Tuesday | January 21, 2025
Donald Trump on Monday reignited his presidency with a bold and fast-paced start, declaring a new American “Golden Age.” Just hours into his term, he consolidated power, wielding significant executive authority to dismantle large portions of Joe Biden’s legacy. Trump signaled a determination to learn from the shortcomings of his first term and achieve a transformational presidency.
With a single stroke of his signature black Sharpie, Trump pardoned hundreds of individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He also launched his promised immigration crackdown and border security initiatives while welcoming billionaire tech leaders into his close political circle.
The new president caused immediate concern abroad with impulsive foreign policy decisions, marking a sharp departure from the internationalist approach adopted by most U.S. presidents since World War II. His actions signaled a return to the America-first agenda that defined his earlier presidency.
In a lively press conference from the Oval Office, Trump showcased his ability to dominate narratives and steer geopolitical developments in real-time, a stark contrast to the perceived limitations of Biden in his later years. He presented the image of a confident leader, drawing on lessons from his first term and determined to maximize the opportunities of a second chance in office.
Trump infused the pomp of Inauguration Day with a heavy dose of rally-style grievance politics, a torrent of untruths, and an increasingly messianic sense of his own authority—raising concerns for the future of the rule of law. In addition to his inaugural address, several rambling and vindictive speeches underscored a familiar challenge from his first term: the struggle to prioritize meaningful governance over attention-grabbing theatrics.
Despite the spectacle of signing numerous executive orders, the first legal challenges emerged almost immediately, foreshadowing fierce political battles ahead. To cement a lasting legacy, Trump’s second term will require more than executive actions; it will depend on navigating legislation through a narrowly Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Without substantive legislative achievements, much of Monday’s initiatives could be undone by a future Democratic president, mirroring Trump’s swift reversal of Biden’s policies.
Seeing Trump seated once again behind the Resolute Desk in the hastily redecorated Oval Office carried an air of surrealism, as if the past four years had been a mere interlude. On a day filled with lofty rhetoric, sweeping displays of executive power, and jubilant celebrations at MAGA inauguration balls lasting late into the freezing night, these moments captured the key developments of his dramatic return to power.
Emptying the jails of January 6 prisoners
In a move both shocking in scale and deeply troubling for the principle of equal justice, Trump issued blanket pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 riot. Mere hours after taking an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, he drew no distinction between those guilty of assaulting police officers and those who entered the Capitol without committing violent offenses. Among those pardoned were prominent extremists, including leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
This unprecedented act underscored how a president who rises to power following an attack on democracy can not only defy justice but also absolve their allies of accountability. By legitimizing violence as a form of political expression, Trump’s decision further eroded American democracy and sent a chilling message: those who commit crimes in his name may do so with impunity.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the pardons, calling them “an outrageous insult to our justice system and to the heroes who bore physical and emotional scars while defending the Capitol, the Congress, and the Constitution.”
Presidential pardon power has jumped the shark
Trump wasn’t the only president accused of misusing the pardon power. Before leaving office, Joe Biden issued sweeping preemptive pardons to several public figures, including former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, and lawmakers and staff involved in the House committee investigating the Capitol riot. Biden justified the move as a safeguard against Trump’s promises of retribution, claiming his actions protected innocent individuals. However, the pardons stained Biden’s reputation, undermining his pledge to restore the Justice Department’s integrity—especially after he pardoned his son Hunter despite prior assurances he wouldn’t.
In the final moments of his term, Biden created further controversy by extending preemptive pardons to family members, including his brothers James and Francis and his sister Valerie. While insisting they had done nothing wrong, Biden argued that simply being investigated could harm their reputations and finances irreparably.
While presidents wield broad pardon powers for federal cases, Biden’s widespread use of preemptive pardons set a concerning precedent. It opens the door for future presidents to encourage associates or relatives to break the law with the assurance of clemency at the end of a term. This practice could lead to an unprecedented expansion of presidential authority, far beyond what the Founders intended, and risks fueling corruption at the highest levels of government.
Trump quickly seized on this implication. “From now on, every president, when they leave office, will pardon everyone they know,” he told reporters.
Immigration transformation
No issue has defined Trump’s political rise more than his inflammatory and exaggerated claims about undocumented immigration overwhelming America. In the 2024 campaign, he capitalized on Biden’s inability to effectively manage a border crisis earlier in his presidency.
