Joe Biden, Kamala Harris inaugurated: President signs executive orders on climate, immigration
In his first hours as President, Joe Biden warns staff ‘I will fire you on the spot’ if they disrespect others and reverses Trump-era executive orders.
Joe Biden has signed a range of executive orders, many of them reversing those from the Trump era, hours after being inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States.
And he issued a warning to about 1000 political appointees, telling them he would have a zero tolerance approach to disrespectful behaviour.
“I’m not joking when I say this,” President Biden said.
“If you’re ever working with me, and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. On the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts. Everybody, everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity. That’s been missing in a big way in the last four years.
The President signed an order rejoining the Paris climate accord, ending the Muslim travel ban and stopping further construction of the Mexico border wall.
They were among a flurry or orders he pushed through the moment he entered the White House.
“I thought there’s no time to wait. Get to work immediately,” he told reporters, sitting behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
Mexico hailed his order to halt construction of Donald Trump’s wall along the US-Mexican border, as well as his other immigration-linked reforms.
“Mexico welcomes the end of the construction of the wall, the immigration initiative in favour of DACA and a path to dual citizenship,” Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard wrote on Twitter.
Bring back ‘truth’
In the first White House press conference under Mr Biden, new White House press secretary Jen Psaki vowed to bring “truth” back to the briefing room.
Asked whether she saw her role as providing reporters with the truth or representing the president’s interests, Ms Psaki replied: “I know the importance of this podium.”
The former CNN political reporter pointed out that she had been a State Department spokesperson during the Obama administration, and previously served as deputy White House communications director and deputy White House press secretary.
“ (Mr Biden) asked me to ensure we’re communicating about the policies across the Biden-Harris administration and the work his team is doing every day on behalf of all American people. There will be times when we see things differently in this room. I mean, among all of us. That’s okay. That’s part of our democracy. And rebuilding trust with the American people will be central to our focus in the press office and in the White House. Every single day,” Ms Psaki said.
National day of unity
On his arrival at the White House, Mr Biden proclaimed a ‘national day of unity’.
The President’s message as he was sworn in was a promise to unify and heal a divided America after the turbulent reign of Donald Trump.
In an aspirational inauguration speech, the 78-year-old called on Americans to lay aside their differences and cool the political temperature to rediscover what bonds them rather than divides them.
“Together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear, of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness,” he said.
“For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward,” he said. “Hear one another. See one another. Show respect to one another.”
Mr Biden said the country faced numerous challenges, from the coronavirus, to an economy in recession, to racial injustice and a bitter political divide.
He said America had “much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain.”
He recommitted the United States to its global alliances and said he would once again make the country a leader in world affairs.
After laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Mr Biden and his wife Jill, and Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, travelled down Pennsylvania in an inauguration parade that was largely virtual.
They have immediately started work, with Vice President Harris swearing in new Senators, including the two new senators from Georgia; and Mr Biden signing a series of executive orders, including on climate and immigration.
Meanwhile, Donald and Melania Trump have arrived at Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House only hours before Mr Biden and Ms Harris were sworn in.
■ Read below for a recap on how inauguration day unfolded.
Agencies 9.05am: Morrison, world leaders congratulate Biden, Harris
Scott Morrison has joined world leaders in congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on becoming President and Vice-President.
The Prime Minister said Australia’s alliance with the US had “never been more important.”
“I wish you both every success for your time in office and look forward to working closely with your new administration,” he tweeted.
Congratulations to President @JoeBiden and Vice President @KamalaHarris on your inauguration.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 20, 2021
The Australia-US Alliance has never been more important. I wish you both every success for your time in office and look forward to working closely with your new administration.
Anthony Albanese tweeted an image congratulating President Biden.
Congratulations, President Biden. pic.twitter.com/FbpWQhyLr4
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 20, 2021
France: 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, referring to the 2015 international accord committing all nations to cut carbon emissions to limit global warming, but which the United States under Trump formally quit in November last year.
Britain: Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has faced criticism over his close relationship with Trump, said he was looking forward to “working closely” with 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 Biden before he was sworn in, Buckingham Palace said, without revealing the contents of the message.
European Union: Charles Michel, president of the European Council, tweeted congratulations to both Biden and Vice President Kamala 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”.
Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel said she looked forward to a “new chapter” in German-US relations.
