Tuesday morning news: January 21, 2025

Trump day one » In the Oval Office last night, President Trump, with pen in hand, sat down behind a desk stacked high with black folders, each bearing the presidential seal and each containing a different executive order.

AIDE:  Sir, this is a proclamation declaring a national emergency at the southern border of the United States. That's a big one. A lot of big ones, huh?

And the president’s pen kept moving as he signed more than 200 orders on Monday including one designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations. Numerous measures aimed at securing the border, and a number of orders rolling back Biden era environmental policies.

Trump acknowledged that some of the orders could face legal challenges, including this one:

AIDE:  This next order relates to the definition of birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment of the United States.

TRUMP: That's a good one. Birthright.

He said he believes that order is on “solid” legal ground.

Trump also signed an order Monday pardoning almost all of those charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6th Capitol riot.

Trump inauguration » President Trump returns to the Oval Office after overcoming legal prosecutions and two assassination attempts.

He had this to say shortly after taking the oath of office:

TRUMP: I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.

Because of extreme cold weather, Trump delivered his inaugural address in the Capitol rotunda.

A poignant moment inside the Capitol, when a technical issue prevented music from playing, singer Carrie Underwood led those gathered inside the rotunda in song.

AUDIO (America the Beautiful): God shed His grace on thee …

The traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue was also moved indoors to an arena in Washington. That was followed by several inaugural ball celebrations.

Confirmation vote(s) » Just hours after Trump’s inauguration senators handed the president his first confirmation victory, officially filling a crucial role in his administration.

AUDIO (vote count): On this vote, the yeas are 99, the nays are zero. The nomination of the great Sen. Marco Rubio from the state of Florida is confirmed.

After the vote, Secretary Rubio said he’s ready to get to work.

RUBIO:  We'll have a clear mission at the State Department, and we've got one of the most talented federal workforces in all of government to do it, so I'm excited about it.

Rubio’s confirmation wasn’t the only vote in the Senate last night. The upper chamber also delivered Trump’s first legislative win of his second term … approving the bipartisan Laken Riley Act last night.

AUDIO (Laken Riley Act vote count): On this vote, the yeas are 64. The nays are 35. [fade under]

That all but assured it will become law. The bill, among other things, requires the federal government to detain all non-U.S. nationals arrested for theft.

Biden pardons » President Biden, in his hours in office issued one last round of presidential pardons. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin reports.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: Biden on Monday morning signed preemptive pardons for a slew of officials and lawmakers who have not been charged with any crimes.

Those pardoned include members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riots … as well as former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley … who oversaw the US withdrawal of Afghanistan.

Also on the list … Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped lead the federal government’s response to COVID-19 … under both Presidents Trump and Biden.

He also preemptively pardoned several members of his family.

In a statement Biden said the pardons are not an acknowledgement of wrongdoing, but rather … are intended to shield them from politically motivated prosecution.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Israel/Gaza latest » Tears of joy in Israel.

SOUND: [Hostages weeping]

Three young women held hostage by the terror group Hamas since the October 7th attacks were reunited with their loved ones Sunday.

Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher were all released as part of that ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Yesterday Damari's mother thanked the Israeli military as well as former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump for her release.

DAMARI: I’m delighted to be able to tell you that Emily is in high spirits and on the road to recovery. As you would have seen last night, she’s an amazingly strong and resilient young woman.

And in Washington on Monday:

SOUND: [Applause]

Family members of hostages still being held by Hamas took the stage during Trump’s inauguration address at the Capitol.

TRUMP: We never stopped praying for you. And we're so glad that you're reunited with your friends and families. And God bless you all.

Trump added: We stand with Israel, we stand for peace, and we stand against the forces of terror.

Winter weather » A polar vortex is now holding much of the south in its icy grip.

Mark Chenard with the National Weather Service says a rare winter storm is dumping snow on parts of the Gulf Coast.

CHENARD: The highest amounts are looking is like maybe four to six inches from near Houston, just east of Houston towards, um, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Those would not be record amounts, but historic nonetheless. Snow is even possible in the Florida Panhandle.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: tens of thousands braved the cold to watch yesterday’s inauguration. We met a few of them. Plus, a conversation with a lawyer who’s argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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