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January 6 rioters ‘should not have been pardoned’ – Chuck Schumerpublished at 08:02
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has said in a statement that individuals who were convicted in the 6 January Capitol attack should not have been pardoned, “whether they committed violence or not”.
“They unlawfully broke into the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power. What they did is a serious crime,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump is ushering in a Golden Age for people that break the law and attempt to overthrow the government.”
In case you missed it, about 1,500 January 6 rioters – whom Trump and his supporters have described as “hostages” – were pardoned in an executive order signed by Trump today, shortly after he was sworn in.
As Trump moves to exit the stage, he pumps his fists as the Village People perform YMCA – the disco hit that has become something of an anthem for Trump and his supporters.
Walking behind Trump, Vance waves and gives the thumbs-up sign to the side.
Members of Trump’s family are following behind, some of them also dancing to the song.
Read more:Â How YMCA became Donald Trump’s unlikely anthem
Trump repeats earlier comments in brief remarkspublished at 07:38
Trump repeats several talking points from his events earlier this evening.
He says the US will rapidly ramp up extraction of “the liquid gold” under the audience’s feet, referring to oil. He talks about the definition of gender, and pledges to increase the strength of the military.
“We just want a great country,” he says.
He also teases that there will be more announcements to come, before ending the brief address.
Trump speaks at Liberty Ballpublished at 07:35
Trump is now speaking at the Liberty Ball, his second ball appearance of the night, with his family standing behind him.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates.
Watch: President Trump and First Lady dance at inaugural ballpublished at 07:33
Trump and his wife Melania shared a dance at the Commander-in-Chief Ball. They were later joined by Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha.
A White House representative has told media waiting outside a jail in Washington DC that two people have been released following President Donald Trump’s executive order pardoning 6 January Capitol rioters.
He said that brothers Andrew and Matthew Valentin have been released from the facility, but did not provide details.
“They’re no longer here. They’re gone and that’s all I know,” he told the media and supporters waiting outside.
Families who are waiting outside the facility for news of their loved one’s potential release are growing frustrated with the lack of information coming from inside.
Trump’s celebrating – what is Kamala Harris up to?published at 07:26
Image source,ReutersEarlier today we saw former Vice-President Kamala Harris leave Washington for regular life in her home state of California.
As soon as she landed in Los Angeles she made two stops.
First she stopped by a World Central Kitchen serving food to families impacted by Southern California’s recent wildfires, which killed 27 people and burned thousands of structures.
She then met with firefighters who fought off the flames earlier this month.
After this, we’ve heard she’s going to take some time to mull what her future has in store. Reports suggest a run for California governor – or perhaps another presidential bid could be in her future – but she’s yet to comment.
Usha Vance’s fashion choices over the past few days have marked an altogether more high-fashion tone for the lawyer and now second lady, who had previously kept her style relatively inconspicuous.
Where she wore pink Oscar de la Renta earlier in the day, for the ball she chose a sequined blue dress that could be seen as an example of the kind of literal dressing that the first lady enjoyed, to varying degrees of success, during the last Trump administration – a reference to the Arctic temperatures outside.
Image source,Getty Images
Image source,GetMelania Trump appeared at the first ball wearing a gown that had some striking similarities to the one she wore to Trump’s first inauguration: the clavicle-showing cut, the slit up one leg and the geometric detailing on the front.
But where last time that detail came in the same vanilla silk crepe as the dress itself, this time it came in a thick black ribbon-like strip, echoed in a choker-style necklace, as if to underline the occasion with more solidity than she perhaps had the first time around.
From a distance, the inky squiggle could easily remind viewers of the signature that Melania’s husband today signed on a flurry of executive orders.
The first lady’s black-and-white look was echoed in the classic tux worn by her husband. Will we perhaps see more oval office-style couples’ dress during Trump’s second term, in a move to signal unity between the pair whose relationship – body language and all – has often been scrutinised? Only time will tell.