Chancellor #Merkel: "Warmest congratulations on your inauguration, @POTUS Joe Biden and @VP Kamala Harris - a true celebration of American democracy. I look forward to a new chapter of German-American friendship and cooperation." #InaugurationDay
— Steffen Seibert (@RegSprecher) January 20, 2021
“Warmest congratulations on your inauguration, @POTUS Joe Biden and @VP Kamala Harris – a true celebration of American democracy,” Mrs Merkel was quoted as saying in a tweet posted by her spokesman Steffen Seibert.
“I look forward to a new chapter of German-American friendship and co-operation.”
Iran: President Hassan Rouhani hailed the departure of “tyrant” Trump, Tehran having repeatedly called on Washington to lift sanctions imposed over its nuclear drive.
“We expect (the Biden administration) to return to law and to commitments, and try in the next four years, if they can, to remove the stains of the past four years,” he said.
Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Biden to “strengthen,” the longstanding alliance between the two countries.
“I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the US-Israel alliance, to continue expanding peace between Israel and the Arab world and to confront common challenges, chief among them the threat posed by Iran,” he said in a video.
The Vatican: Pope Francis urged Mr Biden to promote “reconciliation and peace” around the world. “At a time when the grave crises facing our human family call for farsighted and united responses, I pray that your decisions will be guided by a concern for building a society marked by authentic justice and freedom,” the pope said.
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.
The US and Russia are to discuss extending the landmark 2010 New START nuclear weapons accord shortly after Biden’s swearing in. The last remaining nuclear pact between the countries, it limits each side to 1,500 nuclear warheads and is set to expire February 5.
Anne Barrowclough 8.15am: Biden proclaims ‘national day of unity’
Joe Biden has called today a “national day of unity,” in an inauguration day proclamation.
“Today, we celebrate the triumph of democracy after an election that saw more Americans voting than ever before in our nation’s history, and where the will of the people has been heard and heeded,” Mr Biden said in the proclamation, which echoed the message of unity in his inauguration speech.
The President added: “We do so at a moment of great peril and promise for our nation. A once-in-a-century deadly pandemic. A historic and deepening economic crisis. Calls for racial justice some 400 years in the making. A climate crisis with force and fury. We also feel the rise in political extremism and domestic terrorism — unleashed just days ago on our Capitol, the citadel of freedom, but brewing long before — that we must confront and defeat.”
Anne Barrowclough 7.55am: President, First Lady arrive at the White House
Joe and Jill Biden have arrived at the White House after the building was given a deep clean on Donald Trump’s departure.
They arrived after a travelling down Pennsylvania Avenue in an inaugural parade that was largely virtual, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic – and security fears after the Capitol riots.
Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received a presidential escort from 15th Street to the White House that included the US Army Band, a Joint Service Honour Guard and the commander in chief’s Guard and Fife Drum Corps.
The inaugural committee is also hosting a “virtual parade across America,” which will feature performances in communities across the country — much like the Democratic National Convention, which was forced to go online in efforts to keep the virus from spreading.
Mr Biden also took a moment to jog over to a press area, where he fist bumped a member of the press.
“Keep doing what you’re doing,” Mr Biden said.
Julie Bykowicz 7.20am: 93-year-old parade speaker returns for Biden
Although the pandemic and security concerns mean the inaugural parade will look different this year, it will include a familiar voice.
Charlie Brotman, 93, served as the official announcer for every parade from President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957 through President Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013—11 presidents in all. Mr. Trump’s inaugural committee did not invite him to participate four years ago.
But Mr. Brotman is back. He is narrating the parade’s few live elements — mainly military bands — through pre-recorded voice-overs he cut at his assisted-living facility just north of Washington. Unlike previous inaugurations, this parade isn’t along Pennsylvania Avenue and has few spectators. Most of the performances will be online only.
President Biden’s inaugural committee invited Mr. Brotman on Thursday, shipped him studio equipment on Saturday, and by Sunday he was recording 23 pages of script.
Mr. Brotman is to introduce the bands from every branch of the military, which will escort Mr. Biden from 15th Street to the White House, as well as drum lines from Mr. Biden’s alma mater, the University of Delaware, and Vice President Kamala Harris’s Howard University.
“These are exciting times for me,” Mr. Brotman said in an interview. “It’s not the same. I miss the ad libbing of the live parade, and I always got a kick out of talking to the president. But this is an honour. It’s good to be involved again.”
