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--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Black Rifle Coffee. Head to BlackRifleCoffee.com and use code DAILYWIRE for 20% off your purchase. That's BlackRifleCoffee.com, code DAILYWIRE.
--:-- John Bickley: I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Monday, January 20th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Newly sworn in, President Trump delivered bold remarks during his inauguration speech today, vowing to usher in a golden age for America. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce has more.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Speaking moments after taking the oath, Trump declared, from this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again. He promised to restore national sovereignty and end what he called the weaponization of government while putting America first.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Trump acknowledged challenges ahead, calling for honesty about the nation's crisis of trust and blamed a corrupt establishment for years of mismanagement. He pledged swift action on border security, disaster relief and education, insisting his election victory was a mandate for change.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Trump concluded by promising that America's decline is over and that his administration would bring prosperity and strength back to the nation.
--:-- Georgia Howe: In his final act as president, Joe Biden issued several pardons. Daily Wire reporter Zach Jewell has the latest.
--:-- Zach Jewell: Just hours before Biden was set to hand the reins over to President Trump, he issued pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci and former U.S. Army General Mark Milley, as well as members of the controversial January 6 committee.
--:-- Zach Jewell: Fauci has repeatedly been under fire for his recommendations made during COVID-19, while Milley has faced criticism for secret calls to China during Trump presidency and his role in the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
--:-- Zach Jewell: Biden also pardoned his brother James along with four other members of the Biden family amid influence allegations. The move has drawn backlash from Republicans like Senator Eric Schmidt who say it's an abuse of power.
--:-- Zach Jewell: For his part, Biden insists these pardons do not represent an admission of wrongdoing, despite previously condemning Trump's talk about pardons in 2020.
--:-- Zach Jewell: It concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and injustice. You're not going to see in our administration that kind of approach to pardons.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump blasted the move as disgraceful, telling ABC News, quote, many are guilty of major crimes.
--:-- Georgia Howe: New polling shows that Americans overwhelmingly support Trump's deportation plans. Daily Wire reporter Spencer Lindquist has the numbers.
--:-- Spencer Lindquist: Nearly 9 in 10 Americans support deporting illegal aliens with criminal records, according to a recent poll, highlighting the strong backing for one of President Trump's key policies.
--:-- Spencer Lindquist: Majorities also favor deporting recent illegal entrants and all illegal immigrants, reflecting widespread support for stricter immigration enforcement.
--:-- Spencer Lindquist: Earlier polls show similar approval for tougher measures, like building the border wall and penalizing businesses that hire illegal workers.
--:-- Georgia Howe: As Trump prepares to take office, immigration reform is set to dominate the House's agenda. We spoke to Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, just a day before the inauguration.
--:-- Tom Homan: President Trump put a good team together. I'll be working very closely with Kristi Nolan. She's brilliant, and she's going to clean house the DHS.
--:-- Tom Homan: Of course Dr Kastatel is going to clean house the FBI while running the deportation operation.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Among the executive orders Trump has set to sign one will kick off an investigation into alleged political weaponization by the Biden administration.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The order directs the attorney general to review government actions targeting Trump supporters and conservatives aiming to hold officials accountable.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The move fulfills a key campaign promise to end what Trump calls government overreach.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com slash morningwire, all lowercase.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Established in 2025 has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Head over to shopify.com slash morningwire to start selling with Shopify today.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump is officially defining male and female by way of an expansive executive order. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestagiacomo reports.
--:-- Amanda Prestagiacomo: The order requires federal agencies to reflect biological sex and bans gender marker changes on passports and IDs.
--:-- Amanda Prestagiacomo: It also directs agencies like the State Department and Homeland Security to use immutable sex designations and aims to block taxpayer-funded gender transition treatments for federal prisoners, while increasing privacy protections in women's spaces like prisons and shelters.
--:-- Amanda Prestagiacomo: Finally, it ends the forced use of preferred pronouns, including in the workplace and schools.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Alliance Defending Freedom President Kristen Wagner spoke to us about the orders.
--:-- Kristen Wagner: My hope is that we're turning the corner on this issue. We've been fighting it for over 10 years now with regard to bathrooms, locker rooms, and more recently, eight or so years on the sports front.
--:-- Kristen Wagner: I think we're turning the page. But again we have half of the states that have adopted laws to protect women and girls in sports as an example And these are state laws Those are being challenged and argued that they are unconstitutional
--:-- Georgia Howe: So those cases will continue but we will continue now to have the federal government on the side of women and girls rather than against us.
--:-- Georgia Howe: President Trump is also signing executive orders to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and to restore Alaska's Denali back to Mount McKinley.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The administration says the renaming honors American greatness and will be reflected in all federal communications and maps.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump has called McKinley a great president and believes the Gulf's new name has a beautiful ring.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Critics say the changes ignore cultural and historical significance, while supporters argue they reaffirm national pride.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Following today's inauguration, the Senate is set to get back to work and vote on several Trump cabinet members.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Florida Senator Marco Rubio is first and will likely be confirmed after a rather smooth hearing.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Trump's national security picks will also be up for a vote, including Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, as well as John Ratcliffe for CIA director.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Following Hegseth and Ratcliffe, there will be a vote for South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for Homeland Security.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And Vivek Ramaswamy is out at the Department of Government Efficiency as rumors swirl about his potential bid for Ohio governor.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Sources close to Ramaswamy tell Politico he plans to launch his gubernatorial campaign next week.
--:-- Georgia Howe: His departure leaves Musk in full control of the department's efforts to streamline federal operations.
--:-- Georgia Howe: All right, those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And for more in-depth reporting on the biggest stories of the day, tune in to our full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
