WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Donald Trump, who overcame , and a pair of to win another term in the White House, was sworn in Monday as the 47th U.S. president, taking charge as Republicans claim unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country鈥檚 institutions.
Trump鈥檚 swearing-in ceremony moved indoors due to . After being inaugurated, he attended a parade in his honor at Capital One Arena and signed a number of executive orders and pardons for his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Here's the latest:
South Korea's acting leader hopes for improved bilateral ties
South Korea鈥檚 acting leader, Choi Sang-mok, has expressed hopes that the Trump administration鈥檚 inauguration would serve as a chance for bilateral ties to develop reciprocally.
Choi ordered officials on Tuesday to pursue boosted high-level communications with the new U.S. government and strive to improve bilateral relations based on the decades-long military alliance between the two countries.
In a separate meeting, Choi cited worries that trade policies by the Trump government could cause 鈥渃onsiderable effects鈥� on South Korea鈥檚 export-driven economy. He said the government will mobilize all available resources to respond to changes in the trade environment and improve the local economy.
In a message posted on the social platform X, Choi congratulated Trump, saying that 鈥淭he Republic of Korea looks forward to Making the Alliance Great Again in the 47th presidency, as we have during the 45th.鈥�
Terrorism designation on Cuba is an act of 鈥榓rrogance,鈥� Cuban president says
Cuban president says Trump鈥檚 decision to redesignate Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism is an act of 鈥渁rrogance and contempt for the truth.鈥�
鈥淚t is not surprising. His goal is to continue strengthening the cruel economic war against Cuba for the purpose of domination,鈥� Cuban President Miguel D铆az-Canel said on the social platform X.
D铆az-Canel said that being on the list, along with the U.S. embargo, is one of the reasons behind the 鈥渟hortages鈥� on the island that are driving people to immigrate to the U.S. territory.
Trump on Monday reversed an executive order issued by Biden that had lifted the designation.
The world鈥檚 richest men had reserved seats at the inauguration
Some of the most exclusive seats at were reserved for who also happen to be among the world鈥檚 richest men.
That鈥檚 a shift from tradition, especially for a president who has characterized himself as a . Seats so close to the president are usually reserved for the president鈥檚 family, past presidents and other honored guests.
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Attorney for former Proud Boys chairman says his client's pardon is a 鈥榯urning point鈥�
Nayib Hassan, an attorney for former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio, said in a statement that his client鈥檚 pardon 鈥渟ymbolizes a turning point for our nation.鈥�
鈥淭hroughout this journey, we have steadfastly maintained that the charges and the subsequent prosecution were politically motivated, and today, with President Trump鈥檚 act of clemency, that long-fought battle concludes,鈥� Hassan said.
鈥楾hanks America,鈥� DC officer says
Metropolitan police officer Daniel Hodges, who was nearly crushed in a doorway while defending the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, posted a message on social media that he learned about Trump鈥檚 mass pardons of rioters after working all day to ensure that Monday鈥檚 inauguration was 鈥渟ecure and peaceful.鈥�
鈥淭hanks America,鈥� he wrote.
Trump signs memorandum allowing security clearances for some aides
Trump signed an memorandum allowing his White House counsel to grant interim six-month security clearances 鈥� including access to the highest levels of government information 鈥� to some aides whose federal background checks are pending.
Trump delayed in signing an agreement with the outgoing Biden administration last year that would have enabled the FBI to begin processing those clearances faster. Trump鈥檚 memo directs that they be granted access to federal property, technology and information immediately.
Trump raises possibility of invoking wartime power act to deport gang members
Trump is raising the possibility of invoking a wartime power act for the first time since World War II to deport gang members who are deemed members of a foreign terrorist organization.
He is directing the Homeland Security and Justice departments to prepare for him to use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the president to detain or deport any noncitizen from a country considered an enemy of the U.S.
