Trump declares 'golden age of America' in inaugural address

Retired General Mike Milley's portrait was removed from the Pentagon on Monday just hours after Donald Trump's inauguration. 

Milley, who served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Trump and Biden, became a fierce opponent of the businessman politician, especially as Trump stepped up efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, with Milley calling him "fascist to the core" and a "wannabe dictator." 

Trump in turn, threatened to go after Milley, even musing that in earlier times he would have been put to death for treason.

More recently, Milley received a preemptive pardon from outgoing US President Joe Biden, protecting him against politically motivated retribution from Trump, who has promised to go after his "political enemies."

Traditionally, portraits of retired chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff hang at the building's entrance as a sign of respect. Milley's portrait was unveiled earlier this month. 

Panama has rejected Trump's pledge to restore the Panama Canal to US control.

"I must comprehensively reject the words of President Donald Trump," President Jose Raul Mulino said in a statement published on social media.

"The canal is and will remain Panama's," he added.

Trump, who vowed in his inauguration speech that the US would be "taking back" the canal, had claimed that China was operating in it. Mulino denied this claim.

"There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes," Mulino said.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell stressed that the "door remains" open to the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord, after Trump renewed his rejection of it.

"The door remains open to the Paris Agreement, and we welcome constructive engagement from any and all countries," UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said in a statement, insisting the clean energy transition was an opportunity for economic growth.

Trump vowed in his inaugural speech to pull the US once again out of the deal.

The Republican president had already withdrawn from the deal during his first tenure in 2017. However, former US President Joe Biden returned the US to the agreement during his term in office.

President Donald Trump's official @POTUS account has now been launched on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

In his bio, it says "The Golden Age of America Begins Right Now," echoing his inauguration speech. 

The official White House website, whitehouse.gov, has now also moved to the new Trump administration. 

The new White House website details Trump's "America First" priorities such as taking "bold action to secure our border and protect American communities."

The website also features a biography of Trump, and mentions "the weaponization of law fare against him," an likely allusion to the criminal indictments and "hush money" conviction he has faced.   

Mark Rutte, the new secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has welcomed Trump's return to the White House, congratulating him on his inauguration.

"Together we can achieve peace through strength — through NATO!" Rutte said, adding that "we will turbo-charge defense spending & production."

Trump has called on NATO allies to up their defense spending, echoing requests made by previous US presidents. However, breaking away from former presidents, Trump, who wants defense spending to climb to to 5% of the GDP, has signalled he is ready to withdraw the US from the alliance, of which he was significantly critical during his first term in office.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Trump on his inauguration. She was among the select few world leaders attending the event.

Meloni said on X that she was confident "that the friendship between our nations and the values that unite us will continue to strengthen the partnership between Italy and the US, addressing global challenges together and building a future of prosperity and security for our peoples."

The prime minister, who heads the country's most right-wing government since World War II, vowed that "Italy will always be committed to strengthening the dialogue between the United States and Europe, as an essential pillar for the stability and growth of our communities." 

Former President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris both left the US Capitol, following the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony.

Both attended the inauguration alongside other former presidents including Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Clinton's wife Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 election, was also there.

US Customs and Border Patrol on Monday announced the end of a program known as CBP One, designed, among other things, to assist unauthorized migrants entering the US.

As President Donald Trump lauded his "America first" policies and vowed to "defend" the US southern border, authorities shut down the CBP One app that allowed migrants to schedule entry appointments with immigration and customs officials.

Existing appointments made on the app were summarily cancelled as well.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took to social media platform X to congratulate his "dear friend" Donald Trump on his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States.

"I look forward to working closely together once again, to benefit both our countries, and to shape a better future for the world," wrote Modi.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on his inauguration.

"Today is a day of change and also a day of hope for the resolution of many problems, including global challenges," Zelenskyy said in a statement on X.

He hailed Trump as "always decisive."

"And the peace through strength policy he announced provides an opportunity to strengthen American leadership and achieve a long-term and just peace, which is the top priority," Zelenskyy wrote.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his inauguration, which came one day after a ceasefire started in the Gaza Strip, in parallel with the gradual release of Israeli hostages held in the enclave since the October 7, 2023, attacks.

"Sara and I send our warmest wishes to you, Melania and the American people on your second inauguration as president of the United States," Netanyahu said in a video posted on X.

In his inauguration speech, Trump vowed to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.

Instead, it will be renamed to "The Gulf of America," Trump said.

Trump also vowed to "take back" the Panama Canal.

Canada's outgoing prime minister, Justin Trudeau, sent his congratulations to Trump following his inauguration.

"Canada and the U.S. have the world’s most successful economic partnership. We have the chance to work together again — to create more jobs and prosperity for both our nations," Trudeau said on X.

Trump had threatened steep tariffs targeting Canada.

Trump said in his inauguration speech that he would "declare a national emergency" at the southern border with Mexico, sending troops to the border.

The president vowed to deport "millions and millions" of "criminal aliens."

"First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. 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," he said.
 

The newly inaugurated president kicked off his first speech as president in this new term by taking jabs at predecessor Biden's tenure, without naming the former president.

Trump said the "golden age of America begins" with his inauguration.

"From this day on our country will flourish," he said. "We will be the envy of every nation."