Speech · 2017

Inaugural Address (2017)

In his first inaugural address, President Trump declared that power was being transferred from Washington back to the American people and made America First the guiding principle of his administration. He vowed to end the “American carnage” of shuttered factories, crime, gangs and drugs, promised to follow two simple rules — “Buy American and hire American” — and called for national unity rooted in “a total allegiance to the United States of America.”

“From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first. America first. Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.”

Donald J. Trump, January 20, 2017

Why it matters

The address made America First the governing theme of the administration; supporters welcomed its focus on forgotten workers and communities, while critics found its portrait of the country unduly dark.

Read the full text at presidency.ucsb.edu

Primary Source

The original record, reproduced or linked from the institution that holds it. Primary sources show what people said and did in their own words.

Subjects

america first inaugural address trade immigration

From the library

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