will also destabilise the border.
Trump promises action for ‘J6 hostages’
In remarks before a crowd of supporters, Trump pledges to help people who have faced legal consequences for their roles in the January 6, 2021, riot in Washington, DC.
A mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol that day in an effort to nullify the Republican leader’s loss in the 2020 presidential election.
Trump has previously said he could issue pardons for those imprisoned for their involvement in the insurrection.
“I was going to talk about the J6 hostages” in the inauguration speech, Trump said. “But you’ll be happy because it’s action not words that count, and you’re going to see a lot of action on the J6 hostages.”
