Joe Biden Inauguration 2021: US politics, live updates
Joe Biden has kicked off his presidency by demanding respect among staff and reversing key Trump policies with a flurry of executive orders.
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US President Joe Biden says “he has never been more optimistic about America” in a brief address to the nation from the Lincoln Memorial.
Speaking at the Celebrating America televised special, which was hosted by Tom Hanks and featured a performance by Bruce Springsteen, Mr Biden said it was a “humbling” experience.
“It’s humbling to stand here in this place in front of these sacred words. Humbling out of respect to President Lincoln and the office we now share and humbling because of you, the American people.”
Mr Biden said democracy had prevailed.
“I’ve never been more optimistic about America than I am this very day,” he said.
“Because of you, democracy has prevailed. That’s why Jill and I, Kamala and Doug, wanted to make sure that our inauguration was not about us, but about you, the American people,” he said.
“America’s story depends not on any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us – on we, the people. That’s the task before us, the only way we’ll get through the darkness around us.”
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the event, calling for unity.
“This is what President Joe Biden has called upon us to summon now: the courage to see beyond crisis,” she said.
“To do what is hard, to do what is good, to unite, to believe in ourselves, believe in our country, believe in what we can do together.”
The program also featured performances by John Legend, Katy Perry and Jon Bon Jovi as well as a message from former US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Earlier, Mr Biden’s team called for “truth and transparency” in the first White House press briefing since he was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States.
Mr Biden’s first call to a foreign leader will be to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
She said they would discuss the “important relationship with Canada” and the Biden administration’s decision to halt further construction of the Keystone oil pipeline between Canada and the United States.
Ms Psaki said the administration would return to daily press briefings.
“When the President asked me to serve in this role, we talked about the importance of bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room,” Ms Psaki said. Mr Biden got to work in the Oval Office after being sworn in at an unconventional Inauguration Day ceremony in which he promised to try to unite America.
He signed three executive orders in the presence of reporters — a mask mandate on federal property, support for undeserved communities, and rejoining the Paris climate accord.
“We are going to combat climate change in a way we have not done so far,” Mr Biden said.
He is set to end Donald Trump’s ban on visitors from several majority-Muslim countries and halt construction of the wall that Mr Trump ordered on the US-Mexico border to stem illegal immigration, White House aides said.
And Kamala Harris made history as the first woman and first woman of colour to be sworn in as Vice President.
The US Senate voted to approve former CIA official Avril Haines as director of national intelligence, making her the first member of Mr Biden’s cabinet to gain approval.
Mr Biden and the Senate are moving quickly to get key members of his government in place, with votes expected soon on the secretary of defence and secretary of state.
The new President swore in around 1000 political appointees via a video conference, telling them he will have a zero tolerance approach to disrespectful behaviour.
“If you’re ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise I will fire you on the spot,” he said.
“Everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity,” he said.
At 78, Mr Biden, who was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts, is the oldest US president and also the first Catholic commander in chief since John F. Kennedy.
In his first address to the nation, President Biden called for a lowering of the national temperature and to “end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban. Conservative versus liberal”.
“Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we’re all created equal and the harsh ugly reality that racism, nativism, fear, demonisation, have long torn us apart,” Mr Biden said.
“The battle is perennial. And victory is never assured. Through civil war, the Great Depression, world war, 9/11.
“Through struggle, sacrifice and setbacks, our better angels have always prevailed. In each of these moments, enough of us, enough of us have come together to carry all of us forward. And we can do that now.
“This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward.”
In a speech that contrasted with that of his predecessor who four years ago spoke of a darkly challenged America riven by tribalism, Mr Biden pledged to govern for all of the country.
He drew cheers when he decried the “riotous mob” who “thought that they could use violence to silence the will of the people. To stop the work of our democracy. Drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen. It will never happen”.
“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban. Conservative versus liberal,” he said.
“We can do this, if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts. If we show a little tolerance and humility.”
He acknowledged the dire challenges he faced but described it as “a day of history and hope, of renewal and resolve” and pledged his “whole soul” was ready to fight for America’s future.
