Joe Biden took the presidential oath of office during the inauguration ceremony in front of the Capitol in Washington, thereby becoming the 46th leader of the United States. The ceremony was broadcast by the TV channel Nbc…
“I, Joseph Robinette Biden, solemnly vow that I will faithfully fulfill the duties of the President of the United States and will uphold, protect and defend the United States Constitution to the best of my ability,” said the new American President, laying his hand on the Bible.
A few minutes before him, Kamala Harris, who became the first woman vice president of the United States, took the oath.
The ceremony was attended by outgoing Vice President Mike Pence, former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, along with their spouses. The anthem of the United States was performed by Lady Gaga, who went up to the podium in a dress with a fluffy red skirt and a giant brooch in the shape of a dove carrying an olive branch in its beak. In addition, Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks performed at the celebrations.
During his first speech as the 46th President of the United States, Biden stressed that his election was not a triumph for an individual candidate, but for democracy itself. “We learned again that democracy is priceless and fragile, but at this hour, my friends, democracy has triumphed,” the politician said.
He stressed that all his thoughts are now aimed at uniting the nation. “I promise I will be the president of all Americans. I will fight for those who did not support me as hard as for those who were on my side, ”Biden said.
The new American president stressed that the country has “a lot to repair, restore, heal, build and receive.” According to him, America faces many challenges at the same time. These include the attack on American democracy, the raging coronavirus, rising inequality, systemic racism and the climate crisis.
Speaking about the fight against the pandemic, Biden recalled that more Americans have already died from the coronavirus than during World War II. “We will need all our strength to survive this dark winter. We are on the cusp of what could be the most difficult and deadly period of the pandemic, ”Biden said. He urged to forget about political differences and fight COVID-19 as a single nation. The politician also announced a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the coronavirus.
Biden is expected to reverse a number of decisions by his predecessor, Donald Trump, on the first day of his presidency. In particular, Biden will lift restrictions on entry to the United States for citizens of a number of Muslim countries. The new president also plans to stop the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico, begun by his predecessor.
In addition, the politician intends to return to the Paris Climate Agreement, from which Washington withdrew under Trump, and announce the return of the United States to the World Health Organization (WHO), which the country was supposed to leave by early summer by the order of the former president.
Another priority for the new administration will be to return to talks with Iran on rebuilding the nuclear deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The unilateral withdrawal of the Trump administration from the agreement in May 2018 and the imposition of economic sanctions against Tehran have led to a surge in tensions in the Middle East.
Biden also pledged to ensure the adoption of the equality law within 100 days – it prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Contrary to 150 years of tradition, Donald Trump refused to attend the inauguration and left Washington just hours before the celebrations. In the morning, he said goodbye to his supporters at a military airfield in Maryland. He promised that he would continue to fight for their interests and follow what is happening in the country. At the same time, according to him, a bright future awaits the country. He wished success and good luck to the new administration, noting that his government has created all the prerequisites for this.
The politician also listed what he considers to be the key achievements of his administration: the creation of the US space forces, the improvement of the country’s economy and the development of a coronavirus vaccine in record time. “Goodbye. We love you. We’ll be back in one form or another, “Trump said and headed for the plane to the YMCA song.
Whether the politician will be able to return to the Oval Office is an open question. On January 14, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump over the riots in Washington. It was reported that consideration of the issue of impeachment of Trump in the Senate could take place almost immediately after the inauguration of Joe Biden. At the same time, Democrat Chuck Schumer, who became the leader of the majority in the upper house, announced plans to hold a vote on an additional initiative: to ban Trump from holding public office.
The politician is accused of inciting mutiny while addressing supporters at a January 6 rally. After the event, a number of protesters broke into the Capitol, occupied several premises and clashed with the police. Five people were killed, dozens were detained.
From Maryland, Trump headed to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The media reported that the politician intends to keep some White House employees in his subordination even after the end of his term in office. It was noted that Trump’s neighbors in Florida oppose his move to Mar-a-Lago for permanent residence and are trying to prevent this.
