To close the energetic climate of the 2024 election year, 2025 is opened with a new, yet familiar face. President Donald Trump was sworn in as the U.S. 47th president on January 20th, 2025. President Trump served his first term from 2017-2021, but lost the 2020 election to former President Biden. However, he bounced back in the 2024 election after several felony charges and a serious assassination attempt, but with unwavering support from republicans along the way.
President Trump’s inauguration speech was also one for the history books. According to White House official site, his speech lasted thirty minutes long but covered quite the range of topics. During his monumental speech, his main goal became abundantly clear, to protect the rights of citizens, to make America stronger, and to remain courageous. He stated, “Our liberties and nation’s glorious destiny will no longer be denied. And we will immediately restore the integrity, competency, and loyalty of America’s government,” (White House). President Trump also announced new implementations into our government. Some of his more significant policies include the security of the southern border, disabling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) candidacy, and the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency.
President Trump has begun the implementation of his policies since his first day in office, with a significant order that was signed to pardon the almost 1,600 January 6th rioters.This was not the only order signed by President Trump. He has signed many, including a removal from the World Health Organization, an in-person requirement for federal jobs, and the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America as well as Mount Denali to Mount McKinley.
Many opinions on the inauguration have been mixed, and several students shared their anonymous opinions and feelings about the upcoming term. A hopeful student replied, “I feel like it’ll be good for us moving forward, because things will be more cheap for us, which provides better health and taxes… it will be easier for us to pay.” However, some students did not feel as optimistic towards the new era. Another student commented, “Who cares? What’s done is done, it is what it is, we have to live with it.”
While new changes can seem stressful to young Americans, we can put faith in our country’s future and speak up for what we believe in.