The law has been invoked only three times: during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II. It was last was used to detain Japanese citizens following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Trump鈥檚 executive order paves the way for criminal organizations such as Tren de Aragua or MS-13 to be named 鈥渇oreign terrorist organizations.鈥�
鈥淭he Cartels functionally control, through a campaign of assassination, terror, rape, and brute force nearly all illegal traffic across the southern border of the United States,鈥� the order reads.
Trump signs order halting offshore wind expansion
Trump signed an executive order halting offshore wind lease sales and pausing the issuance of approvals, permits and loans for onshore and offshore wind projects.
Trump鈥檚 order says the interior secretary will review federal wind leasing and permitting practices. The assessment will consider the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects, the economic costs associated with the intermittent generation of electricity and the effect of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry, the order states.
Trump wants to increase drilling for oil and gas and has been hostile to renewable energy, particularly offshore wind.
Taiwanese president congratulates Trump and Vance
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te congratulated Trump and Vance on their inauguration in a message on the social platform X.
鈥淭aiwan looks forward to working with your administration to promote enduring freedom, peace & prosperity around the world,鈥� the statement read. 鈥淲e wish you great success in the years ahead.鈥�
The U.S. is Taiwan鈥檚 largest unofficial backer and arms provider. The government in Taipei hopes the Trump administration will continue to offer its support in the face of annexation threats from China, which considers the self-ruled island its own territory and threatens to take it over, by force if necessary.
Trump directs attorney general to help states get lethal injection drugs
Trump has signed a sweeping execution order on the death penalty, directing the attorney general to 鈥渢ake all necessary and lawful action鈥� to ensure that states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions.
Trump wrote that 鈥減oliticians and judges who oppose capital punishment have defied and subverted the laws of our country.鈥�
A moratorium on federal executions had , and only three defendants remain on federal death row after Biden converted 37 of their sentences to life in prison.
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Trump is not confident ceasefire in Gaza will hold
Trump said Hamas is weakened, but he鈥檚 hardly certain that the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas will hold.
鈥淚鈥檓 not confident,鈥� Trump told reporters. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not our war. It鈥檚 their war.鈥�
He said his administration 鈥渕ight鈥� help rebuild Gaza, which he compared to a 鈥渕assive demolition site.鈥�
鈥淪ome beautiful things could be done with it,鈥� said Trump, the real estate developer turned commander in chief, noting the territory鈥檚 coastline and 鈥減henomenal鈥� weather and location. 鈥淪ome fantastic things could be done with Gaza. Some beautiful things could be done with Gaza.鈥�
Trump suspends US foreign assistance for 90 days pending reviews
Trump has signed an executive order temporarily suspending all U.S. foreign assistance programs for 90 days pending reviews to determine whether they are aligned with his policy goals.
It was not immediately clear how much assistance would be initially affected by the order. Funding for many programs has already been appropriated by Congress and obligated to be spent, if not already spent.
Republicans want local police to cooperate with immigration authorities
The majority of U.S. adults think local police in their community should cooperate with federal immigration authorities to deport people who are in the country illegally at least some of the time, according to a January AP-NORC poll. Americans are more likely to say cooperation should happen in some cases but not others than they are to support cooperation across the board.
About 4 in 10 Americans say local police 鈥渟hould always cooperate,鈥� and about half say they 鈥渟hould cooperate in some cases.鈥� Only about 1 in 10 say the local police in their community should never cooperate in these circumstances.
Republicans are especially likely to want cooperation all of the time. About two-thirds of Republicans say local police should always cooperate. Only about one-third of independents and one-quarter of Democrats agree.
Trump immigration order restores 2017 deportation criteria
One of Trump鈥檚 more impactful orders on immigration simply restores what was in place when he took office in 2017.
Trump wants to end federal grants to 鈥渟anctuary鈥� jurisdictions, or state and local governments that limit cooperation with immigration authorities. The White House maintains that sanctuaries are breaking a law that forbids interfering with federal law enforcement officers.
He also wants negotiations with state and local governments to deputize local police to enforce immigration laws, known as 287(g) agreements after a section of a 1996 immigration law.
