President-elect promises crackdown on US-Mexico border, more oil drilling, retrenchment of federal workforce and elimination of diversity programs.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has promised to end “four long years of American decline” at a violent pre-march rally in the capital, Washington, DC.
“We're going to give them the best first day, the greatest first week and the most amazing first 100 days of any presidency in American history,” Trump told a packed 20,000-seat stadium. of supporters at the “Make America Great Again (MAGA) Victory Rally” at the Capital One Arena on Sunday.
“Tomorrow, at noon, the curtain will close on four long years of American decline, and we will begin a new day of American strength and prosperity and honor and pride,” Trump said, saying, “Once and for all, we are going to end the rule of a failed and corrupt political establishment in Washington.”
Trump, 78, to be sworn in as the 47th president of the US at 17:00 GMT on Monday. He will then take the presidential oath inside the rotunda of the Capitol building cold weather has prompted organizers to move the ceremony indoors.
At the MAGA rally, Trump promised “a new day of America's strength and wealth” by curbing everything from “illegal” immigration across the US-Mexico border to encouraging oil drilling, maintaining into the federal workforce and eliminating diversity programs.
“By the time the sun sets tomorrow, the attack on our country will have come to a halt,” he said.
The event marked his first major speech in Washington, DC since his speech on January 6, 2021, before an angry mob of his supporters stormed the US Capitol. Trump has said he will forgive many of the more than 1,500 people who were convicted or charged in connection with the attack.
In keeping with the populist imagery and messaging of his presidential campaign, Trump entered the stadium from a public entrance, allowing him to walk through the crowd of supporters. before he reaches the stage.
He promised to roll back “every radical and stupid executive order from the Biden administration” within hours of assuming the presidency. Local media reports say he will take more than 200 executive actions on Monday.
“You're going to see action orders that are going to make you very happy. A lot of them,” Trump told supporters at the rally.
He also said he would release historical files related to the assassinations of famous people in the 1960s, including President John F Kennedy, whose brother Bobby Kennedy was killed while ' run for president, and Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most respected civilians. rights leaders in the US.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Space X, Tesla and owner of X, once again received top billing at the MAGA gathering.
Musk was one of Trump's most vocal supporters in the recent US election and is expected to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency – better known by its acronym, DOGE – to cut the federal workers and spending.
The event also featured a performance by Kid Rock and singer Lee Greenwood, whose God Bless the USA is a Trump favorite.
Jon Voight, an actor named by Trump as a special ambassador to Hollywood, called the president-elect “our hero.”
“A man who never gave up on the American people, and we the people never gave up on him,” Voight said.
