FIRST SPEECH

Donald Trump Rails Against ‘American Carnage’ in Populist Inaugural Speech

Repeats “America first” theme of his campaign during inaugural address.

Upon taking office Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump struck a distinctly populist tone in his inauguration speech, railing against the “establishment,” the outsourcing of American jobs, and the “American carnage” of inner-city crime and violence. “From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land,” Trump declared. “From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first.” He repeated the protectionist economic themes of his presidential campaign, lamenting how “politicians prospered but the jobs left and the factories closed,” and railing against the “ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs.” Additionally, he declared, under his leadership the United States will “eradicate completely” radical Islamic terror “from the face of the earth.” He concluded his relatively short speech with a familiar line from his campaign speeches: “Together we will make America strong again; we will make America wealthy again; we will make America proud again; we will make America safe again; and, yes, together, we will make America great again.”