On Monday, Trump took sweeping executive action to assert new authority, declaring a national emergency at the southern border. He ended the use of an app that facilitated legal entry for migrants and initiated steps to end birthright citizenship, igniting a contentious legal and constitutional battle. Additionally, he suspended refugee resettlement for four months, signaling a hardline stance on immigration.
Trump dismissed senior Justice Department officials overseeing immigration courts and pledged in his inaugural address to deploy troops to the border. When pressed by reporters, he refused to specify the timing of enforcement raids expected to provoke confrontations with Democratic-led cities, a move seemingly intended to sow fear and uncertainty.
Despite his aggressive measures, Trump’s ambitions for mass deportations cannot be achieved through executive actions alone. To fund and implement his sweeping immigration agenda, he will need to navigate a sharply divided Congress, where securing support will be a significant challenge.
Fulfilling campaign promises
Trump moved swiftly to deliver on a series of campaign promises that thrilled his MAGA base but risked alienating and stigmatizing other Americans. Among his actions, he reversed Biden-era protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation and eliminated diversity programs across the federal government.
One notable change was implemented at the State Department, which now requires passport and visa applicants to list their sex as it appears on official records, effectively rolling back policies allowing for self-identification.
The tech bros are in the House
Elon Musk beat the new president to the White House. The owner of X and SpaceX, both of which hold significant federal contracts, arrived while Trump was watching his indoor inaugural parade at Washington’s Capital One Arena. Musk is poised to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency, created through one of Trump’s first executive actions.
Earlier in the day, Musk, along with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, joined Trump at a pre-inauguration service and held prominent positions during the inauguration ceremony.
Their presence marked a dramatic shift, as Silicon Valley leaders pivoted from their traditional alignment with Democrats to embrace Trump. The president later justified their involvement, arguing that leveraging their expertise was vital for advancing American interests in a fiercely competitive global landscape.
While their contributions could indeed prove valuable, their newfound proximity to power raises serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest. These tech titans control platforms that shape the flow of information for millions of Americans, and their incentives to align with Trump could significantly influence how that information is curated and presented.
Global shockwaves
Trump has returned to unsettling global leaders with his unpredictable approach to foreign policy.
In a freewheeling Oval Office news conference, he announced bold and controversial proposals, including a demand for NATO members to more than double their defense spending commitments to 5% of GDP. This figure is unattainable for many allies grappling with economic challenges and maintaining extensive welfare systems—and even the U.S. doesn’t allocate that much. While likely a negotiating tactic, it’s clear Europe is back in Trump’s crosshairs.
Trump also reignited tensions over the Panama Canal, calling its transfer of sovereignty a “foolish gift.” He falsely claimed, “China is operating the Panama Canal,” adding, “We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.”
Further escalating his rhetoric, he designated Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and refused to rule out the possibility of deploying U.S. special forces in Mexico—a move fraught with risk and potential international backlash.
In a provocative twist, Trump suggested he would prioritize his first foreign visit based on which nation, such as Saudi Arabia, committed $500 million in purchases of U.S. goods, effectively turning diplomacy into a bidding war.
Finally, in a calculated pressure campaign, Trump challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek a peace deal in Ukraine, saying the ongoing war “does not make him look very good.” The remark signaled an effort to push Russia toward negotiation, though its impact remains uncertain.
‘Beautiful tariffs’
One action Trump held off on—for now—was imposing sweeping new tariffs on foreign trading partners, likely to avoid unsettling financial markets, despite previously declaring tariffs as the most “beautiful word.” However, he announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada starting February 1, raising the specter of a continental trade war.
While he refrained from specifying a date for tariffs on China, Trump confirmed he had received an invitation to visit Beijing. This suggests he views the threat of tariffs as a bargaining chip to strengthen his hand in any negotiations during the potential trip.
Trump continued to make the false claim that tariffs would generate massive revenue for the U.S., despite the economic reality that their costs are primarily borne by American consumers. The risk of tariffs driving inflation and increasing prices for essentials like food, housing, and gasoline may also be causing hesitation.
If Trump cannot address these economic concerns, which played a significant role in his 2024 election victory, the aggressive display of executive power he showcased on Monday could ultimately amount to little.