President Donald Trump was inaugurated for the second time on Monday.
The inauguration began the day on a historic note, with the event being moved indoors owing to cold weather. Notable incidents occurred throughout the day, from Trump’s heated address just after being sworn in to an audio mistake that unintentionally transformed into a joint singing effort.
Here are the five best moments from Trump’s second inauguration.
Trump brings in the ‘Golden Age of America,’ bashes Biden-Harris administration in inaugural speech.
“The golden age of America begins right now,” Trump declared immediately after being inaugurated in. “From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.”
Trump began his first formal speech as president by declaring that the United States will be “the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.”
The president slammed the Biden-Harris administration while the previous president and vice president looked on. Trump attacked the “vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government” and accused the country of being run by “a radical and corrupt establishment.”
“While the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair, we now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home,” Mr. Trump said.
Trump attacked the Biden administration’s response to major national disasters, such as storm damage in North Carolina and recent wildfires in California.
“January 20th, 2025, is Liberation Day,” Trump declared. “It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country.”
The inaugural ball circuit
Trump and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, performed their first dance as POTUS and FLOTUS Monday night at the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The president performed an impressive spin during the dance.
Melania Trump wore a white, strapless gown with black accents after a long day of inaugural celebrations. She accessorized the garment with a black necklace.
Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, also joined Trump and Melania onstage for a brief dance before exchanging partners with military personnel.
Trump attended two more balls: the Liberty Ball and the Starlight Ball.
From the finest to worst dressed: Melania Trump and Sen. John Fetterman draw attention to their wardrobe choices.
Melania Trump, the first lady, dressed appropriately for her husband’s second inauguration ceremony. Melania was photographed wearing a bespoke Adam Lippes double-breasted blue coat and a matching boater hat created by Eric Javits on her way to a service at St. John’s Church on Inauguration Day, according to Page Six.
Social media users raced to X, previously Twitter, to complement the first lady on her inauguration outfit, with many describing it as “elegant” and “classy.”
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, on the other hand, dressed in a somewhat warmer-weather attire for the inaugural event. Fetterman was observed arriving at Capitol Hill wearing gray workout shorts, a dark sweater, and sneakers.
Given the cold weather on Monday, the senator’s outfit garnered notice as well. Trump’s second inauguration was notable as the coldest presidential inaugural event in more than 40 years.
Trump’s awful kiss attempt on Melania
Trump attempted to kiss Melania moments before his swearing-in after entering the Capitol Rotunda, resulting in an embarrassing air kiss.
When Trump and Melania entered the building, they were flanked by previous presidents and their wives, as well as Cabinet nominees, foreign dignitaries, and other prominent visitors. Trump went forward to kiss Melania on the cheek, but her hat got in the way.
They eventually decided on an air kiss.
Carrie Underwood sings a cappella following a musical disaster.
Country singer Carrie Underwood demonstrated her professionalism during her version of “America the Beautiful” following a technical hitch with the music.
As she was introduced, Underwood received a wave of applause. Once on stage, Underwood calmly waited for the instrumentals to begin, which never happened.
“If you know the words, help me out here,” she finally offered, before breaking into an a cappella rendition of the song.
The crowd, including the previous president and vice president, participated in singing the song.
Before leaving the meeting, Underwood shook Biden’s hand and had a few words with Trump and Vice President Vance.