“Few people in our nation’s history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we’re in now,” he said.
“A once-in-a-century virus that silently stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II.
“Millions of jobs have been lost, hundreds of thousands of businesses closed. A cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making moves us. The dream of justice for all, will be deferred to longer.”
Reflecting on the Capitol incursion where “just a few days ago, violence sought to shake the very Capitol’s foundation, we come together as one nation, under God, indivisible, to carry out the peaceful transfer of power, as we have for more than two centuries”.
“Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, a cause of democracy,” he said.
Mr Biden thanked his “predecessors of both parties, for their presence here today”, including Barack Obama and George W Bush with their wives.
Mr Biden inherits a country riven by the coronavirus and civil strife, which were reflected in a sparsely attended socially-distanced inauguration with an unprecedented security presence.
Mr Biden said any one of the many challenges facing the country would be profound but that he believed the nation could “rise to the occasion … and master this rare and difficult hour”.
“We face a time of testing. We face an attack on our democracy and on truth. A raging virus, growing inequity. The sting of systemic racism. A climate in crisis. America’s role in the world,” he said.
“Any one of these will be up to challenge us in profound ways. But the fact is, we face them all at once. Presenting this nation with one of the gravest responsibilities we’ve ever had.
“It’s time for boldness. For there is so much to do. And this is certain – I promise you, we will be judged, you and I, by how we resolve these cascading crises of our era.
“Will we rise to the occasion, is the question. Will we meet our obligations and pass along a new and better world to our children?
“I believe we must, I’m sure you do as well. I believe we will.”
President Biden and Vice President Harris visited Arlington National Cemetery after the swearing in ceremony to pay their respects to US military war dead at the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”.
Mr Biden and Ms Harris presented a wreath at the tomb in a sombre ceremony attended by former Democratic presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and former Republican president George W. Bush.
Mr Biden was greeted by a 21-gun salute as he arrived at the cemetery on the outskirts of Washington.
Mr Biden and Ms Harris saluted as a service member played the haunting notes of “Taps.”
The US President later took to Twitter where he shared his first posts as US President from the @POTUS account — one that was largely unutilised by Donald Trump who instead favoured his own personal account throughout his term.
“There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face. That’s why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families,” Mr Biden wrote.
In a second post, he wrote “The time to move forward in is now”, accompanied by a video.
KAMALA MAKES HISTORY
Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President beforehand, making history as the first woman and first woman of colour to reach such high office.
Ms Harris took her oath from Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor, an Obama appointee who was herself the first Latina woman to join the nation’s highest court.
In inauguration tradition, a vice president is sworn in ahead of the president so that the order of succession is secure.
Under the constitution Donald Trump ceased being president at noon local time, when Joe Biden took his oath.
The incoming administration was introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar who reflected on the historic nature of the appointments and said Mr Biden would unite divided Americans.
“This ceremony is the culmination of 244 years of our democracy,” she said, speaking at the site of the Capitol incursion three weeks ago.
“We celebrate its resilience, its grit. We celebrate the ordinary people doing extraordinary things for our nation.
“The doctors and nurses on the frontline of this pandemic. The officers in the Capitol. A new generation never giving up hope for justice.
“We celebrate a new president – Joe Biden, who vows to restore the soul of America and cross the river of our divides to a higher plain.
“And we celebrate our first African-American, first Asian-American and first woman Vice-President, Kamala Harris, who stands on the shoulders of so many on this platform. Who have forged the way to this day.”
POET AMANDA GORMAN STEALS THE SHOW
Poet Amanda Gorman became a sudden star at age 22 at President Joe Biden’s inauguration as she recited verse inspired by the Capitol attack, touching on how democracy “can never be permanently defeated.”
Ms Gorman was the youngest poet to recite at an inauguration, a role first given to Robert Frost by John F. Kennedy in 1961, after First Lady Jill Biden saw one of Ms Gorman’s readings and invited her to participate at the Capitol steps.