Wall St Journal
Anne Barrowclough 7.00am: Biden, Harris lay wreath at Arlington Cemetery
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have visited Arlington National Cemetery 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 at the cemetery outside Washington attended by former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Mr Biden saluted as a service member played the haunting notes of “Taps. ”cl
Hillary Clinton said she believed Mr Biden and this moment in history were “made for each other.”
“I think that the moment and the man are made for each other,” Mrs Clinton told CNN.
“He brings a deep sense of empathy, rising out of his own personal experiences. But it’s a clear part of his character to listen to people, to people, try to lift people up. And I think our country right now needs a caring, compassionate, empathetic leader. And Joe Biden is all of that.”
She said she was “thrilled” that had become the first black person and the first woman to become Vice President.
“But I was also delighted because she’s a friend of mine,” she said. “I am convinced she’s going to be a terrific partner to Joe Biden and, you know, really put all of her experience and the expertise to work on behalf of the American people. I don’t think we could ask for anything more,” she said.
Tarini Parti 6.15am: Biden, Harris in signing ceremony
President Biden has participated in a signing ceremony in the President’s Room in the Capitol after he was sworn in.
With Vice President Kamala Harris by his side, Mr. Biden signed the Inauguration Day Proclamation, nominations to cabinet positions and nominations to sub-cabinet positions with different pens.
Members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies joined Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris for the signing.
After the ceremony, Mr. Biden briefly chatted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.
Meanwhile, Republicans praised Mr Biden’s message of unity in his inaugural address and said they hoped the parties can find a way to work together.
“I thought it was very strong and, and very much needed,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump. “We as a nation come together if we are told the truth. And if we have leaders who stand for enduring American principles.”
He added: “Whether here or abroad, when there has been disunity or fear or a sense of weakness and malaise, great leaders have come forward to bring people together, whether it’s Churchill or Lincoln or Reagan … I hope this president is able to achieve that, and that we as people throughout our society will rise to the occasion as well.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) also praised Mr. Biden’s focus on unity. “I thought it was very well done. I thought it was what we needed.”
Ms Murkowski has been critical of Mr. Trump and called on him to resign after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. She said she was hopeful that Republicans and Democrats can find ways to co-operate now.
“I think to the president’s words, you can still disagree from a policy perspective and you can do so in ways that are still respectful and allow you to continue to work towards other goals,” she said.
Some Republicans expressed wariness over whether Mr. Biden would follow through on his rhetoric.
“It was a good speech and I hope that in terms of serving as president, he sticks with that,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R., Wyo.). “It was a speech of unity. And it’s important to govern that way as well.”
Mr. Barrasso said he remained concerned about some of Mr. Biden’s planned executive orders, specifically one that revokes the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) said Mr. Biden “struck the right themes of unity, a call for us to come together to stop viewing one another as adversaries but rather as fellow Americans.”
She said she stood “ready to work with him to advance common goals,” as she has worked with Mr. Biden in the past.
Cameron Stewart 5.45am: ‘We’ll write an American story of light’
Joe Biden’s message as he was sworn in was a promise to unify and heal a divided America after the turbulent reign of Donald Trump.
In an aspirational inauguration speech, the 78-year-old called on Americans to lay aside their differences and cool the political temperature to rediscover what bonds them rather than divides them.
“Together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear, of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness,” he said.
“For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward,” he said. “Hear one another. See one another. Show respect to one another.”
Speaking outside the Capitol building that was recently stormed by mobs of angry pro-Trump supporters, Mr Biden said the country faced numerous challenges, from the coronavirus, to an economy in recession, to racial injustice and a bitter political divide.
He said America had “much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain.”
He recommitted the United States to its global alliances and said he would once again make the country a leader in world affairs.
“We will repair our alliances and engage with the world one again’ he said. “We will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example (to be) … a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security.”
The inauguration ceremony, which featured entertainers Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks and Jennifer Lopez, was held in front of a closed National Mall with no crowds permitted because of the coronavirus.
Without mentioning Mr Trump by name, Mr Biden spoke about the threat to democracy posed by the Capitol rioters and about the need for truth to make a comeback against lies and falsehoods in the public discourse.
“America has been tested anew, and America has risen to the challenge,” he said. “The will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.”
The ceremony was held in a national capital that was in a state of military-style security lockdown to deter pro-Trump protesters from trying to disrupt the inauguration.
Americans also watched the swearing in of Kamala Harris as the first female vice president and the first from African American and Asian heritage.
The inauguration was held in front of former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush but not Donald Trump who instead had a highly unorthodox departure from Washington.
