Donald Trump Returns to the White House, Declares “Golden Age”

In a spectacle of political déjà vu, Donald J. Trump was sworn in Monday as the 47th president of the United States, marking a historic return to power. Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath inside the Capitol Rotunda, with Vice President J.D. Vance taking his own oath moments earlier. Trump wasted no time signaling a dramatic pivot, outlining a blitz of controversial policies in his 29-minute Inaugural Address.

“The golden age of America begins right now,” Trump declared, framing his election as a mandate to “reverse a horrible betrayal.” His speech, reminiscent of the 2017 “American carnage” address, doubled down on grim portrayals of a nation in decline and promised bold, if polarizing, solutions.

Among his proposals: sweeping tariffs, a newly minted "External Revenue Service," military enforcement at the border, and the audacious pledge to seize the Panama Canal. Trump even floated renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America," which is sure to delight cartographers everywhere.

Trump’s administration plans to hit the ground running, with up to 100 executive orders reportedly ready to go. These include crackdowns on illegal immigration, pardons for January 6th rioters, and the rollback of diversity and equity initiatives. It’s a to-do list as ambitious as it is divisive, guaranteeing immediate fireworks on Capitol Hill.

At 78, Trump makes history as the oldest president ever inaugurated, while Vance, 40, becomes one of the youngest vice presidents. Trump also joins Grover Cleveland in the exclusive club of presidents who staged a nonconsecutive comeback, though Cleveland never promised to “take back” the Panama Canal.

Vindicated by voters despite his legal and political baggage, Trump’s return sets the stage for a presidency as unconventional as his first and possibly even more confrontational. Deja vu all over again