The order restores deportation criteria to pursue everyone in the country illegally, not just those with serious criminal records, those deemed national security or public safety threats, and those who recently crossed the border.
Congressional Republican leaders are heading to the White House
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are tentatively heading to the White House on Tuesday to meet with Trump.
That鈥檚 according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss them. The plans were first reported by Axios.
It鈥檚 not clear if other Republican leaders are joining for what is expected to be an afternoon meeting.
鈥楴o legitimate rationale鈥� to cut federal workforce, union head says
The president of a government employees labor union says there鈥檚 鈥渘o legitimate rationale鈥� to cut the size of the federal workforce.
Everett Kelley spoke out Monday in response to Trump鈥檚 executive order freezing government hiring.
鈥淢ake no mistake 鈥� this action is not about making the federal government run more efficiently but rather is about sowing chaos and targeting a group of patriotic Americans that President Trump openly calls crooked and dishonest,鈥� said Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees labor union.
AFGE is the largest federal workers union, representing 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers.
Pelosi calls pardons for Jan. 6 defendants 鈥榮hameful鈥�
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said Trump鈥檚 actions to pardon and commute sentences of those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capito; attack are 鈥渟hameful.鈥�
鈥淭he President鈥檚 actions are an outrageous insult to our justice system and the heroes who suffered physical scars and emotional trauma as they protected the Capitol, the Congress and the Constitution,鈥� Pelosi said in a statement. 鈥淚t is shameful that the President has decided to make one of his top priorities the abandonment and betrayal of police officers who put their lives on the line to stop an attempt to subvert the peaceful transfer of power.鈥�
She said that despite Trump鈥檚 decision, the country must remember the 鈥渆xtraordinary courage and valor of the law enforcement heroes who stood in the breach and ensured that democracy survived on that dark day.鈥�
Trump praises Bill Clinton鈥檚 鈥榞reat political sense鈥�
As he sat down to sign executive orders, Trump was asked which former president he would call for advice.
He responded that Bill Clinton was a 鈥渧ery interesting politician鈥� and said he had a 鈥済reat political sense.鈥�
Trump said Clinton was 鈥渄isrespected鈥� and 鈥渘ot used properly.鈥�
Trump was also asked about his friendly chat with former President Barack Obama during former President Jimmy Carter鈥檚 state funeral.
鈥淲e were having some crazy conversations,鈥� he said.
Trump moves to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization 鈥� again
Trump has signed an executive order beginning the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
It was the second time in less than five years that he鈥檚 ordered the country to withdraw from the organization, despite it being a move many scientists fear could roll back decadeslong gains made in fighting infectious diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Experts also warn it could weaken the world鈥檚 defenses against dangerous new outbreaks capable of triggering pandemics.
Trump vs. Biden
The contrast couldn鈥檛 be more dramatic.
Trump is continuing to riff and answer questions from reporters in the Oval Office as he signs another round of executive action.
He鈥檚 been joking and opining on everything from foreign policy to drones to the way he鈥檚 redecorated the ornate room and seems at ease and supremely confident.
Biden was known to rarely engage with reporters at length.
Trump says he鈥檒l talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin soon
鈥淢ost people thought that war would have been over in one week,鈥� Trump said of Russia鈥檚 nearly three-year war on Ukraine. He added, 鈥淚 think he鈥檇 be very well off to end that war.鈥�
Trump said that he thinks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to make a deal to end a conflict.
Trump says the US should broker a deal to own half of TikTok
Trump says the United States as a country should broker a deal to own half of TikTok, which he estimated could be worth $1 trillion.
鈥淚 think the US should be entitled to get half of TikTok and, congratulations, TikTok has a good partner and that would be worth, you know, could be $500 billion,鈥� Trump said, adding that rich people have called him about the deal.
The president was speaking about the social media platform with a China-based owner as he was signing an order to keep TikTok open so that it can find a potential buyer and avoid being shut down on national security grounds.
