Trump tackles immigration, inflation in inaugural address

By Nakinskie Robinson   

 

"Standing on the verge of the four greatest years in American history" is how Donald Trump touted the next few years with him in his second stint as President of the United States.

 

As the US Capitol was filled with a host of famous faces, the 45th and now 47th president's inaugural speech on Monday morning placed the spotlight on inflation, immigration and foreign wars.

 

His Vice President, JD Vance, was also sworn in.

 

"All illegal entry will immediately be halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch and release, and I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country. Under the orders I sign today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organisations. We will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens," Mr. Trump promised as he addressed millions of Americans on Monday. 

 

Heralding the "Golden Age of America", Mr. Trump in his second inaugural address pledged to put the US among present day global superpowers.

 

As decider-in-chief, he said the country will become a top exporter of liquid gold. 

 

"I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices. The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices, and that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency. We will drill, baby, drill."  

 

As commander-in-chief, Mr. Trump promised that his administration "will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen" and will "measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly the wars we never get into". 

 

He will also sign an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, for use on official maps and throughout the federal government.

 

It is also expected that this week will see the halting of the government policy to end diversity, equity and inclusion programmes.

 

President Trump's speech renewed his promise to roll back transgender programmes and recognise only two genders - male and female.

 

More than 100 executive orders are being prepared on day one of Trump's new White House administration. 

 

 

 

But US-based attorney Wayne Golding believes the Trump administration's plan to impose severe limits on immigration could have a negative ripple effect on the economy of that country.

 

Mr. Golding, who was a guest Monday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106FM, said the US was built on immigrants. 

 

"People seem to forget that immigrants were really the backbone of building the United States, even to today. And so, there is going to be economic backlash if some of these programmes that they are planning are put into place, especially in the farming community, in the low income labour community. And you are going to see a backtracking, I guarantee you, at some point," he reasoned.  

 

A White House official earlier told the Associated Press that President Trump was poised to issue a series of orders aimed at remaking America's immigration policies, ending asylum access, sending troops to the southern border and ending birthright citizenship.

 

The official had spoken on condition of anonymity to preview some of the orders expected later on Monday.

 

Meanwhile, former Jamaican Ambassador to the United Nations, Curtis Ward, believes President Trump could hit a roadblock as he seeks to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and make changes to immigration policies. 

 

"Many of the thing he says he would do, it is my view that he will try to do them. He will find however that it may not be as easy as saying it to have it done. And we'll just have to take it day by day because whether we agree or not, there may be some checks and balances in the system which will prevent certain extreme things," said Ambassador Ward, who was also a guest Monday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106FM.