--:-- [Sound of a crowd cheering]
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Welcome to The Journal. I'm Ryan Knutson.
--:-- Guest (Natalie Andrews): Thanks for having me on the show.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Today, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Natalie, let's start with his inaugural address. What stood out to you?
--:-- Natalie Andrews: Well, Ryan, it was a speech about Donald Trump taking the promises he'd made on the campaign trail and showing that he had a plan and that he's planning to do a lot of executive actions.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): That's right. He talked about releasing a new golden age of America. But what does that mean, exactly?
--:-- Natalie Andrews: It's not immediately clear what the golden age means, but I think his voters hope that it makes them all a little more prosperous.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business and power. I'm Ryan Knutson. It's Monday, January 20th.
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--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should.
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--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Ford Blue Cruise hands-free highway driving takes the work out of being behind the wheel.
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--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Trump's inauguration took place inside the U.S. Capitol building due to freezing temperatures in Washington, D.C.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: The Capitol Rotunda, where the inauguration happened, is one of the most beautiful places in Washington, D.C. It's stunning.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): You walk in and it's a circular room and there's murals all around you and on the ceiling and natural light streaming through.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And what was the vibe like?
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): It was a party. People were very excited to see each other. They were very excited to see Donald Trump. They were cheering.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: The vibe overall was a celebratory one.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And who was up there on stage with him?
--:-- Natalie Andrews: So it was an interesting dynamic to, if you're looking at Donald Trump giving a speech, to the right of him was the President's Club, Barack Obama, Joe Biden.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): You know, the President's Club made it seem like an old guard.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And then on the left of Donald Trump, you had the Trump family right in front.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): You had tech CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg. You had Elon Musk.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: It was quite interesting. You had the TikTok CEO. He was on the very end of the crowd and kind of looked on for most of the time.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Is it unusual to have tech CEOs and business leaders up there?
--:-- Natalie Andrews: It seems so in this quantity.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And to note, a lot of these folks had been very friendly with Democrats as well.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: It's just been interesting to watch how quickly they have not only just kind of been at the inauguration, but also been down to Mar-a-Lago, taking pictures with Trump, really become chummy in the last few weeks since Donald Trump was elected.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): After J.D. Vance took the oath of office as VP, Chief Justice John Roberts swore in Trump as president.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He took the oath. People cheered loudly.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Every person sitting on the chair had a little sheet that said the etiquette for the inauguration and it said not to take pictures during the oath of office.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And, oh my gosh, so many members of Congress ignored that. They were outstanding.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): How would you describe Trump's speech?
--:-- Natalie Andrews: This was not a speech about unifying America. This was a speech about Donald Trump taking the promises he'd made on the campaign trail and showing that he had a plan and that he's planning to do a lot of executive actions.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): I think he joked at one point on the campaign trail, and it seemed like a joke that he was going to be a dictator on day one only.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And this is him saying, I have presidential powers and I'm going to do them in part because he does feel like he has a mandate.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed their freedom.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He feels like he was elected overwhelmingly and it's time for him to show how he's going to get that done.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): He's very much put a timestamp and urgency on a lot of things, and he didn't hold back.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He was quite critical of the Biden administration when it was that you had Joe Biden and Kamala Harris sitting right there on the front row watching.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): There was no qualms about that.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And then he talked a lot about God.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Just a few months ago in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin's bullet ripped through my ear.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: But I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): I was saved by God to make America great again.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: It's something that a lot of, since the assassination attempt in July and then the subsequent one, You have seen a lot of Trump devotees be very adamant that Trump was saved to restore America, and that language continued from him today.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Then he laid out his policy visions and the actions he's going to take, saying he was going to sign a roster of executive orders.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: Said he was going to sign executive orders right away.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): For example, banning biological men from playing in women's sports or return on immigration, really going back to a lot of the executive orders he'd issued in his first term on immigration, such as remain in Mexico.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: I will declare a national emergency at our southern border.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Yeah, he really kicked off the policy portion of his speech talking about immigration.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He wants to limit border crossings from people who are crossing the border illegally.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): So he is wanting to implement processes that turn people back, you know, ending people being able to seek asylum and have a court date at a later time.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He's also expected to sign an executive order ending birthright citizenship in the country, the idea being that if you come to the country and cross illegally, you cannot have your baby in the U.S. and have that baby be an American citizen.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And from immigration, he went to another key issue from his campaign, which was inflation.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: What is his plan to address inflation?
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Donald Trump wants to push for more business in the country.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He wants his whole cabinet to deal with inflation and then do more with energy.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): We will drill, baby, drill.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: Whereas Biden restricted drilling in the United States, Donald Trump wants to grab more fossil fuels in the United States.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): He wants to use that to lower costs for fuel.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: What else would you say is on his economic agenda that he outlined in his speech?
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Donald Trump sees kind of a greater efficiency across the board.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: He wants this idea of the Department of Government efficiency, which is an office, not a department.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): But the idea is to go look through every aspect of the federal government and see maybe what can you cut.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: I think a lot of his kind of policies in general on trade are also so key.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And on Monday he said he going to overhaul the federal trade system.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And he wants to establish this external revenue service to collect tariffs and duties that are coming in.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And then he spoke about race and gender.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: Yes. I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Why was that such a big focus?
