President Trump was inaugurated for a second time on Monday.
The inauguration kicked off the day on a historic note, with the ceremony moved indoors due to freezing temperatures. Notable moments played out throughout the day, including Trump’s fiery speech shortly after being sworn in, to an audio mishap that inadvertently turned into a collaborative singing effort.
Here are the top five moments from Trump’s second inauguration.
Trump ushers in ‘Golden Age of America,’ bashes Biden-Harris admin in inaugural speech
‘The golden Age of America begins right now,’ Trump said shortly after being sworn in. ‘From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world.’
Trump started out his first speech officially as president by saying the U.S. would now be ‘the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer.’
The president assailed the Biden-Harris administration as the former president and vice president looked on. Trump specifically slammed the ‘vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government’ and said the country has been operating under ‘a radical and corrupt establishment.’
‘While the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair, we now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home,’ Trump said.
Trump criticized the Biden administration’s handling of various national disasters, including hurricane damage in North Carolina and recent wildfires in California.
‘Jan. 20th, 2025, is Liberation Day,’ Trump said. ‘It is my hope that our recent presidential election will be remembered as the greatest and most consequential election in the history of our country.’
President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, did their first dance together as POTUS and FLOTUS Monday night at the Commander-in-Chief Inaugural Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The dance featured a nifty spin move by the President.
First lady Melania Trump donned a white, strapless gown with black detailing following a full day of inauguration festivities. She coupled the dress with a black choker.
The ball is one of two others that Trump made an appearance in: the Liberty Ball and Starlight Ball.
Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, also joined Trump and Melania onstage for a quick dance, before they exchanged partners with military servicemembers.
From the best to worst dressed: Melania Trump, Sen. John Fetterman draw eyes over fashion choices
First lady Melania Trump donned a weather-appropriate outfit for her husband’s second inaugural ceremony. Melania was pictured wearing a custom Adam Lippes double-breasted navy coat with a matching boater hat designed by Eric Javits while on her way to a service at St. John’s Church on Inauguration Day, according to Page Six.
Social media users flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to post compliments on the first lady’s inaugural getup, with many saying she looked ‘elegant’ and ‘classy.’
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, on the other hand, had a slightly more warmer-weather-style outfit for the inauguration ceremony. Fetterman was seen sporting gray gym shorts, a dark hoodie and sneakers as he arrived at Capitol Hill.
The senator’s attire also drew attention given the chilly temperatures on Monday. Trump’s second inauguration notably marked the coldest presidential inauguration ceremony in more than 40 years.
Trump’s awkward kiss attempt with Melania
Trump tried to kiss Melania shortly before his swearing-in after initially entering the Capitol Rotunda, leading to an awkward air-kiss encounter.
Trump and Melania were surrounded by former presidents and their wives along with Cabinet nominees, foreign dignitaries and other high-profile guests upon entering the building. Trump leaned in to give Melania a kiss on the cheek when Melania’s hat got in the way.
They ultimately settled on an air kiss.
Carrie Underwood sings a cappella following music mishap
Country singer Carrie Underwood showed she was a true professional during her rendition of ‘America the Beautiful’ after a hiccup with the music.
Underwood was welcomed with a round of applause as she was introduced. Once on stage, Underwood patiently waited for the instrumentals to start, which ultimately never came.
‘If you know the words, help me out here,’ she finally said before launching into an a cappella version of the song.
Members of the audience, including the former president and vice president, joined in singing the song.
Underwood wrapped up her performance by shaking Biden’s hand and sharing a moment with Trump and Vice President Vance before leaving the room.
