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CNN Live Event/Special

The Inauguration of Donald J. Trump; President Trump Deliveers Inaugural Address. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired January 20, 2025 - 12:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[12:30:00]

(APPLAUSE)

DONALD J. TRUMP, 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That's what I want to be, a peacemaker and a unifier. I'm pleased to say that as of yesterday, one day before I assumed office, the hostages in the Middle East are coming back home to their families.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world. A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and we will restore the name...

(APPLAUSE)

... of a great President, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley where it should be and where it belongs.

(APPLAUSE)

President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent. He was a natural businessman, and gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama after the United States. The United States, I mean, think of this, spent more money than ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal. We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should have never been made. And Panama's promise to us has been broken.

The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form. And that includes the United States Navy.

And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back.

(CHEERING) Above all, my message to Americans today is that it is time for us to, once again, act with courage, vigor, and the vitality of history's greatest civilization. So as we liberate our nation, we will lead it to new heights of victory and success. We will not be deterred. Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our children safe, healthy, and disease free. The United States will, once again, consider itself a growing nation, one that increases our wealth, expands our territory, builds our cities, raises our expectations, and carries our flag into new and beautiful horizons.

And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.

(CHEERING)

Ambition is the lifeblood of a great nation. And right now, our nation is more ambitious than any other. There's no nation like our nation. Americans are explorers, builders, innovators, entrepreneurs and pioneers. The spirit of the frontier is written into our hearts. The call of the next great adventure resounds from within our souls. Our American ancestors turned a small group of colonies on the edge of a vast continent into a mighty republic of the most extraordinary citizens on Earth. No one comes close.

Americans pushed thousands of miles through a rugged land of untamed wilderness.

[12:35:10]

They crossed deserts, scaled mountains, braved untold dangers, won the wild west, ended slavery, rescued millions from tyranny, lifted billions from poverty, harnessed electricity, split the atom, launched mankind into the heavens, and put the universe of human knowledge into the palm of the human hand. If we work together, there is nothing we cannot do and no dream we cannot achieve.

Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback. But as you see today, here I am, the American people have spoken.

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I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do. In America, the impossible is what we do best.

(APPLAUSE)

From New York to Los Angeles, from Philadelphia to Phoenix, from Chicago to Miami, from Houston to right here in Washington, D.C., our country was forged and built by the generations of patriots who gave everything they had for our rights and for our freedom.

They were farmers and soldiers, cowboys and factory workers, steel workers and coal miners, police officers and pioneers who pushed onward, marched forward and let no obstacle defeat their spirit or their pride.

Together, they laid down the railroads, raised up the skyscrapers, built great highways, won two world wars, defeated fascism and communism, and triumphed over every single challenge that they faced. After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history.

With your help, we will restore America's promise and we will rebuild the nation that we love and we love it so much. We are one people, one family and one glorious nation under God. So, to every parent who dreams for their child, and every child who dreams for their future, I am with you. I will fight for you and I will win for you. We are going to win like never before.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

In recent years, our nation has suffered greatly, but we are going to bring it back and make it great again, greater than ever before. We will be a nation like no other, full of compassion, courage and exceptionalism. Our power will stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent and totally unpredictable.

America will be respected again and admired again, including by people of religion, faith and goodwill. We will be prosperous, we will be proud, we will be strong, and we will win like never before. We will not be conquered, we will not be intimidated, we will not be broken and we will not fail.

From this day on, the United States of America will be a free, sovereign and independent nation. We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future is ours and our golden age has just begun. Thank you, God bless America. Thank you all, thank you.

(CHEERING)

Thank you very much, thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)

[12:40:00]

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentleman, performing "America the Beautiful" please welcome the Armed Forces Chorus and Carrie Underwood.

(SINGING OF AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL BY CARRIE UNDERWOOD)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentleman Senator Fischer will now introduce the benediction clergy.

SEN. DEB FISCHER, INAUGURAL, COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER: I now call our Rabbi Ari Berman, Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, and Reverend Frank Mann.

RABBI DR. ARI BERMAN, PRESIDENT, YESHIVA UNIVERSITY: Let us pray. Almighty God, your prophet Jeremiah walked the streets of Jerusalem and bless it's inhabitants with the Hebrew words, (UNTRANSLATED), blessed is the one who trusts in God. Thousands of years later, this great nation which adopted these words as its motto, "In God we trust," stands at a moment of historic opportunity.

Americans are searching for meaning.

[12:45:00]

Our merciful father, help us rise to meet this moment. Bless President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance with the strength and courage to choose the right and the good. Unite us around our foundational biblical values of life and liberty, of service and sacrifice, and especially of faith and morality, which George Washington called the indispensable supports of American prosperity.

Guide our schools and college campuses which have been experiencing such unrest to inspire the next generation to pair progress with purpose, knowledge with wisdom, and truth with virtue.

Hear the cry of the hostages, both American and Israeli, whose pain our President so acutely feels. We are so thankful for the three young women who yesterday returned home, and pray that the next four years brings peace to Israel and throughout the Middle East.

Almighty God, grant all Americans the opportunity to realize our shared dream of a life filled with peace and plenty, health and happiness, compassion and contribution. Stir within us the confidence to rise to this moment, for while we trust in God, God's trust is in us, the American people.

