{"id":23938,"date":"2025-01-20T10:52:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T17:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/trump-returns-to-power-after-unprecedented-comeback-emboldened-to-reshape-american-institutions\/"},"modified":"2025-01-20T17:52:02","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T17:52:02","slug":"trump-returns-to-power-after-unprecedented-comeback-emboldened-to-reshape-american-institutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/trump-returns-to-power-after-unprecedented-comeback-emboldened-to-reshape-american-institutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump returns to power after unprecedented comeback, emboldened to reshape American institutions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump takes the oath of office during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Monday. (Saul Loeb\/Pool photo via AP)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

WASHINGTON \u2013 Donald Trump<\/a> was sworn in<\/a> as the 47th president Monday, promising a \u201crevolution of common sense\u201d and taking charge as Republicans assume unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country\u2019s institutions. He pledged to \u201ccompletely and totally reverse\u201d the actions of his predecessor.<\/p>\n

Trump, who overcame impeachments, criminal indictments and a pair of assassination attempts to win another term in the White House, acted swiftly after the ceremony<\/a>, with executive orders<\/a> already prepared for his signature to clamp down on border crossings, increase fossil fuel development and end diversity and inclusion programs across the federal government.<\/p>\n

Declaring that government faces a \u201ccrisis of trust,\u201d Trump said in his inaugural address that under his administration \u201cour sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Donald
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump holds the Bible during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Monday. (AP Photo\/Morry Gash, Pool)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Trump claimed \u201ca mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal,\u201d promising to \u201cgive the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cFrom this moment on, America\u2019s decline is over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hope Scheppelman, secretary of the La Plata County Republican Central Committee and vice chair of the Colorado GOP, attended various events surrounding the inauguration including the Commander in Chief Ball and a wreath-laying ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery with Trump.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis sacred and enduring tradition serves as a powerful tribute to our military, a heartfelt acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by veterans, and a solemn remembrance of those who gave their lives in service to our nation,\u201d she wrote in an email to The Durango Herald<\/em>. \u201cSharing this moment alongside President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance added immense significance, as their presence reaffirmed the deep respect and gratitude owed to our nation\u2019s heroes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Hickenlooper\"
Hickenlooper<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Sen. John Hickenlooper said the president could have \u201csoftened the tone,\u201d but he sees several potential places for collaboration.<\/p>\n

Specifically, Hickenlooper pointed to the workforce as an area where the president and members from both parties in Congress can work together. The country is going to need workers to support economic growth, he said, and that\u2019s not just a Democrat or Republican issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think those kinds of things are going to have real value,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hickenlooper told the Herald<\/em> in August that youth apprenticeships \u2013 programs that provide skills-based training \u2013 remain a priority for him<\/a>, though he didn\u2019t expect much progress until 2025. The senator, who serves on the Senate\u2019s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, introduced a bill in 2023 to expand apprenticeship programs for 16- to 22-year-olds and chaired a hearing on the bill in March 2024, but the bill did not ever reach a vote. It will need to be reintroduced this year to be considered further.<\/p>\n

Hickenlooper said Trump\u2019s wave of executive orders \u2013 referenced in his inaugural address \u2013 were a distraction from the \u201creal issues.\u201d Trump has promised a crackdown on illegal immigration and already signed executive orders withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreements and rescinding a number of other Biden administration policies on immigration, climate, and diversity, equity and inclusion.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to do some things that he thinks might be unpopular \u2013 or worries that they will be unpopular \u2013 and is trying to create so much distraction that the media won\u2019t be able to keep track of it all and won\u2019t follow up on the real issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Executive orders effectively allow a president to bypass Congress in policymaking, but they can be challenged in the courts.<\/p>\n

The executive orders are the first step in what Trump is calling \u201cthe complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frigid weather rewrote the pageantry of the day. Trump\u2019s swearing-in was moved indoors<\/a> to the Capitol Rotunda \u2013 the first time that has happened in 40 years<\/a> \u2013 and the inaugural parade was replaced by an event at a downtown arena. Throngs of Trump supporters who descended on the city to watch the inaugural ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol from the National Mall will be left to find somewhere else to view the festivities.<\/p>\n

At the Capitol, Vice President JD Vance was sworn-in first, taking the oath read by Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a bible given to him by his great-grandmother. Trump followed moments after noon, using both a family bible and the one used by President Abraham Lincoln at his 1861 inauguration as Chief Justice John Roberts administered his oath.<\/p>\n

\"President
President Donald Trump speaks after taking the oath of office during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston\/The New York Times via AP, Pool)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

A cadre of billionaires and tech titans \u2013 including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai \u2013 were given prominent positions in the Capitol Rotunda, mingling with Trump\u2019s incoming team before the ceremony began. Also there was Elon Musk, the world\u2019s richest man, who is expected to lead an effort<\/a> to slash spending and federal employees.<\/p>\n

Trump began the day with a prayer service at St. John\u2019s Episcopal Church. He and his wife, Melania, were later greeted at the North Portico of the Executive Mansion by outgoing President Joe Biden<\/a> and first lady Jill Biden for the customary tea and coffee reception. It was a stark departure from four years ago, when Trump refused to acknowledge Biden\u2019s victory or attend his inauguration.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome home,\u201d Biden said to Trump after the president-elect stepped out of the car. The two presidents, who have spent years bitterly criticizing each other, shared a limo on the way to the Capitol.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s inauguration realized a political comeback without precedent in American history. Four years ago, he was voted out of the White House during an economic collapse caused by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Trump denied his defeat and tried to cling to power. He directed his supporters to march on the Capitol<\/a> while lawmakers were certifying the election results, sparking a riot that interrupted the country\u2019s tradition of the peaceful transfer of power.<\/p>\n

