Donald Trump Says 'Golden Age of America Begins Right Now' in Inaugural Address: All His Major Claims and Pledges

Mar. 15, 2025

President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025.Photo:Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Donald Trumpaddressed the American people on Monday, Jan. 20,after being sworn into officefor a second term as president of the United States.

“From this moment on, America’s decline is over," Trump, 78, declaredin the U.S. Capitol rotundaearly in his inaugural speech, shifting away fromthe civil tonethat he and PresidentJoe Bidenmanaged to strike throughout the morning.

President Donald Trump celebrates after he is sworn in as the 47th U.S. president.Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty

Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty

In a speech lasting more than 30 minutes, the newly inaugurated 47th president discussed a range of topics, previewing his day one goals and wading into some of the culture wars that propelled him to the White House once again.

The remarks — which teetered between a campaign rally speech and a partisan State of the Union-like address — focused less on a unification message and more on rebuking Biden’s administration while his predecessor sat feet away.

He also reiterated his goal torename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of Americaand added that he would change the name of Mount Denali in Alaska back to its former nickname, Mount McKinley. Eliciting a thumbs up from SpaceX CEOElon Musk, Trump also announced his intent to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.”

He concluded his speech with the idea that a new era is coming, saying, “Our golden age has just begun.”

The inaugural stage in the Capitol rotunda on Jan. 20, 2025.Andrew Harnik/Getty

Andrew Harnik/Getty

Among the notable figures in attendance at the U.S. Capitol were now-former President Biden, former Vice PresidentKamala Harris— who lost to Trump in the2024 election— and their spouses, former first ladyJill Bidenand former second gentlemanDoug Emhoff.

Other prominent guests included former PresidentsBarack ObamaandGeorge W. Bush, alongside the latter’s wife,Laura Bush. Additionally, several of Trump’s well-known colleagues were present, including tech moguls Elon Musk,Mark ZuckerbergandJeff Bezos.

Notably absent from the event were former House SpeakerNancy Pelosiand former first ladyMichelle Obama.

“There’s no overstating her feelings about [Trump]. She’s not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocol’s sake,” a source previously told PEOPLE, explaining why Obama chose not to attend the inauguration.

Elon Musk, seated beside several other tech CEOs, attends Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.Kevin Lamarque - Pool/Getty

Kevin Lamarque - Pool/Getty

Trump’s 2017 inaugural speech was highly contested, with manycomparingone line to a quote from a Batman supervillain.

“Today, we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people,” Trump said in his first inauguration address, eight years ago.

The line was likened to a famous moment inThe Dark Knight Rises, when the villain Bane declares to Gotham City: “We take Gotham from the corrupt! The rich! The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity, and we give it back to you, the people.”

Leaving office in 2021 amid aglobal pandemicandpolitical unrest, Trump became the first elected president in 150 years not to stand behind his successor, Biden, during his inauguration and was absent from the ceremonies.

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Now reentering office, Trump has a higher popularity rating than his historically low one in 2017, according to aCNN poll. There is a close split between favorable (46%) and unfavorable (48%) opinions of Trump, personally.

source: people.com