The Morning: “Here I am”

Trump's first day. Plus, Gaza, California and publishing in Africa.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 21, 2025 By German Lopez Good morning. We're covering President Trump's first day back in office, as well as Gaza, California and publishing in Africa. Inside the Capitol Rotunda.  Kenny Holston/The New York Times Day 1 A president's second swearing-in is sometimes a low-energy affair — a continuation of the norm. But President Trump signaled yesterday that he was returning with an agenda that is both more sweeping and better vetted than that of his first term. Consider his executive orders. When Trump took office in 2017, he signed one order on Inauguration Day. Yesterday, Trump signed dozens. That difference shows how Trump has transformed since his first term: He and his aides now understand the vast federal bureaucracy and how to use the presidency's full powers. "I have learned a lot along the way," Trump said, referring to the past eight years. Now he wants to get stuff done. In his Inaugural Address, Trump complained about his critics, the border and America's treatment on the world stage. But he also focused — unusually so — on policy specifics. "Inaugural Addresses traditionally aspire to lofty and unifying themes and shy away from details on policies, leaving those for a later day," my colleague Peter Baker wrote. The rest of today's newsletter will cover Trump's first day in office, including his pardons of the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters and the impact of his executive orders. Trump's speech Donald Trump  Kenny Holston/The New York Times Trump declared that "America's decline is over" and that "the golden age of America begins right now." He said a "radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens, while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair." He vowed to fix the country. He promised swift action on the economy, immigration, national security and social issues. He said he would invoke an archaic federal law, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, to eliminate "foreign gangs and criminal networks." Trump repeated a pledge to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, eliciting a laugh from Hillary Clinton. And he said he would restore William McKinley's name to the country's tallest mountain. (The Obama administration renamed it Denali, which is what Alaska's Native population calls it.) He said it was now government policy that there "are only two genders: male and female." His tone was aggressive, a warning to domestic and foreign audiences that America under a more experienced Trump will not take no for an answer, David Sanger writes. Trump made false claims about the Panama Canal and the 2020 election. Here's a fact-check of the speech. The ceremony Elon Musk, center, cheered on Trump during the ceremony. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Because of below-freezing temperatures in Washington, Trump's inauguration took place inside the Capitol Rotunda. The podcaster Joe Rogan sat onstage, as did several tech executives including Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook. This graphic shows who was among Trump's inner circle. "For the many billionaires who bought their way in, it was both a flex and act of public deference to be there," Shawn McCreesh wrote. Read about the awkwardness onstage. Many guests — including Ron DeSantis and the YouTuber Logan Paul — had to sit in an overflow room and watch the ceremony on a screen. Melania Trump wore a black hat with a wide brim. "Whatever she was thinking was impossible to see — by design," our fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman, wrote. The country singer Carrie Underwood performed an a cappella rendition of "America the Beautiful," summoning the crowd to join her after the background music failed to play. Watch the video. See photos of the day's events. Executive actions At the Capital One Arena in Washington. Doug Mills/The New York Times Trump signed a handful of executive actions onstage at a Washington arena as supporters cheered him on. He signed dozens more throughout the day. They covered a range of campaign issues: Immigration. Trump declared a national emergency over the U.S.-Mexico border, which unlocks federal funds to build the border wall and turn back more migrants. He also put restrictions on asylum and made border security a military priority. And he moved to end birthright citizenship, a right that the Constitution guarantees. Tariffs and trade. Trump directed federal agencies to investigate potentially unfair trade practices. He also called for an assessment of previous trade deals, particularly those with China, Mexico and Canada. And he moved to create a new agency, the External Revenue Service, to collect tariffs. Trump has not yet imposed new tariffs. Energy and the environment. Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement, an international climate pact. He declared a national energy emergency and eased regulations to allow more domestic oil and gas production. TikTok. Trump stalled enforcement of a ban on TikTok for at least 75 days, giving ByteDance, the app's Chinese owner, more time to find a way to stay in the country. In the meantime, TikTok will stay online. Other issues. Trump ended remote work for federal employees and froze most federal hiring. And he withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization. Some of Trump's actions are likely to invite the kinds of legal challenges that often stifled him during his first term. Already, the A.C.L.U. and immigrants' rights groups have filed a lawsuit over the effort to end birthright citizenship. One question is whether his team is better prepared to defend his policies. You can find the full list of executive orders here. Jan. 6 pardons Trump granted clemency to all the nearly 1,600 people charged over the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He pardoned Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader, and he commuted the sentence of Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers militia. "An unspeakably joyous, happy day": Dozens of people celebrated the pardons outside a jail in Washington. With the stroke of a pen, Trump erased the biggest and most complex investigation in Justice Department history, Glenn Thrush wrote. More coverage Hours before the end of his term, Joe Biden issued protective pardons for several people the Trump administration might prosecute. The list included Anthony Fauci, House members who investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and members of the Biden family. JD Vance, 40, took his oath as the youngest U.S. vice president in over 70 years. Trump has brought back his reality-show spectacle, our TV critic wrote. Trump's supporters filled Washington's streets with a sense of triumph and gloating. Vivek Ramaswamy quit as co-leader of what Trump has labeled the Department of Government Efficiency. He plans to run for governor of Ohio, and he also had tensions with Elon Musk. Jon Stewart and the other late night hosts discussed the inauguration. THE LATEST NEWS Gaza Cease-Fire In Jabaliya, Gaza. Abed Hajjar/Associated Press The cease-fire let Gazans return to their homes. Many are sifting through wreckage. Many Israelis feel conflicted about the cease-fire deal: More than 30 hostages will likely be freed, but Hamas could now remain in power in Gaza. Israel's defense minister told the military to prevent mass celebrations in the West Bank as Palestinian prisoners are released. A senior Hamas official said the group was open to improving its relationship with the U.S. California Fires Southern California is braced for powerful winds. Officials say they are now better prepared for extreme fire danger. The lead content of Los Angeles' air reached 100 times its normal level as the fires consumed old pipes and paint. One Altadena couple found help from a local expert to save their pets of 25 years: five koi fish. Other Big Stories Waiting to cross into Venezuela. Schneyder Mendoza/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images In Colombia, clashes between two rival armed groups have killed at least 80 people and forced thousands to flee. An Indian court gave a life sentence to a man convicted of raping and murdering a trainee doctor in Kolkata. Her killing inspired national outrage. A winter storm in the southeastern U.S. brought sleet and snow to the Gulf Coast. Opinions Trump's talk of manifest destiny legitimizes a world order in which might makes right, Greg Grandin writes. The billionaire class's alliance with Trump is likely to shift government policy to its narrow interests. The economy will suffer, Filipe Campante and Raymond Fisman argue. Here's a column by Maureen Dowd on Trump's Inaugural Address. Receive free access to handpicked articles via text message. Now you can get Times journalism sent right to your phone. Each article will be accessible for 30 days. Sign up now MORNING READS Partisan Coffee Shop in Paris. Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times Barista battle: Specialty coffee shops are competing with traditional cafes in Paris. Ask Vanessa: "How can I get out of my leggings rut?" Skin care: LED face masks are all over the internet. Do they actually work? Lives Lived: Cecile Richards was a former president of Planned Parenthood and among the nation's best-known defenders of abortion rights. She died at 67. SPORTS Tennis: Coco Gauff is out of the Australian Open after an upset quarterfinal loss against Paula Badosa of Spain. College football: Ohio State beat Notre Dame, 34-23, and won its seventh national title. It is the first champion of the 12-team playoff era. N.F.L.: The Chicago Bears will hire the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, as their head coach. ARTS AND IDEAS Zukiswa Wanner Brian Otieno for The New York Times For years, African writers had to look abroad for success, through a book deal in New York, London or Paris. But now, publishers, literary magazines and bookstores in Africa have created their own robust literary world. "The West is not discovering us," said Zukiswa Wanner, a South African writer. "We are discovering us and then telling our stories and then saying to the West, 'Well, this is us.'" More on culture The Nobel Laureate Han Kang's latest novel is about a South Korean massacre. It explores why atrocities must be remembered. Two early drafts of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" sold at auction for more than $500,000. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth. Make a tasty, good-for-you green smoothie. Use a delicious floss. Boost work-from-home productivity. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was wildcat. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — German Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018