Ms Gorman said that she had been writing a few lines a day but stayed awake at night out of a compulsion to complete her inauguration poem, “The Hill We Climb,” following the January 6 ransacking of the Capitol by supporters of then president Donald Trump who hoped to undo Mr Biden’s victory.
“We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it / Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy,” she recited.
“And this effort very nearly succeeded / But while democracy can be periodically delayed, / It can never be permanently defeated.”
Ms Gorman, who graduated from Harvard University last year, was the first to hold the role of national youth poet laureate by the Library of Congress and earlier held a similar honour in Los Angeles, where she has started a non-profit group to promote literacy.
She has previously written about the struggle for racial equality and the #MeToo movement against sexual assault.
Showing both composure and joy as she took the podium moments after Mr Biden, Ms Gorman opened her reading by speaking of how “We the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president -- only to find herself reciting for one.”
Among her previous works, Ms Gorman wrote “Tyrants Fear the Poet” to address the 2017 white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia — an episode that Mr Biden said motivated him to challenge Trump, who had said the crowd included “very fine people on both sides.” In an interview with National Public Radio, Ms Gorman said that she grew up with a speech impediment in which she could not pronounce certain letters -- a trait she shares with Mr Biden, who has been open about his struggles with stuttering.
Her reading triggered loud applause at the inauguration and an avalanche of praise on social media.
FORMER PRESIDENTS UNITE
Prior to being sworn-in, Mr Biden walked the Capitol’s steps with his wife, Jill, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff.
As dignitaries arrived for the unprecedented ceremony in a locked down Washington DC, former US president Barack Obama told his friend “this is your time”.
Mr Obama tweeted the message to his former Vice President as he and his wife, Michelle, were joined by fellow former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and other Washington political power players ahead of Mr Biden’s inauguration in Washington DC.
Earlier, Mr Biden attended church ahead of his inauguration, a traditional step taken ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
Congratulations to my friend, President @JoeBiden! This is your time. pic.twitter.com/LXzxGnBAfz
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 20, 2021
Mr Biden attended a service at Washington’s Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle.
He was accompanied by his wife, Dr Jill Biden, his children and grandchildren. Mr and Mrs Biden were also joined by incoming Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff.
At Mr Biden’s invitation, the incoming first couple were joined by a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including all four top-ranking members of congressional leadership, including Senate leaders, Republican Mitch McConnell and Democrat Chuck Schumer, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Many presidents have chosen S. John’s Episcopal Church, sometimes called “Church of the Presidents,” for the inaugural day service.
John F Kennedy’s funeral was held at the church.
Mr Biden is the second Catholic US president, and St. Matthew’s is the seat of the Catholic archbishop of Washington.
Mr Biden spent Tuesday night at Blair House, a traditional move ahead of a president’s inauguration.
WORLD LEADERS CONGRATULATE BIDEN
World leaders said they were looking forward to working with President Biden after four turbulent years under Donald Trump.
Charles Michel, president of the European Council, tweeted congratulations to both Mr Biden and Mrs Harris, adding: “It’s time to bring back conviction & common sense and rejuvenate our EU-US relationship.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Europe is ready for a fresh start”.
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani hailed the departure of “tyrant” Trump, Tehran having repeatedly called on Washington to lift sanctions imposed over its nuclear drive.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Biden to “strengthen,” the long-standing alliance between the two countries.
NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said “NATO Allies need to stand together to address the security consequences of the rise of China, the threat of terrorism, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a more assertive Russia.”
Pope Francis urged Mr Biden to promote “reconciliation and peace” around the world.
In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would seek “good relations with the United States”, while a foreign ministry statement said they expected a “more constructive” approach to upcoming arms control talks.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was “greatly relieved” Mr Biden was replacing Mr Trump, calling it a “good day for democracy”.
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “Best wishes on this most significant day for the American people! We are together. We will be stronger to face the challenges of our time. Stronger to build our future. Stronger to protect our planet. Welcome back to the Paris Agreement!,” Macron wrote in English.
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has faced criticism over his close relationship with Mr Trump, said he was looking forward to “working closely” with Mr Biden.
