Pres. Donald Trump moves swiftly to implement his new agenda after inauguration

Donald Trump took the presidential oath for a second time at the Capitol.

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Last updated: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 5:03AM GMT
Trump returns to power in historic inauguration
Dignitaries from across Washington and around the world gathered into the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to watch power transfer peacefully from Democratic former President Joe Biden to his Republican successor, Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump returned from a campaign-style rally at a Washington, D.C., arena to the White House to sign more executive orders, including a sweeping one that pardoned those convicted of storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Earlier after taking the oath of office and events at the Capitol, Trump spoke to a roaring crowd at Capital One Arena, where he also signed several executive orders.

Now that he's finished signing the orders, Trump is attending several inaugural balls.

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Jan 20, 2025, 10:40 AM

Photos show inauguration events, preps, protests

From events for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump to excitement from eager attendees and outrage from protesters, here's a look at the most recent photos.

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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

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Jan 20, 2025, 7:52 PM GMT

Trump again airs grievances against Nancy Pelosi, Liz Cheney after pledging 'unity'

After promising 'unity' in his inaugural address, Trump is reverting back to bulldozing political opponents like Nancy Pelosi and Liz Cheney.

"She's guilty as hell," he said of Pelosi over her response to the attack on the U.S. Capitol -- where he was speaking -- buy a pro-Trump mob.

During a speech in the Emancipation Hall, President Donald Trump aired grievances against Nancy Pelosi and Liz Cheney after pledging "unity" in his inaugural address.

He called Liz Cheney, a Republican who endorsed Kamala Harris over Trump because of his actions after the 2020 election, a "disaster."

"She's a crying lunatic and crying, crying Adam Kinzinger, he's a super crier," Trump said.

Jan 20, 2025, 6:41 PM GMT

Trump talks about Jan. 6 'hostages'

In more off-the-cuff remarks inside the Capitol's Emancipation Hall after his address, Trump spoke about people who have been convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as "hostages."

"I was going to talk about the J6 hostages," Trump said. "But you'll be happy because, you know, it's action not words that count."

Trump previously promised to pardon some Jan. 6 rioters on Day 1.

He also went after former Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, two Republican members of the House Jan. 6 Committee who are outspoken critics of Trump because of his actions after the 2020 election.

"And I was going to talk about the things that Joe did today with the pardons of people that were, very, very guilty of very bad crimes, like the Unselect Committee of political thugs," Trump said.

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Jan 20, 2025, 6:18 PM GMT

Biden departs the Capitol

Joe Biden, now the former president, left the Capitol on a Marine helicopter that will bring him to Joint Base Andrews for a final farewell to Washington.

The Bidens and Trumps walked together to the helicopter. Both couples were holding hands.

Biden smiled and appeared to laugh as he spoke to Trump. Jill Biden and Melania Trump hugged as they said goodbye.

This is an exit for Biden after five decades in politics.

Just before he left, Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff entered their own motorcade. She is traveling home to Los Angeles, her office confirmed to ABC News.

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Jan 20, 2025, 6:16 PM GMT

Trump will order the renaming Alaska's Mount Denali and more

A spokeswoman for the transition team says Donald Trump will order the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Mount Denali in his first executive orders.

Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on the social platform X that the Gulf of Mexico will be renamed the Gulf of America and Denali - the highest mountain in North America - will revert to Mount McKinley, its former name until the Obama administration changed it in 2015.

Trump will order a national energy emergency and issue orders aimed at the elimination of federal DEI programs, incoming officials say.

Earlier this month, Trump floated the idea of renaming the body of water that forms the coastline along five southeastern states, saying he felt "Gulf of America" has a "beautiful ring to it."

As president, Trump can take the action to rename the body of water, although other countries don't have to adopt the new name.