In a far-ranging speech, the 47th President touched on everything from the gender debate to climate change.
He told those inside the Capitol that the “future is ours” as he vowed to make widespread changes to the US.
Donald Trump’s most outrageous claims from his inauguration speech
He told the room: “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”
His comments were met with rapturous applause by the room, before continuing: “ America will be a manufacturing nation once again, we have something that no other manufacturing nation will ever have – the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth and we are going to use it.
“We will bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again, right to the top, and export American energy all over the world.
Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts
AP
“We will be a rich nation again, and it is that liquid gold under our feet which will help to do it.”
He also vowed to end the “electric vehicle mandate”, which he described as his “sacred” pledge to America.
It is worth noting that Trump has previously called climate change a hoax.
LGBT rights were a talking point in the presidential race, and Trump has sought to fan the flames a little further in his inauguration speech, saying that there are now only two genders in the US.
He told the room: “I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.
“We will forge a society that is colour blind merit-based.
“As of today, it will hence forth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders; male and female.”
‘We’re taking it back’
He said, somewhat warningly: “America will reclaim its place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on Earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world.
“A short time from now we are going to be changing the name from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and we will restore the name of a great president, William Mcinley.
“President Mckinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent – he was a natural businessman.
“He gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama canal which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama after the United States spent more money than it has ever spent on a project before, and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal.
“We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift which should have never been made and Panama’s promise to us has been broken.”
“American ships are being severely overcharged – and above all China has been operating the Panama Canal, and we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back!”
Panama Canal was built by the US
AFP via Getty Images
Trump also pledged to use his “common sense” to declare a “national emergency at our southern border”
Trump said he will designate cartel members as “foreign terrorists”.
“All illegal entry will be completely halted” he added.
The Red Planet is the likely next destination in the new age space race, and Trump has big plans.
He said that he “will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars” and “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.”
He added: “Ambition is the lifeblood of a great nation.”
