Trump Inauguration Fact Check

Debunking Trump's disinformation, summarizing the dozen plus mandates he announced today, and a reminder to not give up hope

I watched Trump’s inauguration so you wouldn’t have to—and here are the results. Donald Trump has been sworn in agains the 47th President of the United States. His inauguration address laid out his vision for the next four years. And while he leaned heavily into words like freedom and peace, his stated actions indicate domestic and international conflict and violence. Here’s the breakdown and key points from his first remarks after being sworn in. Let’s Address This.

Credit: PBS

I’ve divided my analysis into two parts.

1. A high level summary of Trump’s inaugural address.

2. A fact check and analysis of just some of the new executive orders he is signing today. Note, he is expected to sign more than 100 ‪executive orders, and in a later piece I will analyze those in detail. ‬

1. Trump’s Inauguration Rhetoric: A (False) Promise of Unity and Prosperity

In his inaugural address, Donald Trump painted a vision of national renewal, pledging to create a nation that is “proud, prosperous, and free.” He framed his election victory as a mandate to undo “horrible betrayals” of the past and positioned himself as a leader uniquely tested “more than any President in history.” (Lincoln, Kennedy, Garfield, & McKinley would like a word). Trump credited divine intervention, stating, “I was saved by God to make America great again.” He promised to restore security for Americans of all “races, religions, and creeds,” declaring January 20th as “liberation day.”

Trump specifically thanked Black and Hispanic communities for their votes, committing to work with them. Meanwhile nominating only two Latinos and one Black person to his cabinet. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, he vowed to honor King’s legacy by striving to make his dream a reality. He then followed up that claim by promising a ‘color blind’ society. All without a single shred of self-awareness of his hypocrisy.

The Reality Behind Trump’s Words From His First Term

Before diving into his EOs today, a quick reminder to not believe Trump’s lies, but to instead look to his actions. Donald Trump’s inaugural rhetoric may sound like a call for unity, but his record and actions tell a very different story. His first presidency was marked by division, disinformation, and policies that actively harmed marginalized communities. As a quick recap:

Sowing Division: During his first term, Trump made over 30,000 false or misleading claims, according to an analysis of his public remarks. These lies weren’t harmless—they were a calculated strategy to sow distrust, inflame divisions, and solidify his base.

Escalating Militarism: Far from fostering peace, Trump’s administration massively increased the U.S. military budget, funneling billions into defense contractors while neglecting investments in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Racist Policies: A snapshot reminder of Trump’s racist policies include:

• He imposed a Muslim ban, targeting people based solely on their faith.

• He pursued harsh immigration policies, including separating children from their parents at the border.

• He consistently failed to condemn white supremacist violence, famously saying there were “very fine people on both sides” after the Charlottesville rally.

• He rolled back housing protections aimed at reducing racial discrimination and promoted policing policies that disproportionately harmed Black and Hispanic Americans.

• He successfully laid the groundwork to repeal affirmative action, while maintaining legacy admissions.

It’s critical to recognize the gap between Trump’s words and his actions. Trump’s vision isn’t about liberation or unity—it’s about consolidating power and sowing division. His record makes that abundantly clear.

2. Fact Checking Trump’s Planned Executive Orders During His Second Term

Trump’s proposed executive orders reveal a roadmap for further division and likely violent conflict, both domestically and internationally. I do not say this lightly. His promises to “restore security” are veiled threats to double down on authoritarianism, surveillance, and militarization. His policies will not unite Americans—they will deepen the fractures. They will not bring world peace—they will create International chaos. Trump announced approximately a dozen policy changes apparently ‘effective immediately.’ In virtually every case, his EOs will do the exact opposite of what he verbally claims, and it is imperative we remain informed on his gaslighting.

Trump’s Plan: Declare a national emergency at our southern border. Enact mass deportations. Reinstate the remain in Mexico policy. End the practice of catch and release. Send troops to the southern border. Designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks in the United States.

