By Stephen Kitar
Washington, D.C., January 20, 2025, was the kind of winter day when cold finds its way into your bones, despite the layers. But it did not matter for the millions of people who watched televised streams throughout the U.S.—some triumphant and victorious, some hopeful, many uncertain, and others defiant. Donald J. Trump, businessman turned reality TV star turned 45th—and now 47th—President of the United States, was set to take the oath of office. His victory in November had stunned political pundits, electrified his base, and polarized a nation. Now, in his first moments as Commander-in-Chief, the world leaned in to listen.
A day before, Trump addressed a packed crowd at the Capital One Arena. The rally, though not officially part of the inauguration, felt like its true culmination. Here, he shed the ceremonial tone and spoke directly to his base.
The Rally and the Message
Trump’s inaugural rally, on the eve of the inauguration ceremony, was less about tradition and more about revolution. His tone was combative, his rhetoric populist.
“We will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again. And yes, together, we will make America great again!”
It wasn’t a call for unity; it was a declaration of battle lines. In his own words, the American dream had been hijacked, sold off to global interests, and buried under the weight of bureaucracy. His speech promised resurrection, but it also implied revenge.
There was something distinctly modern—and distinctly Trump—about the victory claims he made before even stepping into the Oval Office. The triumph was not in policies enacted or goals achieved; it was in the sheer audacity of his rise to power.
Victory as a Philosophy
Trump’s first claims of victory weren’t about metrics; they were about optics. It was the idea that winning wasn’t just about what you accomplished—it was about owning the narrative. Whether it was the crowd size at his inauguration or the early executive orders, the focus wasn’t on the work itself but on the perception of dominance.
This wasn’t governance as usual; it was performance. And like all performances, it was designed to evoke a reaction. “We’re going to take our country back, stronger than ever before,” he promised, his voice rising to match the crowd’s energy. He laid out his immediate plans: sweeping actions on immigration, trade, and energy independence—policies that would begin taking shape in the weeks to follow.
And then there were the flourishes that only Trump could deliver: talks of planting an American flag on Mars, renaming Denali and Golf of Mexico, taking over Panama Canal and Greenland, and even welcoming a 51st state sparked cheers. Whether fanciful or practical, these ideas weren’t about policy but about capturing a feeling. Trump knows his audience, and he fed them what they came for: hope, spectacle, and a vision of American greatness reborn.
Love him or hate him, Trump’s rallying cry was clear: if the system couldn’t be trusted, why not disrupt it? While some ideas expressed seemed far-fetched, others—such as actions on immigration, energy, and trade—promised to materialize into decisive actions and executive orders immediately following the inauguration
His vision—equal parts pragmatic and provocative—promised a presidency as unpredictable as it is transformative.
Reflection on the Moment
For those watching, the day offered no middle ground. Some saw Trump’s inauguration as a reclamation of power by the forgotten Americans, the ones who felt left behind by globalization and a rapidly shifting cultural landscape. Others saw it as the beginning of a new era, where institutions would bend to the will of a single man.
But beneath the rhetoric and the spectacle was something even more profound: a nation reflecting on its identity. What does it mean to win? Is it about power, or is it about principles? In claiming victory so early and so often, Trump forced America to ask whether the act of winning could outweigh the consequences of the game itself.
The Legacy of January 20, 2025
Years from now, Trump’s inauguration will be studied not just as a political event but as a cultural one. It was a moment that exposed the fractures in American society, the fears and hopes that drive people to the polls, and the power of a narrative to shape reality.
On this cold January day, America didn’t just swear in a president. It entered a new chapter – unpredictable, and uniquely its own. Whether it was a victory or a warning depends on where you stand.
But there is reason to hope for all. Trump’s vision of a prosperous and growing America—one where he acts as both peacemaker and unifier—is exciting and could yet become reality. The future remains unwritten, but the possibilities are there for all to see.