Image source,ReutersTrump ended his on-stage appearance at the Commander-in-Chief Ball by cutting a large cake with a sword.
Vice-president JD Vance, who also cut the cake with a sword, joked: “The Secret Service are getting very nervous right now.”
Trump asked the crowd if anyone wanted some cake, before YMCA started to play on the loudspeaker and he began to dance.
Speaking to US military members based in South Korea through a video call on stage, Trump asked: “Hello everybody, how are we doing over there? How is Kim Jong Un doing?”
His joke was met with some laughter from the crowd.
Speaking on the big screen, Command Sergeant Major Robin Bolmer welcomed Trump back to his presidency. “We’re ready to receive you, Mr President.”
‘Defeating America’s enemies’ is the main focus – Trumppublished at 06:54
During his speech at the Commander-in-Chief Ball, Trump said a big part of the reason he won the election was his relationship with the military.
“I have to tell you, with the military, we really won,” he said.
Under the leadership of Pete Hegseth, who is set to be the next defence secretary, the country will again have “the most powerful military the world has ever seen”, Trump added.
“We are going to have a nice iron dome,” he said. “There’s only one focus: defeating America’s enemies. We’re not going to be defeated, we’re not going to be humiliated. We’re only going to win win win.”
Military will be so strong we don’t have to use it – Trumppublished at 06:45
Trump says his administration is going to make the military so strong “we don’t have to use it”.
“God bless you, God bless our armed force, God bless our men and women serving overseas, and God bless the United States of America” Trump says, ending his speech.
The crowd chants “USA, USA”.
Trump addressing first inaugural ballpublished at 06:38
Trump is now addressing the Commander-in-Chief Ball.
He says it’s an honour to serve in the role for the second time, and gives a shout out to Space Force – a branch of the US military he established during his previous term in office.
Trump and Melania dance together at inaugural ballpublished at 06:31
Image source,ReutersJD Vance and his wife Usha have joined Trump and Melania, as the two couples take part in a brief dance on stage.
Image source,ReutersTrump has just arrived at the Commander-in-Chief Ball – one of three inaugural balls where we’re expecting to hear from the President this evening in Washington DC.
The US Marine Band plays Hail to the Chief as he and Melania enter, Trump now in black tie.
Anti-Trump protests didn’t reach scale of 2017 Women’s Marchpublished at 06:27
As inauguration day got underway today, anti-Trump demonstrators gathered in cities around the country, from New York to Washington DC and Los Angeles.
Here are scenes we saw from those protests:
Image source,EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Image caption, Demonstrators gathered at Washington Square Park in New York as Trump was sworn into office for the second time
Image source,Getty Images Image caption,Anti-Trump protesters marched past the Trump Tower in downtown Chicago
Image source,Getty Images Image caption, Protesters gathered in Washington, DC
Image source,EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Image caption,A ‘We Fight Back’ rally marched outside of City Hall in Los AngelesThough widespread, the protests today are a far cry from those seen in 2017. One day after Trump’s first inauguration, hundreds of thousands of Americans participated in a Women’s March in what became the largest single-day protest in US history.
BBC’s Holly Honderich spoke to one of the founders of the Women’s March about why, this year, she’s sitting out the fight.
Image source,Reuters Image caption, Jason Aldean performs at the Liberty BallTrump has yet to appear at the inaugural balls taking place across Washington DC this evening.
He’s due to stop by at three inaugural balls throughout the city – the Commander-in-Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball – and he’s expected to speak at all three.
A military band is playing at the Commander-in-Chief Ball as attendees await the president’s arrival.
While at the Liberty Inaugural Ball, attendees are enjoying a concert by American country singer Jason Aldean.
Earlier, when Trump was signing executive actions in front of the media in the Oval Office, Trump spoke briefly about North Korea, describing it as a “nuclear power”.
It has been a long-standing US policy to pursue denuclearisation.
South Korea has responded to Trump’s remarks, Reuters reports, saying that denuclearisation of its northern neighbour must remain the goal.
Source:BBC