Inaugural Ceremony

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. FISCHER. Good afternoon.

Endurance through the years is the ultimate test. To persevere through time is the truest measure of an idea, an institution, and a nation.

Our Founders wrote the Constitution so that America could withstand all the twists and turns of time. They wrote it to guide us and to preserve forever our right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

But as much as the truths and principles enshrined in our Constitution remain the same, our democracy promises the American people the power to change, to chart their own destiny.

That is the beauty. That is the importance of democracy. It allows the endurance, the permanence of a nation through change. It allows nations, like our United States, both to avoid the obstacles and to seize the opportunities God has placed before us, all while staying true to our founding principles.

Today is our country's 60th inauguration ceremony. Like all the others before it, it is a celebration of our right to set our uniquely American course. The past several years have been trying at times for many, many Americans and also for the nations of the free world that we humbly strive to lead.

In November, Americans chose again to steer this Nation toward greatness--the secure, safe, and prosperous future that our Founders envisioned for all of us. And today, we celebrate not only their decision to do so but also the simple right and wisdom of a free people to make their own choice so that their Nation might endure.

And now, allow me to welcome Archbishop Timothy Doland and Reverend Franklin Graham, who will deliver our invocation.

Please rise.

Archbishop DOLAND. Be still and know that I am God, supreme among the nations, supreme on the Earth. Let us pray.

Remembering General George Washington on his knees at Valley Forge, recalling Abraham Lincoln at his second inaugural: ``with malice toward none, with charity for all, with the firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right,'' remembering General George Patton's instructions to his soldiers as they began the Battle of the Bulge eight decades ago, pray. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night. Pray by day.

Observing the birthday of the Reverend Martin Luther King, who warned, without God, our efforts turn to ashes. We, blessed citizens of this one Nation under God, humbled by our claim that in God we trust, gather, indeed, this inauguration day to pray for our President Donald J. Trump, his family, his advisers, his Cabinet, his aspirations, his Vice President, for the large blessings upon Joseph Biden, for our men and women in uniform, for each other whose hopes are stoked this new year, this inauguration day.

We cannot err in relying upon that prayer from the Bible upon which our President will soon place his hand in oath. As we make our own the supplications of King Solomon for wisdom, as he began his governance, God of our fathers, in Your wisdom, You set man to govern Your creatures, to govern in holiness and justice, to render justice with integrity, give our leader wisdom, for he is Your servant, aware of his own weakness and brevity of life.

If wisdom, which comes not from You be not with him, he shall be held in no esteem. Send wisdom from Heaven that she may be with him, that he may know Your designs.

Please, God, bless America. Please, mentor every flaw. You are the God in whom we trust who lives and reigns forever and ever.

Amen.

Reverend GRAHAM. Mr. President, in the last 4 years, there were times, I am sure, you thought it was pretty dark. But look what God has done. We praise Him and give Him glory.

(Applause.)

Let us pray.

Our Father and our God, Thou has said blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.

As the Prophet Daniel prayed: ``Blessed be the name of God forever and ever. For wisdom and might are his. He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings. He raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.''

Our Father, today, as President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office once again, we come to say thank you, O Lord, our God.

Father, when Donald Trump's enemies thought he was down and out, You and You alone, saved his life and raised him up with strength and power by Your mighty hand.

We pray for President Trump; that You will watch over, protect, guide, direct him. Give him Your wisdom from Your throne on high. We ask that You would bless him and that our Nation would be blessed through him.

We also ask that You would bless and protect Melania, his First Lady. We thank You for the beauty, the warmth, and grace that she shows not only to this Nation but to the whole world.

We thank You for Vice President-elect JD Vance and his wife Usha and their young family. May he be a strength to President Trump, to stand beside him, to hold up his arms like Aaron held up the arms of Moses in the midst of battle.

The Prophet Samuel reminded the people it was You that brought them up from the land of Egypt. And he said, now stand still that I may reason with you before the Lord. So, Father, we take this moment to stand still, to remember the great things that You have done for this Nation.

Thank you for the protection, the bounty, the freedoms that we so enjoy. We remember to keep our eyes fixed on You. And may our hearts be inclined to Your voice. We know that America can never be great again if we turn our backs on You. We ask for Your help.

We pray all of this in the name of the king of kings, the lords of lords, Your son, my Savior, and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

(Christopher Macchio performed ``O, America'' accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus.)

MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Associate Justice Kavanaugh to administer the Vice Presidential oath of office.

The Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, BRETT KAVANAUGH, administered to the Vice President-elect the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution, which he repeated as follows:

I, James David Vance, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Associate Justice KAVANAUGH. Congratulations, Mr. Vice President.

(Applause.)

MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Chief Justice Roberts to administer the Presidential oath of office.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, JOHN G. ROBERTS, JR., administered to the President-elect the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution, which he repeated, as follows:

I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.

The Chief Justice. Congratulations, Mr. President.

(Applause.)

(United States Marine Band performs ``Battle Hymn of the Republic.'')

(Applause.)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. FISCHER. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and pleasure to introduce to you the 45th and the 47th President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.

(Applause.)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mrs. FISCHER. I now call on Rabbi Ari Berman, Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, and Rev. Frank Mann to provide prayers of benediction.

