“I, Donald John Trump, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.”

One year ago, President-Elect Donald Trump took the stage on a rainy but warm day at the United States Capitol and took the oath of office to officially become the 45th President of the United States.

In attendance were former Presidents George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, as well as Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama, and countless other dignitaries of both parties. In a sign of the impending partisan polarization to also mark much of this past year, many celebrities and politicians, including roughly seventy Democratic members of Congress, boycotted the Inauguration.

I remember that week in D.C., getting the honor of serving in some truly exhilarating roles with the Presidential Inaugural Committee. It was surreal, just like election night had been. The Trump Presidency was finally materializing and with it the new optimism and hope that marks every new administration.

That week in D.C. was nasty and brutal as well, particularly on Inauguration Day and the day after. On Inauguration Day protesters rioted in central D.C., even shutting down several entrances to the National Mall and preventing onlookers from entering to watch the Inauguration firsthand.

A selection of the protesters took their disruption to an even greater extreme, smashing stores, attacking police officers, setting fire to garbage cans, and causing in total over $100,000 in damages. Many of them were later arrested and prosecuted, with over 200 charged with felony riot charges.

I had attended two prior Inaugurations – those of Barack Obama in January 2009 and January 2013. During neither of those were there any significant protests or chaos.

Looking back on the year that has transpired since, I think it is almost certain to say that many of the fears President Trump’s critics had have not materialized. What we instead have seen is an extraordinary policy agenda that benefits all Americans accomplished, from the economic front to military to our constitutional structure itself.

On the economic front, we see a stock market roaring on all engines and hitting new records every day, including recently a previously unfathomable 26,000.

On the macroeconomic front, unemployment is at an almost two-decade low, economic growth continues to tick up, and the passage of the comprehensive tax-reform bill will lead to extraordinary tax reduction and simplification for ordinary as well as increased business investment that will lead to a rising tide to all.

As Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has often been critical of Trump, said to ABC News this week amid news Apple would be investing $350 billion over the next five years in the U.S. economy, “I do believe the corporate tax side will result in job creation and a faster growing economy.”

This stands in deep contrast to all those who predicted a market crash and recession in the wake of Trump’s win, such as the New York Times’ Paul Krugman, which recently earned him first place in President Trump’s “fake news awards” this week.

On the military side, we’ve seen significantly increased funding for our troops and a true materialization of President Trump’s campaign promise to “rebuild our military.” Not only that, but Daesh has been in the course of just a year been completely wiped out by a coordinated military plan and coalition led by President Trump and Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

On the regulatory front, Trump has made major headway in reducing burdensome regulation and restoring the proper role of government oversight, market stabilization, and consumer protection. While measuring overall regulatory burden is complex, multiple studies have shown Trump has stayed true and begun the tough process of reorienting our administrative state.

Lastly, judges. Beyond the excellent and extremely essential appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s vacancy, President Trump has appointed an incredible 22 judges to Federal Circuit and District Courts this year, making him among the most prolific judicial vacancy fillers among Presidents.

With these judges largely being stalwarts of constitutional and liberty-based government, we likely will see a rollback in judicial activism that will preserve balance in government as well as our ability to govern ourselves.

Lastly, Trump has appointed an incredible array of leaders to his cabinet and administration. From historic levels of appointing women to senior leadership positions in government to leaders such as HUD Secretary Ben Carson, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and countless others, Trump has assembled a truly all-star team in D.C. that is working every day to better the lives of the American people.

What a year it has been for the nation. While our political discourse sadly remains deeply polarized and much of the hyperbole against the Trump Administration seemingly continues without end, we’ve seen enormous and real gains across nearly every category for our country.

Thank you President Trump and everyone else who is serving, and happy one-year anniversary in office!