Donald Trump has loaded commercial pistol. He aimed his gun. Even before his last presidential term, he did not pull the trigger.
However, he assures that this will happen next week.
Taking his seat in the Oval Office for the first time in four years, Trump said he planned to soon implement the massive tariffs he threatened against Canada and Mexico.
“We're thinking in terms of 25 percent in Mexico and Canada,” Trump told reporters Monday as he signed various orders, repeating his complaints about the border and fentanyl.
“I think February 1… I think we'll do it February 1. In any case.”
Timeline remains unclear: Trump signed executive order demanding a report by April 1 on border, migration and fentanyl that singled out Canada, Mexico and China but said it could apply to other countries.
America's neighbors now got a quick reminder of life under Trump as a never-ending roller coaster of real threats, unfulfilled threats and negotiations.
On Monday, while signing executive orders, US President Donald Trump was asked when he would impose the proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Trump said on February 1, “I think we'll do it.”
Expanding America's Territory
It was part of a dizzying series executive actions which undone Biden's policies on race, sex and climate change, including re-withdrawal both from the Paris climate agreement and from World Health Organization.
But unlike his first term, Trump is not limiting threats to economic activity. At least in rhetoric, he went a step further and began to threaten the sovereignty of nations.
Trump's inaugural speech included three unusual words that consisted of a sentence so long that they risked going unnoticed.
He called for expanding American territory – something the United States had not done for generations, and it is not entirely clear what he had in mind.
That phrase was among a dirty list of promises sandwiched between references to reclaiming the Panama Canal and planting an American flag on Mars.
This was a notable phrase given his repeated musings recently about Panama, making Canada a country, and annexing Greenland.
After newly sworn-in U.S. President Donald Trump announced on February 1 that he was considering imposing the proposed 25 percent tariffs on Canada on February 1, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said Canada has a three-pronged plan that includes preventing tariffs, preparing possible retaliatory measures and working on “our long-term response.”
It could be a joke, a negotiating ploy, or not serious given the manner deeply unpopular annexation of Canada and Greenland appears to be possible.
But it had become sufficiently ingrained in the public consciousness that when members of the Proud Boys militia marched through Washington, D.C., on Monday for the first time in four years, past the Canadian embassy, they chanted, “Fifty-first state!”
But in fact, on the first day, Trump's actions directly focused on Mexico.
Trump has launched a series of measures he has pledged national emergency on the southern border; sent troops to the border; drug cartels were recognized as terrorist groups; limited refugee asylum and resettlement; and embraced 227 years old Alien Enemies Act, which will speed up deportations.
It also runs challenge contrary to over a century of legal understanding that a person born in the U.S. can be a citizen, regardless of parental status.
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, marking his return to power by signing a series of executive orders within hours of taking office on Monday. Andrew Chang explains what Trump's inaugural speech tells us about his vision for America in the next four years.
Cartels attacking Mexico? “It Might Happen”
Asked if he could launch military strikes in Mexico against the cartels, Trump replied: “It could happen.”
Maybe he won't annex Mexico. But it annexes the name of the Gulf of Mexico. Hillary Clinton erupted in laughter from the audience when Trump, in his inaugural speech, promised to formally instruct U.S. officials to call it the “American Gulf.”
It's worth pausing in this conversation about immigration and noting that illegal migration has already occurred falling and has fallen by more than two-thirds in recent months.
In fact, Trump inherits the country from Unemployment 4.1 percent interest rate, 2.9 percent inflationand is growing rapidly investment in production plants.
This may partly explain the relative sunny mood of Trump's second inaugural address. At times it was militant and nationalistic in nature.
But it was painted in lighter colors than his 2017 “American carnage” speech, a dark inaugural address permeated from top to bottom with nationalism.
Trump's sunnier speech
“From this day on, our country will develop,” were the first words of his speech, delivered indoors due to unfavorable weather.
“America's golden age begins now. From this day on, our country will develop,” he said. “We will be the envy of every nation.”
It was also a little longer than usual. Monday's inaugural address was about 2,800 words, longer than the historical average and twice as long as his address eight years ago.
He referred to his near-death experience when a would-be assassin's bullet grazed his ear last summer and added, “God saved me to make America great again.”
But it was really just one prepared speech.
Later that day, Trump revealed his full identity in various impromptu remarks, first to fans in a larger hall at the Capitol and then at a local NHL arena.
He informed supporters that he had planned a more combative speech, but his wife Melania and Vice President J.D. Vance convinced him to remove the most controversial lines.
He lamented that he was advised to reverse some of former President Joe Biden's pardons and promised his own pardon to those convicted on Jan. 6.
“We had some beauties,” Trump told supporters at the Capitol. “(But Melania) said, 'That's such a beautiful speech. You can't put the things you intend to put in there.” “
Trump later kept his promise to release a collective forgiveness for people convicted in connection with the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, resulting from a failed attempt to keep him in office.
Violating pardon norms – from 2 presidents
It was not immediately clear whether those pardoned included those convicted of violence that day, but it seemed highly likely; Trump said he had pardoned 1,500 people, representing the vast majority of those arrested in connection with the event.
Other norm-breaking phrases, including Trump cashing in on a dubious cause the same corner in recent days; he hosted tech billionaires at his inauguration and gave them better seats than members of his cabinet.
Then there's TikTok. Trump once supported a ban on social media apps, but changed his position after meeting with a megadonor who had shares in it. On Monday, he signed an executive order delaying the shutdown, which his critics called an unlawful objection to the law passed by Congress.
In fact, the chief executive of TikTok, cited by U.S. officials as a threat to China-led national security, stood at his inauguration next to Tulsi Gabbard, his pick for director of national intelligence.
But history will show that Trump was not alone in breaking norms that day. In fact, his predecessor gave him a run for his money.
Biden's last major act as president was to grant a broad, full pardon to most of his family. Biden's siblings and their spouses were given a broad get-out-of-jail-free card for any offense committed since 2014, a few weeks after Biden pardoned Hunter's son.
Republicans have long argued that Biden's family profited from contacts with him in ways that may have been illegal, including: by not registering their work on behalf of foreign entities. They never proved these accusations.
By pardoning the family, Biden seemed to have eliminated that legal threat. His move was met with swift criticism online, even from Biden allies who called it an unlawful act, setting a dangerous precedent for Trump to exploit.
Biden has faced no such criticism other pardons for government officials who face Trump's potential wrath: public health leader Anthony Fauci, lawyer Liz Cheney and military commander Mark Milley.
For his part, Trump played down all of Biden's pardons during his public appearances later Monday.
But back in the Oval Office, Trump said he was in great spirits. He called his return a great feeling – one of the best of his life.
He said Biden's actions gave future presidents permission to pardon every person they ever know before they leave office.
Trump said he didn't want to do it himself because it would make him look guilty, but added: “I think I now have a precedent for doing it.”