Trump calls birthright citizenship 鈥榬idiculous鈥� as he tries to end it
Trump says he favors legal immigration as he signed orders declaring a national emergency on the U.S. border with Mexico, suspending refugee resettlement and ending automatic citizenship for anyone born in the United States.
Trump acknowledged an imminent legal challenge to overturning birthright citizenship, which has been enshrined in the U.S. Constitution since 1868. He said automatic citizenship was 鈥渏ust ridiculous鈥� and that he believes he was on 鈥済ood (legal) ground鈥� to change it.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big one,鈥� he bantered with reporters while signing an order declaring the border emergency.
Trump said immigrant labor was needed for investment that he anticipates will accompany higher tariffs.
鈥淚鈥檓 fine with legal immigration. I like it, we need people,鈥� he said.
Trump executive order keeps TikTok online for now
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday to keep TikTok operating for 75 days, a relief to the social media platform鈥檚 users even as national security questions persist.
TikTok鈥檚 China-based parent was supposed to find a U.S. buyer or be banned on the previous Sunday. Trump鈥檚 order would give them more time to find a buyer.
鈥淚 guess I have a warm spot for TikTok,鈥� Trump says.
Former President Joe Biden declined to enforce the bipartisan measure that he signed into law, while Trump has pledged to keep TikTok open after crediting it for helping his 2024 election victory. Trump鈥檚 legal authority to preserve TikTok is unclear under the terms of the law recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Lawyer calls commutation for Proud Boys client 鈥榳onderful鈥�
Norm Pattis, an attorney for former Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs, said it was 鈥渨onderful鈥� to learn that Trump commuted his client鈥檚 17-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy.
鈥淚t gets him out of prison,鈥� Pattis told The Associated Press. 鈥淗e had 13, 14 more years to go, and there鈥檚 no place like home.鈥�
Trump says tariffs on US neighbors could come next month
Trump says he could place 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting on Feb. 1. He declined to give a date on China tariffs.
Trump has talked extensively about his tariff plans and his affection for the levies on imported goods during multiple public remarks Monday.
No West Wing office for Musk
Trump says Elon Musk won鈥檛 get a desk in the West Wing.
The president made the comment while signing executive orders in the Oval Office.
Trump has named Musk, the Tesla CEO and X owner, as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump finds letter from Biden while signing executive orders
Trump found a letter from Biden in the Oval Office鈥檚 Resolute desk, but only after a journalist reminded him to look for it.
While signing a series of executive orders, a journalist asked Trump if he鈥檇 received a letter. Trump said he didn鈥檛 know and checked the desk drawers, holding up the letter for the cameras.
鈥淢aybe we should all read it together,鈥� Trump said before setting it aside. He said he鈥檒l read it himself before sharing it publicly.
The letter鈥檚 envelope has 鈥�47鈥� handwritten in what looks like pencil and underlined.
A new round of executive actions
Trump is using the first appearance of his second term in the Oval Office to sign another series of executive actions. Here are some of the key things he鈥檚 signed:
-- pardons and commutations that Trump said would cover about 1,500 people criminally charged in the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021
-- overhauling the refugee admission program to better align with American principles and interests
-- declaring a 鈥渘ational emergency鈥� at the U.S.-Mexico border
-- designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations
Trump issues sweeping pardon for Jan. 6 rioters
Trump issued pardons for participants in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, one of his first acts after being sworn in as the country鈥檚 47th president on Monday.
The pardons fulfill Trump鈥檚 promise to release supporters who tried to help him overturn his election defeat four years ago.
鈥淭hese are the hostages,鈥� he said while signing the paperwork in the Oval Office.
Trump said he was pardoning about 1,500 defendants and issuing six commutations.
Trump makes his Oval Office debut
After hours spent celebrating his new administration, Trump is making his first Oval Office appearance.
Trump has pledged to sign a series of executive actions from behind the oval-shaped room鈥檚 famous Resolute Desk.
Those come after he signed an initial flurry at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, where thousands of his supporters gathered to celebrate an inaugural parade that was moved indoors due to the cold.