Rabbi BERMAN: Let us pray.

Almighty God, your profit Jeremiah walked the streets of Jerusalem and blessed its inhabitants with:

(English translation of statement made in Hebrew as follows:)

Blessed is the one who trusts in God.

Thousands of years later, this great Nation, which adopted these words as its motto, ``In God We Trust,'' stands at a moment of historic opportunity. Americans are searching for meaning.

Our merciful Father, help us rise to meet this moment. Bless President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance with the strength and courage to choose the right and the good. Unite us around our foundational Biblical values of life and liberty, of service and sacrifice, and especially of faith and morality, which George Washington called the indispensable supports of American prosperity.

Guide our schools and college campuses, which have been experiencing such unrest, to inspire the next generation, to pair progress with purpose, knowledge with wisdom, and truth with virtue.

Hear the cry of the hostages, both American and Israeli, whose pain our President so acutely feels. We are so thankful for the three young women who yesterday returned home and pray that the next 4 years brings peace to Israel and throughout the Middle East.

Almighty God, grant all Americans the opportunity to realize our shared dream of a life filled with peace and plenty, health and happiness, compassion and contribution. Stir within us the confidence to rise to this moment, for while we trust in God, God's trust is in us, the American people.

America is called to greatness, to be a beacon of light and a mover of history.

May our Nation merit the fulfillments of Jeremiah's blessing, that like a tree planted by water, we shall not cease to bear fruit.

May all of humanity experience Your love and Your blessing. May it be Thy will and let us say amen.

Pastor SEWELL. Let us pray for our 47th President.

Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that You gave our 45th and now our 47th President a millimeter miracle.

We are grateful that You are the one that have called him for such a time as this; that America would begin to dream again.

We pray that we would fulfill the true meaning of our creed that ``We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.''

We pray that You use our President; that we would live in a nation where we will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character.

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we are so grateful today that You will use our 47th President so we would ``sing with new meaning `My country `tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!' ''

And because America is called to be a great nation, we believe that You will make this come true.

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous [hilltops] of California!

But, God, we are asking You not only that, ``Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill [in] Mississippi''--from every State, every city, every village, and every hamlet.

And when we let freedom ring, we will be able to speed up that day, where all of your children, Black men and White men, Protestant and Catholic, Jew and Gentile, will be able to sing in the meaning of that old Negro spiritual: Free at last, free at last. Thank you, God Almighty, we are free at last.

If you believe where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, come on, put your hands together and give your great God great glory.

(Applause.)

Reverend MANN. Almighty and Eternal God, we gather here today in reverence, joined in our shared hopes and dreams for our beloved Nation.

In this sacred moment of the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance, we turn our hearts to You, seeking Your divine assistance and abundant blessings upon this pivotal moment in history.

We come before You with profound gratitude for the many gifts You have bestowed upon our land. Thank You for the freedoms we cherish, for the strength of our communities, and for the resilience of our spirit.

As our President and Vice President embrace their newly appointed roles, we humbly implore that Your everlasting love and wisdom will envelope them. Grant them the clarity of mind to navigate the challenges that lie ahead and the compassion to serve all citizens with fairness and integrity.

May their hearts be filled with a giving spirit and sincere understanding for those whom they represent.

May they be beacons of hope in times of uncertainty and prophetic voices in defending the dignity of all created life.

We pray for a spirit of collaboration to flourish in our government and across our Nation, fostering an environment where dialogue and heartfelt listening will prevail over division or discord.

May each decision made by our President and Vice President reflect the values of justice and peace.

As we embark on this new chapter, we also seek Your comfort, O God, for those who feel lost or disheartened. In this time of transition, may Your light shine upon them, reaffirming their belief in a brighter tomorrow.

May we all strive to lift one another, supporting our fellow citizens with kindness and empathy, recognizing that together, we can overcome any adversity.

Grant us the strength to endure, the courage to face our fears, and the clarity to see the light that remains, even when clouds of uncertainty may gather.

Inspire our new leaders to be champions for the vulnerable and advocates for those whose voices are often silenced. May they pursue policies that promote the well-being of all, seeking to build bridges that will foster unity and belonging.

As we stand witness to this inauguration, we hold fast to the faith, to our faith, and the goodness of each of us and the possibility of change.

We trust that with Your guidance, O God, our Nation can move forward to a future filled with promise, prosperity, and understanding.

And, finally, we lift our hearts in gratitude for the beloved parents of President Trump. Without Mary and Fred Trump, this day would never be the miracle that has just begun. From their place in Heaven, may they shield their son from all harm by their loving protection and give him the strength to guide our Nation along the path that will make America great again.

Let us go forth now with these words of President Trump's emblazoned on our hearts: As long as we have pride in our beliefs, courage in our convictions, and faith in our God, then we will not fail.

We stand tall. We stand proud because we are Americans. And Americans kneel to God and to God alone.

Amen.

(Applause.)

MUC EDWARDS. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for our national anthem.

(Performance of the national anthem by Christopher Macchio, the Naval Academy Glee Club, the Armed Forces Chorus, and the United States Marine Band.)

(The inaugural ceremony was concluded at 12:58 p.m.)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source