Each new president begins a new chapter in American history. And when Donald Trump is inaugurated in chilly Washington on Monday, he will be hoping to usher in a new era for this country.
The ceremony in the rotunda of the US Capitol, which was moved indoors for the first time in decades because of the bitter cold, will also mark the moment when he will be judged by actions rather than promises.
And he promised seismic change as well as action on day one. At a raucous rally in the city on Sunday, Trump said he would sign a series of executive orders immediately after his inauguration, covering a wide range of issues, from immigration and deportation to the environment and transgender rights.
“You’re going to have a lot of fun watching TV tomorrow,” he told the crowd.
But even if his presidency starts off with a bang, questions remain about what Trump’s second act will look like.
Will we feel the tectonic plates of power shifting beneath our feet when he re-enters the White House? Will he be able to carry out the large-scale reforms he promised? Will it be as apocalyptic as its opponents suggest?
Listening to some of his detractors, you could be forgiven for thinking that the skies will darken and the birds will flee Washington once he is sworn in.
Many worry that he will try to rule as an autocrat and undermine American democracy. His predecessor, Joe Biden, defiantly used his last address in the Oval Office to warn about the dangerous oligarchy of unaccountable billionaires forming around Trump, which threatens the basic rights and freedoms of Americans.
But no one can deny the 78-year-old Trump a clear mandate after his decisive election victory in November. He won the popular vote and the Electoral College. He won a clean sweep of the swing states. His agenda got the green light from voters.