Trump rescinds 2021 Title IX order
Trump rescinded a 2021 order signaling the Education Department would use Title IX to protect against discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
The Biden administration later went further to cement that interpretation into federal regulation, but it was overturned after Republican-led states challenged the rule in federal court.
Rescinding the 2021 order won鈥檛 have much effect on schools and colleges, but it clears the slate for other action by the Trump administration.
Trump also rescinded a directing federal officials to give schools guidance on reopening during the pandemic. That order, issued on Biden鈥檚 second day in office, also required the Education Department to explore the pandemic鈥檚 鈥渄isparate impacts鈥� on students of color and students with disabilities.
Before order, Florida governor starts calling it 鈥楪ulf of America鈥�
Trump has not signed an executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to 鈥淕ulf of America鈥� but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has begun calling it just that.
He declared a state of emergency due to winter weather expected along the Gulf Coast.
A closer look at Trump鈥檚 executive action freezing Biden鈥檚 action on Cuba
has reversed an executive order issued by Biden that moved to lift the U.S. designation of as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Biden formally notified Congress of his decision to lift the designation as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church to free political prisoners on the island.
The day after the announcement, Cuba who were convicted of various crimes, including some who were arrested after taking part in the historic 2021 protests, according to Cuban civil groups following the cases of detainees on the island.
A closer look at Trump鈥檚 executive action freezing many new orders by Biden
has issued an order freezing many new or pending federal regulations, effectively blocking last-minute protections .
Such an order is fairly common when a new administration takes over, but it could be the first in a series of moves designed to tamp down what the new president and other top Republicans have consistently decried as 鈥渇ederal overreach.鈥�
The move recalled the first day of Trump鈥檚 first administration in 2017. Then, he froze all pending federal regulations, effectively suspending Obama-era actions that were new or closer to implementation.
That 鈥渋mmediate regulatory freeze鈥� did not apply to some regulations being implemented for emergency situations relating to health, safety, financial or national security. Implementation of the new administration鈥檚 order is likely to include similar language allowing for key exceptions
Trump returns to the White House
Trump has officially returned to the White House as president once again.
He walked through the doors shortly after 7 p.m., joined by his wife, his son Barron and his father-in-law.
A closer look at Trum
p鈥檚 executive action ordering federal employees back to work 5 days a week
Among the executive orders Trump signed with a flourish in front of a cheering crowd was one mandating that federal workers return to their offices five days a week.
The move followed the new president鈥檚 pledge to end the work-from-home culture that became common during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trump said he planned to dismiss federal employees who don鈥檛 return to the office to comply with the order.
A closer look at Trump鈥檚 executive order on the federal hiring freeze
has ordered a federal hiring freeze on his first day back in office, mirroring an action he took at the start of his first term to try to reduce the size of government.
The order suspends hiring for new positions and many open ones. It includes exceptions for posts related to national security and public safety, as well as the military.
During his campaign, Trump pledged to dismantle a federal bureaucracy that he derided as the 鈥渄eep state.鈥�
The order eight years ago was intended as a temporary, 90-day measure until federal budget officials, as well as those in charge of the government鈥檚 personnel office, could devise a longer-term strategy for reducing the size of the federal government 鈥� and it was effectively .
How long the latest freeze may last is less clear. It is a drastic step away from the Biden administration, which took steps to increase the federal workforce and give pay raises to many in its ranks.
What Trump has signed on in his first round of executive orders
1. Halting 78 Biden-era executive actions
2. A regulatory freeze preventing bureaucrats from issuing regulations until the Trump administration has full control of the government
3. A freeze on all federal hiring except for military and a few other essential areas
4. A requirement that federal workers return to full-time in-person work
5. A directive to every department and agency to address the cost of living crisis
6. Withdrawal from the Paris climate treaty
7. A government order restoring freedom of speech and preventing censorship of free speech
8. Ending 鈥渨eaponization of government"
The Associated Press
