Donald Trump Sworn In As The 45th President Of The United States Of America

On Friday, January 20, thousands of supporters gathered at the US Capitol in Washington D.C to witness the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45^th President of the United States. The 35-word oath of office to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” culminated Mr. Trump’s stunning trajectory from real-estate tycoon to holding the country’s highest office.

As is tradition, Mr. Trump and his wife Melania attended a service at the St. John’s Episcopal Church before heading to the White House for coffee with outgoing President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle. The two Presidents then shared a limousine for the short ride to the Capitol.

President Trump’s brief 16-minute speech — the shortest since President Carter’s 1977 inaugural adress — reiterated his campaign promise of restoring America’s greatness. The incoming US leader told the cheering crowd scattered across Washington’s Mall, “Today, we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or one party to another, we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people.” He also promised, “From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first,” and vowed that “our country will thrive and prosper again.”

Following the speech, the president ate the customary lunch of lobster, beef, and chocolate with lawmakers, before heading to Pennsylvania Avenue for the inaugural parade. In the evening, the incoming President and First Lady, along with Vice President Michael Pence and his wife, attended three inaugural balls organized in their honor. Meanwhile, outgoing President Obama gave one final address to his fans before he and Michelle headed out to sunny Palm Springs, CA to enjoy their first day in eight years as civilians.

Born on June 14, 1946, Mr. Trump was raised in Queens, New York. He is the fourth of Frederick Christ Trump and Mary Anne Trump’s five children. After attending Fordham University for two years, Mr. Trump transferred to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Upon graduating in 1968 with a degree in economics, he worked for his father’s real-estate firm, Elizabeth Trump & Son, before taking it over in 1971. Thanks to his business savvy, the Trump Organization, as it is now called, is today a multi-billion dollar conglomerate with interests in real estate development, investing, brokerage, sales and marketing, and property management.

At 70 years of age, Mr. Trump is the oldest president sworn in for the first time and one of the richest. The billionaire is also the first American leader to have never served either in public office or as a general in the military. As a result, his decision to run for president in June 2015 was not taken seriously by most experts, especially, because he was competing with 16 other seasoned Republican candidates. However, Mr. Trump’s candor and refusal to be politically correct resonated with enough Americans to earn him the electoral votes needed to become the 45^th President of the United States of America.

Resources: Cnn.com.latimes.com, telegraph.co.uk