Fact Check: None of these actions will lead to peace. As I just recently wrote, Trump’s fixation on immigration at the southern border has defined his political existence, it is grounded in disinformation and racism, and it will not solve our immigration shortcomings. Also, notice how Trump never talks about undocumented immigration from Canada or Europe, even though studies show there are at least 600,000 undocumented immigrations from those regions of the world in the United States. It’s another reminder that Trump doesn’t mind immigration of people with the complexion for protection, but despises immigration from elsewhere.

Moreover, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 was designed to allow the President to deport any male over the age of 14 who hailed from a foreign enemy nation. To arbitrarily label any nation Trump doesn’t like as an “enemy nation” is potentially tantamount to declaring war on our allies. It is an absurd notion, and speaks to how Trump’s rhetoric of being a peacemaker is completely at odds with his actions of declaring an enemy anyone he doesn’t like.

Trump’s Plan: Direct all members of my cabinet to defeat record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices. Claims inflation was caused by overspending.

Fact Check: Trump offers no actual plan here. None. And in reality, we know inflation was global caused by the post-Covid economy. We also know that the United States did better than any nation on Earth in managing that inflation and bringing it down to its current level of a much more manageable 2.9%. Understand that Trump’s statement about “overspending” is his excuse to eventually cut SNAP, TANF, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, to pay for his tax cuts for billionaires. Trump’s plan will increase inflation and increase poverty in the United States.

Trump’s Plan: Declare national energy emergency and “drill baby drill” to bring down energy costs. Export American energy all over the world. End the Green New Deal and revoke the electric vehicle mandate.

Fact Check: The Green New Deal was never implemented in any meaningful way. Most MAGAs likely couldn’t even tell you what it is, or what it proposes. Moreover, it isn’t an actual law to be implemented, it is a policy strategy to transition away from fossil fuel energy and into renewable energy while creating high paying jobs. It is a deadly absurdity to demand more drilling, even as California literally burns in major part due to climate change caused by over reliance on fossil fuels. Finally, I wonder how Trump’s owner, Elon Musk, feels about Trump ending the EV mandate?

I also found it revealing that Trump spoke about those who lost their homes in natural disasters, then adding, “even rich people, some of whom are here, lost their homes.” He cannot help but blurt out how much more he cares for rich people, that “even they” lost their homes.

Trump’s plan will further worsen our already out of control climate crisis, leading to more mass disaster and loss of life and property.

Trump’s Plan: Overhaul our trade system. Tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens. Establish the External Revenue Service (“ERS”) to collect all tariffs and revenues from foreign sources.

Fact Check: For the umpteenth time, tariffs do not hurt foreign nations, they hurt American citizens, because they are paid by American consumers. Trump’s tariffs will also hurt innovation and growth by preventing new businesses from starting up. MAGAs are about to find out the hard way that Trump’s tariffs are going to devastate their businesses, particularly small businesses, and further exacerbate the historically high levels of wealth and income inequality we are already suffering.

Trump’s plan will further gut our economy and further increase poverty.

Trump’s Plan: Establish a new Department of Government Efficiency.

Fact Check: It is particularly ironic given that in this speech, while screaming about smaller government, Trump announced the establishment of two new government agencies, the ERS and DOGE. Another reminder to not believe Trump’s lies, but to look at his actions to the contrary. All this notwithstanding, it is deeply disturbing that this alleged DOGE department will be led by two billionaires with a history of exploiting working people, and in the case of Musk, at least 10 known allegations of sexual harassment against female employees.

Trump’s Plan: Sign an Executive Order to stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.

Fact Check: How such an EO would work is anyone’s guess. But again, note the hypocrisy here. Just last month Trump forced ABC to settle for $15M on the ridiculous claim that they had disparaged him for pointing out that a civil judge adjudicated him as a rapist. Again, for him to claim he’s anti-government censorship and pro-free speech, while using the full force of the law, and the presidency, to go after those who criticize him, exemplifies his hypocrisy.

Trump’s Plan: End the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. Forge a society that is color blind and merit based. Make the official policy of USA that there are only two genders, male and female.