Mr Trump, who refused to host the traditional morning tea with Mr Biden or attend his inauguration, instead left the White House on the Marine One helicopter which did a final farewell loop over Washington before flying to Andrews Air Force base where he gave his last speech as president.
In front of supporters Mr Trump gave a campaign-style address listing some of his achievements, saying “what we’ve done has been amazing by any standards.”
He wished the Biden administration ‘great luck and great success,’ saying that as president he had built “the foundation to do something really spectacular.”
“I can only say this, we’ve worked hard, we’ve left it all in the field.”
He hinted he would be back, in some form without declaring that he would run for president again.
Goodbye, we love you, we will be back in some form,” he said as the crowd cheered. “So have a good life, we will see you soon.”
Then he boarded Air Force One for the last time and took off from Washington for his new home in Florida to the tune of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
Eliza Collins 5.20am: Harrises escort Pences out of the Capitol
Former Vice President Mike Pence and former second lady Karen Pence were escorted out of the Capitol by Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
The four stopped out the steps to chat briefly and exchanged laughs before the Pences walked to the car.
Former President Donald Trump did not attend the inauguration. He left for Florida Wednesday morning.
Dow Jones
Anne Barrowclough 5.00am: ‘No time to waste’
Joe Biden is heading straight to the Oval Office to begin work after today’s ceremonies. The President tweeted: “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”.
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.
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 20, 2021
He is expected to sign a series of executive orders overturning some of Donald Trump’s legislation including climate policy and immigration.
Mr Biden will reportedly also sign orders requiring masks on all federal grounds and urge Americans to don face coverings for 100 days. He also plans to revive the global health unit in the National Security Council which had been allowed to go dormant during the Trump administration.
Ian Talley 4.50am: Washington subdued for inauguration
Washington was subdued as Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States.
Thousands of armed troops and miles of fencing kept onlookers far from the festivities. The District transformed into what looks like a police state in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The coronavirus pandemic also pared back the traditions of the day.
Online chatter about protests supporting former President Donald Trump had not materialised as of midday Wednesday. Public parks that typically draw protests and rallies were instead mostly empty and ringed with high aluminium and plexiglas walls.
A few dozen local residents and people selling souvenirs roamed sleepy downtown streets. One entrepreneur at the corner of 7th St. and Indiana Ave NW offered T-shirts with the images of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It’s called hustling,” said the man, who gave his name as U Des and said he had driven in from Harlem. “You gotta do what you gotta do, especially in this economy.”
Several dozen people watched inaugural coverage on TVs outside the Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, prohibited from travelling any closer. Soldiers lined Pennsylvania Avenue, which in other years would have been the jubilant scene of the inaugural parade.
Dow Jones
Anne Barrowclough 4.30am: ‘Much to restore, much to heal’
President Biden said after the discord of recent months, particularly after the riots at the Capitol exactly two weeks ago, there was “much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain.”
The National Mall that Mr Biden and Ms Harris faced as they took their oaths was filled not with people but with 200,000 flags, a reflection of the pandemic that has now killed more than 400,000 Americans.
Mr Biden pointed out that the toll of the virus that “silently stalks the country”y surpassed that of all the Americans killed in World War II.
“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.
But as “millions of jobs have been lost,” and amid a “cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making,” he spoke of hope. “To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words. It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity,” he said.
Reaching out to other countries, he told them: “Here’s my message to those beyond our borders. America has been tested, and we’ve come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again,” he said, vowing a change from the isolationist policies of his predecessor.
“We’ll lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. We’ll be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security,” he added.
Anne Barrowclough 4.20am: “This is America’s day’
President Joe Biden has repeated his message of unity and hope in his inauguration speech, telling Americans: “This America’s day, democracy’s day. A day of victory and hope.”
He acknowledged that after the fear and chaos in the wake of the Capitol riots, unity could feel like a “foolish fantasy these days.”
“I know the forces that divide us are deep, and they are real,” Mr. Biden said. “But I also know they are not new.
“We must meet this moment as the United States of America,” he said. “If we do that, I guarantee you, we will not fail.”
“Without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward. “Hear one another. See one another. Show respect to one another.”
After four years of discord in Congress and n the country, he spoke against “total war” in
policy-making and the manipulation of facts.
“My fellow Americans, we have to be different than this. America has to be better than this. And I believe America is so much better than this,” he said. .
Evoking Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous speech, “I have a dream” and the women protesting for a right to vote, he welcomed Kamala Harris as Vice President.
