WASHINGTON, January 20. /TASS/. The current change of government in the United States means transferring power back to the American people, the United States’ 45th President Donald Trump said in his inaugural speech on Friday.
"We are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to the American people," he said. "For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth."
"The establishment protected itself but not the citizens of our country, he said and pledged that "all changes starting right here and right now." "The time for empty talk is over," Trump said. "Now arrives the hour of action."
Donald Trump, has pledged to determine the course of his country and the entire world for years to come.
"Together we will determine the course of America and the world for many, many years to come," he said.
He also thanked his predecessor, Barack Obama, and first lady Michelle Obama for "their gracious aid" throughout the period of transition of power.
On terrorism
- Russian top diplomat believes Trump will have no double standards on war on terror
- Lavrov hopes Trump administration will join efforts on Syria peace talks
- Assad believes Trump may become Syria’s ally if manages to overcome pressure from US lobby
- Expert says no u-turns in US stance on Syria can be expected under Trump
Trump has promised to eradicate Islamic State "from the face of the earth."
"We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones. And unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the earth," he said.
"When America is united, America is totally unstoppable," he stressed.
During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly voiced criticism of the Barack Obama administration’s policy in the Middle East, placing part of responsibility for the emergence of Islamic State on his predecessor.
'Two simple rules'
Trump said there will be two simple rules to follow: 'buy American and hire American.'
"We will build new roads and highways and bridges and airports and tunnels and railways all across our wonderful nation," he said. "We will get our people off of welfare and back to work, rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor."
America "defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend" its own, Trump stressed.
"For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; Subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; We've defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend our own," he said, adding that the US was spending "trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay."
"We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon," he said.
On friendship with other world nations
The United States will seek to be friends with other world nations understanding however that each nation puts its own interests first, Trump said.
"We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world - but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first," he said. "We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow."