On Jan. 20, President Donald J. Trump was sworn in for his second term as the 47th President of the United States. In his inauguration speech, Trump promised the start of a “golden age” for the country, focusing on national sovereignty, economic revival, and unity.
The ceremony was attended by prominent political leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, former Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. The event marked Trump’s return to the presidency after his first term as the 45th President.
Challenges and promises for reform
Trump began by addressing what he called a "crisis of trust" in the government, accusing past administrations of corruption and mismanagement. He stated, “Our government cannot manage even a simple crisis at home while stumbling into catastrophic events abroad.”
Trump pledged to reverse these failures through sweeping reforms in justice, public health, education, and border security. Declaring Jan. 20 as “Liberation Day,” he proclaimed, “From this moment on, America’s decline is over,” and promised to restore faith in government institutions.
Trump outlined a series of immediate actions aimed at addressing critical national issues. Among these were declaring a national emergency at the southern border, reinstating the remain in Mexico policy, and deploying troops to combat illegal immigration. “All illegal entry will immediately be halted,” he declared.
On energy, Trump vowed to restore traditional fossil fuel production, stating, “We will drill, baby, drill.” He announced the revocation of the Green New Deal and the elimination of electric vehicle mandates, promising, “You’ll be able to buy the car of your choice.”
He also introduced plans to create an External Revenue Service to impose tariffs on foreign nations, ensuring that revenue would directly benefit American citizens. Other measures included the establishment of a Department of Government Efficiency, reinstatement of dismissed military personnel with back pay, and official recognition of two genders: male and female.
Criticism of government priorities
Trump criticized prior administrations for focusing on foreign issues while neglecting domestic needs. He cited failures in disaster response, pointing to ongoing struggles in North Carolina and California. “Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency,” he said, vowing to improve disaster management but disregarding the threats of climate change.
He also addressed the economy, blaming record inflation on massive overspending and escalating energy prices. To tackle this, Trump pledged to lower inflation, reduce energy costs, and bring back manufacturing jobs.
Symbolic initiatives, such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and restoring Mount McKinley’s original name, were also announced to underscore his focus on American heritage.
Personal reflections and calls for unity
In a personal moment, Trump referenced an assassination attempt he survived last year, attributing his survival to divine intervention. “An assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear, but I was saved by God to make America great again,” he said.
He spoke about the need for national unity and expressed gratitude for the support he received from diverse communities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics. Speaking on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Trump pledged to honor King’s vision of equality and unity while working to bring Americans together.
Trump outlined ambitious plans for the country’s future, including landing astronauts on Mars, expanding the nation’s global influence, and restoring America’s role as a global leader. He emphasized that the nation’s history of resilience and innovation would drive its success, declaring, “The future is ours, and our golden age has just begun.”
Key takeaways for the Philippines
Meanwhile, Trump's policy on government efficiency involves a freeze of US foreign assistance, as reported by the Philippine News Agency on Jan. 25.
The directive would pause foreign development assistance for 90 days and will remain under review for realignment with his foreign policy. The US is a major donor for development assistance in the Philippines—with donations around $147.7 million in 2023.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega said that the said “freezing is not a permanent freeze,” citing that the US remains a major trading partner and the “freeze would not severely affect the country.”
Furthermore, Philippine business newspaper BusinessWorld reported on Jan. 22 that the Philippines might benefit from lower energy prices from Trump’s policies on domestic oil production. However, concerns over US inflation from his protectionist measures could potentially affect US-Philippine trade relations.
China Bank Capital Corp. Managing Director Juan Paolo E. Colet said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld that, “[a] sustained increase in US inflation would very likely push the Federal Reserve into a hawkish policy stance, which could in turn weaken the peso and limit the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) room for interest rate cut.”
With regards to Trump’s immigration directives, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said there are around 350,000 FIlipinos staying in the US illegally. “The major concern is those who have been here for many, many years and already have families, jobs and everything,” he said on ANC Headstart.
Romualdez said that they are seeking the assistance of the Filipino-American community to provide advice to Filipinos on their legal rights. "Yung mga nandito na for 10 years, nagtatrabaho na, they have established themselves….’yun meron pang pag-asa for permanent status.”
He added that the embassy is making arrangements for an in-person meeting between Trump and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the near future.
President Trump’s speech set a tone of ambition and determination, outlining policies aimed at revitalizing the nation’s economy, security, and unity. However, there were pertinent issues he left out such as the conflict in Ukraine as well as China. While supporters praised his bold vision, critics questioned the practicality of his proposals.
As he began his second term, Trump promised transformational changes to “restore America’s promise” and lead the country into a new era of prosperity and strength. But in his quest to “make America great again,” the implications of his policies to the rest of the world remain uncertain.