But Trump never lost his grip on the Republican Party and was undeterred by criminal cases and two assassination attempts<\/a> as he steamrollered rivals and harnessed voters\u2019 exasperation with inflation and illegal immigration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am ready for a new United States,\u201d said Cynde Bost, 63, from Lake Havasu City, Arizona.<\/p>\n

Trump used his inaugural address to repeat his claims that he was targeted by political prosecutions, and he promised to begin \u201cfair, equal and impartial justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also acknowledged that he was taking office on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which honors the slain civil rights hero. Trump said, \u201cWe will strive together to make his dream a reality,\u201d and he thanked Black and Latino voters for their support in November.<\/p>\n

Now Trump is the first person convicted of a felony<\/a> \u2013 for falsifying business records related to hush money payments \u2013 to serve as president. He pledged to \u201cpreserve, protect and defend\u201d the Constitution from the same spot that was overrun by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. He\u2019s said that one of his first acts in office will be to pardon many of those who participated in the riot.<\/p>\n

Eight years after he first entered the White House as a political newcomer, Trump is far more familiar with the operations of federal government and emboldened to bend it to his vision. Trump wants to bring quick change by curtailing immigration, enacting tariffs on imports and rolling back Democrats\u2019 climate and social initiatives.<\/p>\n

He has also promised retribution against his political opponents and critics, and placed personal loyalty as a prime qualification for appointments to his administration.<\/p>\n

\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump talks with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Usha Vance before a service at St. John's Church, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

With minutes to go before leaving office, Biden issued preemptive pardons<\/a> to his siblings and their spouses to shield them from the possibility of prosecution. He said in a statement that his family \u201chas been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats\u201d and that he has \u201cno reason to believe these attacks will end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier in the day, Biden took a similar step<\/a> with current and former government officials who have been the target of Trump\u2019s anger. Biden said \u201cthese are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump has pledged to go further and move faster in enacting his agenda than during his first term, and already the country\u2019s political, business and technology leaders have realigned themselves to accommodate Trump. Democrats who once formed a \u201cresistance\u201d are now divided<\/a> over whether to work with Trump or defy him. Billionaires have lined up to meet with Trump as they acknowledge his unrivaled power in Washington and his ability to wield the levers of government to help or hurt their interests.<\/p>\n

Long skeptical of American alliances, Trump\u2019s \u201cAmerica First\u201d foreign policy is being watched warily at home and abroad as Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine will soon enter its third year, and a fragile ceasefire appears to be holding in Gaza after more than 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas.<\/p>\n

Also present will be the head of TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned social media app deemed a national security risk by the U.S. Trump has promised to lift an effective ban on TikTok through one of many executive orders expected to be issued on Monday as the new president attempts to show quick progress.<\/p>\n

\"President
President Joe Biden, center left, and first lady Jill Biden, left, greet President-elect Donald Trump, center right, and Melania Trump, right, upon arriving at the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Trump is planning to swiftly reinstitute his 2020 playbook to crackdown on the southern border \u2013 again declaring a national emergency, limiting the number of refugees entering the U.S. and deploying the military. He\u2019s expected to take additional actions \u2013 including constitutionally questionable ones \u2013 such as attempting to end birthright citizenship automatically bestowed on people born in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Trump will also sign an executive order aimed at ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government. The order will direct federal agencies to coordinate with the White House on identifying and terminating DEI programs. Conservatives have long criticized programs that give preference based on race, gender and sexual orientation, arguing they violate the Constitution.<\/p>\n

Others orders are expected to allow more oil and gas drilling by rolling back Biden-era policies on domestic energy production and rescind Biden\u2019s recent directive on artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

More changes are planned for the federal workforce. Trump wants to unwind diversity, equity and inclusion programs known as DEI, require employees to come back to the office and lay the groundwork to reduce staff.<\/p>\n

With control of Congress, Republicans are also working alongside the incoming administration on legislation that will further roll back Biden\u2019s policies and institute their own priorities.<\/p>\n

Durango Herald staff writers Kathryn Squyres and Reuben Schafir contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"President
President Donald Trump speaks during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla\/Pool Photo via AP)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President
President Joe Biden, center left, and first lady Jill Biden, left, greet President-elect Donald Trump, center right, and Melania Trump, right, upon arriving at the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President
President Joe Biden looks on as he and first lady Jill Biden welcome President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo\/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President
President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump walk out to the presidential limousine, as they depart the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, en route to the Capitol. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President
President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, escorted by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., walk out to the presidential limousine, as they depart the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, en route to the Capitol. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive for church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, on Donald Trump's Inauguration Day. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive for church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, on Donald Trump's Inauguration Day. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania are greeted as they arrive for church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, on Donald Trump's Inauguration Day. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive for a service at St. John's Church, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Vice President-elect JD Vance as Usha Vance, Melania Trump, Barron Trump and Victor Knavs watch before a service at St. John's Church, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Family
Family members including Ivanka Trump, arrive before President-elect Donald Trump for a service at St. John's Church, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"President-elect
President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump arrive for a service at St. John's Church, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A sign is seen near St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, where President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania will attend an early morning service to start Trump's Inauguration Day. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Rudy
Rudy Giuliani, center arrives for a church service to be attended by President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, on Donald Trump's Inauguration Day. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Eric
Eric Trump and wife Lara, daughter Carolina and son Luke, arrive for church service to be attended by President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania, at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, on Donald Trump's Inauguration Day. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke)<\/span>dur-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2018From this moment on, America\u2019s decline is over\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28,265,315],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-23938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-headlines","tag-politics","tag-president-donald-trump"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23938"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=23938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}