--:-- Natalie Andrews: Well, there's an aspect of the Republicans who really, really like this idea of the traditional family, the man, woman, child setup.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And so that got a lot of cheers.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: There's been a lot of headlines right now about trans athletes playing in women's sports.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And whether or not there's that many trans athletes playing, it's really become something that the cultural right has just jumped on as something they feel very passionate about.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: So that focus is something that's very important to Republicans right now and to conservatives at large.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Trump also said he plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico to be the Gulf of America, that he wants to retake control of the Panama Canal, and that he wants to send American astronauts to Mars.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: The way he closed his address was not phrasing that he's used before when he ends speeches.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): This was a very, like, we will. We will stand bravely. We will live proudly. We will dream boldly.
--:-- Natalie Andrews: And nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): The future is ours. And our golden age has just begun.
--:-- [Sound of a crowd cheering]
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Thanks for listening to The Journal. We'll be right back after this break.
--:-- [Sound of a commercial]
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): We're back. Today, we're talking to Trump supporters who gathered in Washington D.C. to celebrate.
--:-- [Sound of a crowd cheering]
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Tell me what you're excited about. What are you excited to hear from them today?
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: The next four years.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): I'm excited for the next four years. I'm looking forward to a more secure country.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: I don't like all the people coming into our country illegally. That's a big issue for me.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Defense, protection of our country is a big deal.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: And the economy, I think, has just gotten a little way out of control.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And he's going to open energy. He's going to drill.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: Doing that is going to bring in the money and that he's going to be able to accomplish the other things that he wants to accomplish for the American people.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): So it'll be fantastic.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: Maybe I might not agree with everything that Trump is going to do or wants to do.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): I feel there's a captain at the ship now.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: And that's, you know, I'm not afloat. I feel like I'm not afloat anymore.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): After the speech, Jessica caught up with a couple from Tampa, Florida, Debbie and Gary Garcia.
--:-- Debbie Garcia: We just couldn't wait to hear this and be here present with all this excitement and exuberance.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): We're thrilled to be here and just can't wait to see what the next four years has in store for the United States and for the rest of the world.
--:-- Debbie Garcia: Did anything from his speech stand out to you?
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): I think the taking back of Panama in whatever capacity we'll do that is make the statement to the world that we're no longer the America of yesteryear.
--:-- Gary Garcia: We're a new America.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): The America of not putting us first and creating a stability in the world through our stability here at home.
--:-- Gary Garcia: And we're unstable here at home now, and we can be more stable as purveyors in the world.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): How does it feel to be celebrating here with other Trump supporters in Washington, D.C.?
--:-- Debbie Garcia: I just feel like these people are just other people, just average every day, just like us, people who absolutely love their country.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): And I support people who love our country, not people who hate our country.
--:-- Debbie Garcia: So it's wonderful to be here with kindred spirits.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Many of the people who Matt and Jessica spoke to shared this feeling of hope for the next four years.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: It's something that our colleague Natalie has been thinking about.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): I met so many voters and folks on the campaign trail who earnestly voted for Donald Trump because they want change.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: They have hope that Donald Trump can do that.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Given what he said in his speech, what do you think Trump's first 100 days in office will be like?
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: It seems as like a president who's going to twist arms.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): This is not a president who's going to want to negotiate.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: This is a president who's saying, did you see by how much I won with?
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): The people are with me and we need to work and get what I want to get done, done.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: This is not someone who's going to be wanting to do carve outs or negotiate with each and every member of Congress for their little part that they want in a certain bill.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): This is someone who wants to come in, feels as though he has a mandate and wants to accomplish it.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: And what about the agenda he outlined? It seems incredibly ambitious.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): It's incredibly ambitious. It's incredibly vast.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: It's very difficult to do.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): He will face hurdle after hurdle.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: And it will be interesting to see if people are understanding about that as he tries to get things done.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): What does day one tell us about the next four years?
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: You know, he's determined.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Donald Trump is determined.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: He fought for this. This is a president who's come back.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): He's made the ultimate comeback.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: And he feels that. He feels that support.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): He's got the tech CEO sitting behind him.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: He's got his cabinet sitting behind him.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): He had people in the audience who helped get him elected, raised millions to put on the inauguration.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: So much money they couldn't spend it.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): So he's feeling as though he has the world behind him to do what he wants to do.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Before you go, we have some exciting news.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: Molly and Ryan are coming back.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Join senior political correspondent Molly Ball and your co-host, Ryan Knudsen, on Friday mornings for the first 100 days of Trump's presidency.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: They'll unpack the news of the week and answer your questions.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): So please send us your questions.
--:-- Jessica Mendoza: Either record a voice memo or email them to thejournal at wsj.com.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): That's thejournal at wsj.com.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): That's all for today, Monday, January 20th.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow.
--:-- Host (Ryan Knutson): Thank you.
