NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-20-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

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Lyle from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump is officially back in office. I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear. I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear. That I will faithfully execute. That I will faithfully execute. The office of President of the United States. The office of President of the United States.

The office of President of the United States. At the U.S. Capitol today, Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath of office in his first speech as the 47th President of the United States. Trump outlined a long list of changes he planned to make. A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount

McKinley where it should be and where it belongs. That's currently Mount Denali, the tallest peak in North America. Trump also pledged executive actions on immigration, including mass deportations and tougher measures for asylum seekers. NPR's Ada Peralta has a reaction from Mexico. Almost as soon as Donald Trump became President Trump, the phone application that allows migrants appointments to seek asylum in the United States went down. Existing appointments scheduled through CBPP1 are no longer valid, the phones

flashed. Mariela Estinoco had been waiting for an appointment for six months and the news broke her. She knelt on the ground at the foot of the international bridge that leads to El Paso and she wept. My God, when I thought everything was solved, it all comes crumbling down," she said. Ada Peralta, NPR News, Juarez, Mexico. Trump will also take executive action to end diversity programs in the federal government, impose sweeping tariffs on imported goods, require government recognition of strictly two sexes, male and female, and exit the Paris Climate Accord again.

Across the U.S. Republicans say they're optimistic for his second term, and PR Stephen Fowler reports from a watch party in Florida. It's 60 degrees and rainy at the National Croquet Center, but the mood of Republicans gathered here is far from dampened. Palm Beach County GOP Chair Carl Cascio said this inauguration marks a

new era for the U.S. But this is just the beginning. This is not going to be the time to sit back on our laurels and to just wait and let things happen as you've seen over the last four years. The raucous crowd of more than 100 cheered throughout Trump's address that declared quote America's decline is over and outlined his day one priorities. Stephen Fowler, NPR News, West Palm Beach Florida. Back in DC Trump supporters celebrated the moment even though they had to move indoors because of the frigid weather. So hundreds of thousands of people had to find other indoor venues to watch the swearing in. It's NPR. At the Capitol One arena, a crowd was

waiting to see President Trump, but earlier today another political superstar got the crowd to its feet, Elon Musk. There are elections that come and go. Some elections are, you know, important, some are not, but this one, this one really matters. He entered the room with some might say an interesting dance as he thanked the crowd for their support. Earlier, President Biden made his farewell at Joint Base Andrews. We're leaving office, but we're not leaving the fight. You're smart. You're skilled. You're passionate.

The country needs you again. So all you can, stay engaged in all the ways you can. Whether it's in public service, the private sector, philanthropy, academia, running for office yourself. Anything else you choose to do. I give you my word, we believe in you. Earlier President Biden, now former President Biden, issued preemptive pardons for members of his family he sought to shield from potential investigation or prosecution during the Trump

administration. He says his family has been subjected to threats and attacks to harm him. The White House announced the pardons with just minutes left in Biden's presidency after Biden was already at the Capitol for Trump swearing in. In other news, the former president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, has died. According to a statement from her family, Richards passed away this morning following her battle with brain cancer. She was 67 years old. This is NPR News.