Let’s aspire to meet the bar set by Trump’s motivating speech.
Let’s all strive to embody the spirit of President Trump’s second Inaugural Address.
It was an impressive oration — filled with hope, ambition, unity, and inspiration.
This speech stood in stark contrast not only to President Joe Biden’s 2021 address, which emphasized unity without substantial actions toward it, but also to Trump’s 2017 “American Carnage” speech, which portrayed a chaotic nation and world.
“The golden age of America begins right now,” the president proclaimed.
“From this day forward, our country will prosper and regain the respect it deserves worldwide.”
A particularly notable moment came toward the conclusion, as he reflected on the past to envision the future:
“There’s no nation like our nation. Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and pioneers. The spirit of the frontier pulses in our hearts. The call for the next great adventure echoes in our souls.
“Americans journeyed thousands of miles through rugged terrains filled with untamed wilderness.
“They traversed deserts, ascended mountains, faced innumerable hazards, conquered the Wild West, abolished slavery, liberated millions from oppression, elevated billions out of poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, propelled humanity into space, and placed the universe of knowledge at our fingertips.
Highlights from Trump’s inaugural address
Addressing the national emergency at the southern border
All unauthorized entries will be halted immediately. Millions will face deportation. The Remain in Mexico policy will be reinstated. Catch and Release policies will end. Troops will be deployed to the border. Cartels will be treated as foreign terrorist organizations.
Combat inflation and rapidly lower costs
Declare a national energy emergency
“We will drill, baby, drill!”
Reestablish America as a manufacturing powerhouse
“We possess the largest reserves of oil and gas of any nation on Earth, and we will utilize it.”
Create the External Revenue Service
“We will levy tariffs and taxes on foreign entities to benefit our citizens.”
Establish the Department of Government Efficiency
Immediately end government censorship and restore free speech in America
Reestablish Law and Order in our cities
Abolish government efforts to socially engineer race and gender norms in daily life. Build a society that is merit-based and colorblind.
Reinstate service members dismissed for declining the COVID vaccine, with full compensation
Rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Restore the name of Mount McKinley.
Reclaim the Panama Canal
Stake the Stars and Stripes on Mars
Revoke the electric vehicle mandate
“Together, there is nothing we cannot achieve and no dream beyond our reach.”
He referenced his own political resurgence “as proof that one should never consider anything impossible. In America, the impossible is our specialty.”
This sentiment was accompanied by other calls for unity, especially: “Today is Martin Luther King Day, and in his honor, we will collectively strive to realize his dream. We will make his vision a reality.”
His address should resonate not only with the American populace, who endured four years under the weight of misconceived shame about their nation, but also with fellow Western democracies that have largely forgotten—and, in fact, feel contrite—about ambition, the quest for excellence, and meritocracy for all.
It’s a significant challenge for the nation to rise to—and for Trump himself.
In his subsequent remarks to supporters who were unable to enter the venue, the new president acknowledged the difficulty of resisting the urge to comment on Biden’s final contentious pardons and other last-minute disruptions.
No one can fault him for expressing himself about the entire establishment’s opposition to him in many unjust and misleading ways, which undermined trust in our institutions.
However, fulfilling the promises he made at the start of his presidency will necessitate Trump avoiding the trap of divisiveness.
He has emerged victorious. The American people recognized that, and he should commit to moving forward without taking the bait from his adversaries.
Instead, he must maintain a steadfast focus and rectify the issues that Biden has left in the government, the nation, and abroad.
He should consider the legacy he will create, rather than pursuing past grievances.
We believe he understands this, having learned from his first term, his time away from power, and rebuilding his path—along with the near-catastrophic experience in that Pennsylvania field.
Trump’s second term promises a more statesmanlike presidency, supported by a significantly stronger team to tackle the challenges ahead.
We hope he can rally the nation behind his compelling vision.