“In our fight against COVID and across climate change, defence, security and in promoting and defending democracy, our goals are the same and our nations will work hand in hand to achieve them,” he said.
Queen Elizabeth II sent a private message to Mr Biden before he was sworn in, Buckingham Palace said, without revealing the contents of the message.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged co-operation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, for climate action and for a sustainable economic recovery. “Our two countries are more than neighbours - we are close friends, partners, and allies,” Mr Trudeau said.
The leaders of Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates all sent messages of congratulations.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he was “impatient” to work together with Mr Biden “for peace and stability in the region and in the world”.
BIDEN’S BIG JOB
Mr Biden has inherited a public health catastrophe, a shattered economy and a deeply divided nation but the 46th president of the United States spent his last day before taking office focused on family.
Circling from a tearful tribute to his own lost son to a solemn memorial for the more than 400,000 who have died from coronavirus, Joe Biden promised to be a leader for all Americans.
Snubbed by Donald Trump – the first US President in more than 150 years to skip his successor’s swearing-in – Mr Biden took part in a largely “virtual” series of appearances from which the public have been cut out.
Social distancing requirements due to the pandemic have for months seen Team Biden urge the public to stay home to watch his ascension by livestream.
But the Capitol incursion on January 6, which caused five deaths and led to Mr Trump’s historic second impeachment for inciting his violent supporters to overthrow the election results slammed a kilometres-wide security cordon on Washington DC that made a public viewing of the events impossible.
Mr Biden started with an emotional farewell to his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday during which he openly cried.
Speaking at a National Guard centre named for his late son, Beau, who died in 2015, Mr Biden described his loss as his “one regret”.
“I only have one regret … that he’s not here,” Mr Biden said.
“We should be introducing him as president.”
Mr Biden’s speech was ahead of a short private plane journey to the capital, taken after Mr Trump reportedly refused to grant him use of Air Force One.
He was urged to shelve his plan to travel by train to his swearing-in alongside Vice President Kamala Harris amid security concerns.
Mr Biden reflected on his term as Vice President to Barack Obama and said he would be a leader for all Americans.
“Here we are today … about to return to Washington, to meet a Black woman of South Asian descent — to be sworn in as president and vice president,” Mr Biden said.
“Don’t tell me things can’t change.
“They can and they do.”
Later, he and Ms Harris led a simple but powerful tribute to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died to the pandemic.
“It’s hard sometimes to remember, but that’s how we heal. It’s important to do that as a nation,” Mr Biden said near the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial, where 400 lights flooded the sky to remember those lost.
“Let us shine the lights in the darkness along the sacred pool of reflection and remember all who we have lost.”
Across Washington DC church bells sounded, while in New York the Empire State Building glowed red.
Ms Harris, who today became the first female vice president, stressed the need for Americans to come together.
“For many months, we have grieved by ourselves. Tonight, we grieve and begin healing together,” she said.
This call for unity was reflected in how the Biden and Harris families spent the morning ahead of their inauguration, with senior Republicans Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy at a church service.
Mr Biden has promised an ambitious agenda for his first 100 days, including overturning some of Mr Trump’s most contentious policies during his first full day in office.
Among those will be for the US to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and reverse the Muslim travel ban that Mr Trump enacted in January 2017.
But the first challenge of the Biden administration was a peaceful and orderly Inauguration Day, something which the overwhelming security presence in Washington DC drove home.
Earlier, the FBI informed US law enforcement agencies that followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory and far-right “lone wolves” planned to infiltrate the inauguration by posing as National Guard members.
By day’s end 12 guardsmen had been removed from the 25,000-strong troop presence, two of them because of their ties to extremists.
Popstar and actress Lady Gaga, who performed the national anthem ahead of the swearing in, summed up the concerns of many.
“I pray tomorrow will be a day of peace for all Americans,” she said on social media.
“A day for love, not hatred. A day for acceptance not fear. A day for dreaming of our future joy as a country. A dream that is nonviolent, a dream that provides safety for our souls.”
- with AFP
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