Fact Check: Trump will absolutely increase his violent tirade against LGBTQ Americans, normalizing discrimination and second-class citizenship. While he will scream about merit, he will not engage in any form of restitution or reparations for Black or Indigenous people who continue to be denied opportunities and access due to the legacy of Jim Crow and white supremacy in our systems. This policy of Trump is actually meant to prevent any meaningful accountability or change to policies that favor the wealthy and well connected.

Trump’s Plan: Reinstate any service members who were expelled due to rejecting covid vaccine, with full backpay. Stop all DEI in the military.

Fact Check: All the way back to President Washington, inoculation of soldiers was a requirement to serve in the armed forces. Once again, for as much as Trump talks about ‘making America great,’ he tramples on the actual things that made America a better nation — like eradicating disease. Likewise, Trump’s attacks on DEI is another reminder that he is a fragile and frightened man who does not want change that impacts his privilege. It reminds me of that old saying — “When you’ve had privilege your whole life, equality feels like oppression.”

Trump’s Plan: End all wars and prevent future wars. Build a legacy of a peacemaker and a unifier. Change the name of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. “Take back” the Panama canal. Pursue our “manifest destiny” and reach Mars.

Fact Check: You’ve noticed the theme by now. Trump says one thing, then promises actions to the contrary. There is nothing peaceful about unilaterally changing the name of a major geographic location that has held that name for nearly four centuries, even before the United States existed. There is nothing peaceful about “taking back” the Panama Canal. This canal is one of the most important shipping passages in the world. Trump shockingly invoked Chinese influence—a direct shot a a global nuclear power—followed by a declaration that the United States would “take back” the Panama Canal. Threatening invasion of a sovereign foreign nation is not a call for peace of unity—it is a call for war.

And rounding out his violent intent, Trump invoked continued “Manifest Destiny.” Again, understand that Manifest Destiny was the 19th century white supremacist slogan that claimed God ordained the United States to conquer Indigenous people and enslave Africans. It is a frightening and violent slogan that calls to more imperialism and colonialism—and Trump closed his 2025 inauguration address with this same violent declaration. This is who he is, and has always been.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that Trump also briefly mentioned the Middle East, while ignoring that Netanyahu has announced that Trump will continue to send him weapons despite the charges of war crimes and genocide against him. Again, words of alleged peace, actions of violent war.

In 2017 we saw a man who did not expect to win the presidency, win. The carnage he caused in four short years included mass death during COVID, a further expansion of wealth and income inequality to record high levels, the repeal of Roe v Wade, the repeal of affirmative action, gutting of climate justice initiatives, gutting of voting rights, breaking international alliances, mass bombings and drone strikes in Afghanistan and Syria, mass deportations and family separations, the Muslim ban, and of course the violent insurrection—and this is still a woefully incomplete list of the harm Trump caused the United States and the world.

In 2025, Trump is much better prepared to inflict his harm with the fascist Project 2025, a host of billionaires ready to beckon at his every call, and a complicit and complacent corporate media often owned by those same billionaires (Washington Post - Bezos, Twitter - Musk, Facebook - Zuckerburg, WSJ - Murdoch, for example).

So my closing message is this: the future may look bleak, yes, but I ask each of you to reflect and embrace the words of James Baldwin in these trying times, when he said:

I never have been in despair about the world. I’ve been enraged by it. I don’t think I’m in despair. I can’t afford despair. I can’t tell my nephew, my niece. You can’t tell the children there’s no hope.

Let us maintain hope in each other, in our Republic, and in the promise that we can form a more perfect Union by upholding justice above all else. My commitment over these next four years and beyond will be to continue to advocate for absolute justice in my writing and actions, sharing factual and honest analysis of the human rights issues that impact us all. I cannot do this alone, and am grateful for your support. Whether you can subscribe for free, or for a cup of coffee a month ($6), your support goes a long way towards helping build this movement for justice.

We have a tough road ahead, but we are not hopeless, and we will not give up our voice. Let’s get to work.