“Today, we mark the swearing-in of the first woman in American history elected to national office, Vice President Kamala Harris. Don’t tell me things can’t change.”
Anne Barrowclough 3.50am: Biden sworn in as 46th president of the US
Joe Biden has been sworn in as the 46th president of the United States after a fortnight of fear and tension in the wake of the Capitol riots.
Mr Biden, 78, took the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts at a solemn ceremony at the US Capitol which was snubbed by the outgoing president and took place in the shadow of a raging coronavirus pandemic which has killed 400,000 people.
Agencies 3.40am: Kamala Harris sworn in
Former California senator Kamala Harris was sworn in as vice president of the United States on Wednesday, the first woman ever to hold the post.
Ready to serve.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) January 20, 2021
Ms Harris, 56, took the oath of office from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a ceremony at the US Capitol.
She is the first Black woman and the first woman of South Asian descent to become US vice president.
Anne Barrowclough 3.25am: Biden: It’s a new day in America
Joe Biden has arrived to be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, vowing a “new day” for the United States after four years of tumult under Donald Trump who in an extraordinary final act snubbed the inauguration.
Two weeks to the day after Trump supporters violently rampaged at the US Capitol to overturn the election results, Mr Biden headed to the same very steps alongside Kamala Harris, who will become the first woman vice president.
It’s a new day in America.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 20, 2021
“It’s a new day in America,” Mr Biden tweeted before the inauguration as he prayed alongside congressional leaders at a Roman Catholic church.
He also tweeted a tribute to his wife, Dr Jill Biden. “I love you Jilly,” he wrote. “And I couldn’t be more grateful to have you with me on the journey ahead.”
I love you, Jilly, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have you with me on the journey ahead. pic.twitter.com/V4GUXAKSKg
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 20, 2021
Mr Biden, who at 78 will be the oldest president in US history and only the second Catholic, takes office amid enormous challenges with the still-raging COVID-19 pandemic having claimed 400,000 lives in the United States.
With AFP
Agencies 3.20am: Former presidents arrive at the Capitol
Former presidents and their spouses have arrived at the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, who campaigned for Mr. Biden, joined former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, and former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton on the west front of the Capitol. Former Vice President Dan Quayle was also in attendance.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who is 96 and a cancer survivor, said earlier this month that he would not attend. President Trump is not attending the inauguration.
Cameron Stewart 3.00am: Trump’s final act: get out of jail free card
rue to form, Donald Trump kept people guessing as he counted down his remaining hours at the White House.
And then the news came: he had granted 73 pardons, including to former senior aide Steve Bannon, and commuted the sentences of an additional 70.
Close legal sidekick Rudy Giuliani and Mr Trump’s children weren’t on the list he released less than 12 hours before the inauguration. But there was still time for another last-minute trademark ‘‘gotcha’’.
The 45th US president had reportedly made his late decision after speaking to Mr Bannon by phone. Mr Bannon had been charged with defrauding people over funds raised to build the Mexico border wall, a flagship Trump policy.
He was Trump’s campaign manager during the 2016 election, before becoming a senior adviser.
Former Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy was similarly pardoned, after pleading guilty last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws.
“Mr Bannon has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen,” a White House statement said.
READ the full story here
Cameron Stewart 2.45am: Trump moves out, Biden moves in
Donald Trump will leave the White House promising his supporters that the huge political movement he created would only grow stronger in the years ahead.
But before he left, the 45th president pardoned 73 people, including former aide Steve Bannon, and commuted the sentences of an additional 70.
Mr Bannon was granted clemency having been charged with fraud over funds raised to build the Mexico border wall that was a flagship Trump policy. “Mr Bannon has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen,” a White House L
Former Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy was similarly pardoned, after pleading guilty last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws. Rapper Lil Wayne, who last month pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, also made the list.
The list included Trump allies, many of whom have been swept up in corruption or lying charges.
In his final address to the nation, delivered via video, the outgoing president portrayed himself as the people’s president, saying he had put ordinary Americans back in charge of the country rather than politicians.
“We restored self-government, we restored the idea that in America no one is forgotten, because everyone matters and everyone has a voice,’’ he said. “I did not seek the path that would get the least criticism. I took on the tough battles, the hardest fights, the most difficult choices because that’s what you elected me to do.’’
Mr Trump predicted that the populist moment that he largely created and that won him 77 million votes would grow, even when he was out of office.
READ the full story
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