America is called to greatness, to be a beacon of light and a mover of history. May our nation merit the fulfillment of Jeremiah's blessing, that like a tree planted by water, we shall not cease to bear fruit. May all of humanity experience your love and your blessing. May it be thy will, and let us say, amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen.

SEWELL: Let us pray for our 47th President. Heavenly father, we're so grateful that you gave our 45th and now our 47th President a millimeter miracle. We are grateful that you are the one that have called him for such a time as this, that America would begin to dream again.

We pray that we would fulfill the true meaning of our creed that we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. We pray that you use our President, that we would live in a nation where we will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character.

Heavenly father, in the name of Jesus, we are so grateful today, that you will use our 47th President so we would sing with new meaning, My Country 'Tis of Thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing, land where my fathers die, land of the pilgrims pride, from every mountain side, let freedom ring.

And because America is called to be a great nation, we believe that you will make this come true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous hilltops of California.

But God, we're asking you not only that. Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain, Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill in Mississippi, from every state, every city, every village, and every hamlet.

And when we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day where all of your children, black men and white men, Protestant and Catholic, Jew and Gentile will be able to sing in the meaning of that old negro spiritual, free at last, free at last, thank you, God almighty, we are free at last.

[12:50:03]

If you believe with the spirit of the Lord, if there is liberty, come on, put your hands together and give your great God great glory.

(APPLAUSE)

MANN: Almighty and eternal God, we gather here today in reverence, joined in our shared hopes and dreams for our beloved nation. In this sacred moment of the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, we turn our hearts to you, seeking your divine assistance and abundant blessings upon this pivotal moment in history. We come before you with profound gratitude for the many gifts you have bestowed upon our land. Thank you for the freedoms we cherish, for the strength of our communities, and for the resilience of our spirit.

As our President and Vice President embrace their newly appointed roles, we humbly implore that your everlasting love and wisdom will envelop them. Grant them the clarity of mind to navigate the challenges that lie ahead, and the compassion to serve all citizens with fairness and integrity.

May their hearts be filled with a giving spirit and sincere understanding for those whom they represent. May they be beacons of hope in times of uncertainty and prophetic voices in defending the dignity of all created life.

We pray for a spirit of collaboration to flourish in our government and across our nation, fostering an environment where dialogue and heartfelt listening will prevail over division or discord. May each decision made by our President and Vice President reflect the values of justice and peace. As we embark on this new chapter, we also seek your comfort, O God, for those who feel lost or disheartened. In this time of transition, may your light shine upon them, reaffirming their belief in a brighter tomorrow.

May we all strive to lift one another, supporting our fellow citizens with kindness and empathy, recognizing that together we can overcome any adversity. Grant us the strength to endure, the courage to face our fears, and the clarity to see the light that remains, even when clouds of uncertainty may gather.

Inspire our new leaders to be champions for the vulnerable and advocates for those whose voices are often silenced. May they pursue policies that promote the wellbeing of all, seeking to build bridges that will foster unity and belonging.

As we stand witness to this inauguration, we hold fast to the faith, to our faith in the goodness of each of us and the possibility of change. We trust that with your guidance, O God, our nation can move forward to a future filled with promise, prosperity, and understanding.

And finally, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the beloved parents of President Trump. Without Mary and Fred Trump, this day would never be the miracle that has just begun. From their place in heaven, may they shield their son from all harm by their loving protection and give him the strength to guide our nation along the path that will make America great again.

Let us go forth now with these words of President Trump's emblazoned on our hearts. As long as we have pride in our beliefs, courage in our convictions, and faith in our God, then we will not fail. We stand tall, we stand proud because we are Americans, and Americans kneel to God and to God alone. Amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen.

(APPLAUSE)

[12:55:00]

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentleman, please remain standing for our National Anthem.

(UNITED STATES NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMED BY CHRISTOPHER MACCIO)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentleman, please be seated. Ladies and gentleman, please remain in your seats while the president and official party depart the platform.

(APPLAUSE)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the conclusion of the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. A -- quite a lot of interesting individuals spoke and sang at this. I should note that the main singer, Christopher Macchio, that's kind of a nod to the president's late brother, Robert. Robert was a big fan of Christopher Macchio and introduced him to it.

So his presence is in no small way a nod to his late brother. And the priest, the Brooklyn priest Frank Mann, father of Francis Mann, really interesting story. Francis Mann was at a Queen's Cemetery and noticed the graves of President Trump's parents.

This is during the presidency, I believe, so President Trump wasn't able to visit it with the regularity he did before he became president. The graves had fallen into some disrepair. He cleaned it up, he bought a weed whacker, he cleaned it up, and he sent a photograph to the president, and the president was very moved. So a kind of an homage to his parents as well.

Dana Bash, what did you make of the speech, the president talking about ushering in a golden era of the United States? He certainly said a number of things that I -- I'm sure outgoing president, former President Biden didn't care for. And we saw Hillary Clinton's head shaking no at one point. But it was the agenda that he was elected on.

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Look, there were a few lines that were more, sort of, classic, inaugural address lines about his, sort of, more sweeping lines about what he intends to do, what he has promised, the kind of America that he wants to see saying America's decline is over, which is a new version of make America great again calling it Liberation Day.

But there were also so many specifics in this speech that we don't usually hear in an inaugural address. It's more akin to a State of the Union address, a list of the things that he intends to do. Now, all of the things that we heard, virtually all of the things, were things that we heard on the campaign trail, except the Panama and changing the Gulf of Mexico --