As President Trump declares the beginning of a “golden age” for America – Sky News’ US correspondents James Matthews, Mark Stone and Martha Kelner analyse his inauguration speech.
Martha travels to the Mexican border to find out what other people think about President Trump’s immigration emergency declaration.
And James is outside the DC correctional facility where a number of the Jan 6th rioters are expected to be released.
Former Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who left the government after Israel approved a ceasefire with Hamas over the weekend, celebrated Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In a comment on X, the far-right politician said Trump’s return was “reparation for a years-long injustice” and that “the only thing left is to wait for a change in policy” toward Hamas.
Donald Trump just wrote a few words on his Truth Social platform: it’s past 1 a. m. in Washington DC after a busy day.
He says his team is in the process of more than 1,000 people appointed by Joe Biden’s leadership “who are not aligned with our vision of making America great again. “
He says this is a “notice of dismissal” and has listed four people who will be removed.
Trump ends his with the words “You’re fired! » – his catchphrase from The Apprentice.
If there ever was an image for the ages – an image that will sit prominently in the presidential history books – well, we got it late last night.
In the Oval Office that once again belongs to him, and a few minutes after returning as president, Trump sat at the Resolute table full of files.
Each one, a decree.
“It’s about January 6, hostages, 1,500 for the pardon,” signed the first.
Everyone makes a profound change.
“Withdrawing from the World Health Organization. Ooooh, that’s a big one,” he said, signing another.
Each one of these legislative jolts would be a major story in their own right. But they came together. A tsunami of change. It was the “days of thunder” and “flooding the zone” that his team had promised.
“This is an executive order that offers a giant amount of executive moves to protect our southern border,” an aide said as he handed another package to the president. Now the U. S. military will be sent to protect him.
Another reclassified Mexican drug cartels as terrorist entities, potentially allowing U. S. troops to interact on Mexican soil.
It’s the end of a dizzying day.
And as he signed, he offered an impromptu news conference to the gathered media with hints of the future on, well, everything.
“I am going to meet with President Putin. . . “, he confirmed, adding that we are in the consultation process.
Ukraine will fix itself, he said.
“I spoke to Xi, last week. Did you know that?”
“Gaza is interesting. It’s a phenomenal place. By the sea. The best weather. You know, everything’s fine. You can do beautiful things with it. “
And he continued.
A reporter asked: “Did President Biden leave you a letter?”
“Maybe. . . let’s see. . . ” he said, signing the orders.
He opened the drawer of the Resolute Desk and took out an envelope that said “47. “
It is the classic force movement card from the 46th to the 47th president.
He floated reading it out loud there and then. But thought again.
We’ll have to wait a little longer, between the torrent of news and change, to find out what Joe Biden’s passing words were to his unique successor.
It’s barely 5:30 a. m. here in the U. K. when Donald Trump begins his second term, an era he has vowed to bring in as a “golden age” for America.
The celebrations are still going on in the US, where the president has one more ball to go before he calls it a night – he’s already attended two.
Yesterday, after an indoor inauguration ceremony – moved from its traditional outdoor setting due to freezing conditions in Washington DC – the president vowed “now the works begins”.
And he has already put the wheels in motion for his agenda, using a flurry of executive orders to target illegal immigration, oil drilling and high prices.
More are expected in the coming days, as his rapid policies, both at home and abroad, begin to take shape.
Before I show you today’s latest developments, here’s a quick recap of what happened over the past day:
This explainer runs through the dozens of executive orders Donald Trump signed on his first day in office.
He authorised an extensive variety of policy changes in areas including immigration, climate change and the January 6 rioters.
The band Village People sings Donald Trump out of the Liberty Ball with their hit YMCA – a regular feature during Trump’s rallies on the campaign trail.
Not long ago, the president gave a brief speech at the ball, touting many of the plans he had discussed in his previous inaugural speeches, adding a promise about “common sense” policies.
Donald Trump gave her a giant sword when she attended the Commander in Chief’s ball and she quickly used it while cutting a cake.
The cake featured what appeared to be Air Force One on its top and its sides are filled with badges and rosettes.
The vice president JD Vance was also presented with a sabre.
See below. . . .
Senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi has released a statement on Trump’s pardons for the January 6 rioters.
Pelosi, who most recently served as Speaker of the House of Representatives between 2019 and 2023, said, “The President’s moves are an outrageous insult to our formula for justice and to the heroes who have suffered physical scars and emotional trauma while protecting the Capitol, Congress, and Congress. Constitution. “
She added: “It is shameful that the president has decided to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power.
“Despite the president’s decision, we will not have to forget the ordinary courage and bravery of the law-enforcement heroes who stood in the breach and ensured that democracy survived on that dark day. “
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, has said the those involved in the January 6 riots should not have been pardoned.
Schumer said in a statement: “The other people who stormed the Capitol on January 6, whether they committed violence or not, have not been pardoned.
“They unlawfully broke into the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power. What they did is a serious crime. “
He added: “Donald Trump is ushering in a Golden Age for people that break the law and attempt to overthrow the government.”
Trump pardoned about 1,500 Trump supporters who were charged in connection with the riot.
The action reduces the sentences of 14 members of the far-right organizations Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, some of whom were convicted of seditious conspiracy.