Donald Trump: first strike against Obamacare

President Donald Trump moved to start dismantling Obamacare on his first day, and Washington prepared for a huge Women’s March.

President Donald Trump has assumed power with a fiercely nationalistic vow to put “America first” and immediately moved to start dismantling the healthcare reforms passed by Barack Obama.

Mr Trump signed his first executive order in the Oval Office, commanding government offices to grant all possible exemptions to limit the “economic and regulatory burden” of the Affordable Care Act on individuals, health care providers or insurance companies, as a prelude to a full repeal.

The order on Friday US time basically directs federal agencies to do what they can to pare back provisions of the act and lay the groundwork to potentially gut the requirement that Americans carry health insurance, which lies at the heart of the law.

The order does not strike down the law, which Republicans in Congress are poised to repeal. Individuals who have bought coverage for 2017 on the health law’s exchanges will still have insurance and insurers will still participate this year.

Later, on Sunday morning Australian time, throngs of women determined to push back against the new American president descended on the nation’s capital and other cities around the globe for more marches aimed at showing Mr Trump they won’t be silent over the next four years.

In Washington they came wearing bright pink “pussyhats” and wielding signs with messages such as “Women won’t back down” and “Less fear more love”.

City officials tweeted that organisers of the Women’s March on Washington had increased the expected turnout there to 500,000, up from 200,000, as crowds began swelling well ahead of the event’s start and subways into the city became clogged with participants.

It wasn’t just a Washington phenomenon and it wasn’t just women: More than 600 “sister marches” were planned across the country and around the world, including Australia, and plenty of men were part of the tableau.

Earlier, as the inauguration day’s ceremonial rituals drew to a close on Saturday Australian time, Mr Trump and his wife Melania stepped out — the first lady stunning in an off-the-shoulder ivory gown — to lead the dance at one of the string of glitzy inaugural balls being held across the capital.

The pair slow-danced in a close embrace to a version of Frank Sinatra’s My Way, before they were joined by Vice-President Mike Pence and his wife Karen, and both families’ children.

“Well, we did it,” Mr Trump told the revellers. “We won. And today, we had a great day.

“This was a movement. And now the work begins.”

Hundreds of thousands of people stood on the rain-splattered National Mall to see the 70-year-old Republican billionaire be sworn in, and deliver a stridently populist call-to-arms.

Mr Trump promised to lift up the nation’s disenfranchised and those who felt betrayed by the political elites, declaring with vindication that “the forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.”

“From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land,” Mr Trump said, promising an end to business-as-usual in Washington. “From this moment on, it’s going to be only America First.”

During his inaugural address, Mr Trump vowed that his presidency would usher in a new political era.

“We are transferring power from Washington, DC, and giving it back to you, the people,” he said.

Moments earlier, the incoming US leader had placed his left hand on a bible used by Abraham Lincoln and recited the 35-word oath spoken since George Washington.

The popular turnout was visibly smaller than for Obama’s two inaugurations, in 2009 and 2013, with sections of the mall and bleachers along the parade route left nearly empty.

Throngs of Mr Trump’s opponents also converged on Washington.

Most of their protests — by an array of anti-racist, anti-war, feminist, LGBT, and pro-immigration groups — were peaceful, but sporadic violence marred the day.

Several hundred masked, black-clad protesters carrying anarchist flags smashed windows, lit fires and scuffled with riot police blocks from the parade held in Mr Trump’s honour, with at least 217 people arrested for vandalism.

Even the peaceful protesters were intent on spoiling Mr Trump’s party — letting out a deafening roar as the presidential limousine rolled past.

“Not my president! Not my president!” they yelled, as the pro-Trump crowd in nearby bleachers chanted “USA! USA!”

A first two Trump cabinet members were sworn in after being confirmed by the US Senate. Both are retired generals: Secretary of Defence James Mattis, and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

For the next few weeks the White House plans a series of daily executive orders to roll back Mr Obama’s agenda.

Mr Trump has also vowed to re-examine long-running alliances with Europe and in Asia.

“We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilised world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth,” he said.

AFP, The Wall Street Journal, AP