In Inaugural Address, Trump Decries 'Carnage' And Promises 'America First'

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A newly inaugurated Donald J. Trump delivered a fiercely populist and often dark address, promising to transfer power in Washington from political elites to the people and vowing to put "America first."

Surrounded by members of Congress and the Supreme Court, the nation's 45th president repeated themes from his historic and divisive campaign message, describing children in poverty, schools in crisis and streets pocked with crime and "carnage."

"For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost," Trump said. "Washington flourished but the people did not share in its wealth. The establishment protected itself."

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In his 16-minute remarks, he criticized an educational system "flush with cash" that fails to fulfill its mission to students. He lamented factories left to rust while jobs flowed overseas. And he decried crime and gang violence, despite reports from the FBI and criminologists that the U.S. crime rate remains near historic lows.

"This American carnage stops right here and stops right now," Trump said, amid cheers from the crowd.

Moments earlier, with his hand on Bibles once used by Abraham Lincoln and his own family, Trump pledged to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," completing an unlikely trajectory from real-estate mogul to the nation's 45th president.

A crowd that stretched along the National Mall assembled under gray Washington skies to witness the ceremony. So did nearly every living former president, from Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush to Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, who was defeated by Trump last November after a costly and bitter campaign.

Afterward, dozens of dignitaries walked through light rain into the Capitol for a three-course lunch program emceed by Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt. The menu included Maine lobster and Gulf shrimp with saffron sauce and peanut crumble, Angus beef with dark chocolate sauce and potato gratin, and chocolate souffle with cherry vanilla ice cream.

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Trump and his vice president, former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, presided over the parade, which stretched a little under 2 miles from the U.S. Capitol to the White House. School marching bands, the Boy Scouts, veterans groups and 8,000 members of the military participated.

Also lining that route: Protesters representing 99 different groups. In sporadic exchanges at security check points across downtown Washington, protesters shouted: "No Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!" Others carried signs with such slogans as "Fake 45."

Hide caption Protests began in the early morning hours, with attempts to block entrances to the National Mall and parade route. Previous Next Claire Harbage/NPR

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But, so far, skirmishes appeared to be mostly free from violence. Not far from the White House, several hundred protesters clad in black ran through the streets, breaking windows and knocking over trash cans. Police fired pepper spray to subdue demonstrators. The Metropolitan Police Department reported at least 95 arrests, mostly on charges of rioting.

Preparations for the event had been under way for months. Around 28,000 officers are on hand to provide security for the event, including Secret Service, FBI agents, the Coast Guard, police departments and nearly 8,000 National Guard troops. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said authorities had "no specific, credible threat" directed at the proceedings.

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Meanwhile, at the White House, household crews are furiously preparing the mansion for its new occupants. Earlier in the day, camera crews spotted President Obama making one last visit to the Oval Office, slipping a letter in the desk drawer for his successor.

Staff members at the residence presented the Obamas with two flags: one that welcomed them to the White House eight years ago; another that flew over the building Friday morning, on their last day there. The Obama family headed to Palm Springs, California, Friday for a vacation.

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The formal hand-off of power is now complete, as the Trump administration only begins to come into focus. Trump, who has had no experience in elective office, now controls a vast federal bureaucracy, including national security, international diplomacy, the economy, the environment and the justice system. He's painted his governing agenda in broad strokes, promising to "Make America Great Again" by bringing jobs back to the U.S. and deliver a tough message on the international stage.

His remarks from the inaugural platform harked back to his campaign speeches: "We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth and we will bring back our dreams."

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Trump went on to blast "empty talk" by politicians of the past. "Now arrives the hour of action," he said.

Flanked by his extended family, his vice president, and congressional leaders, Trump took his first actions: signing papers for his cabinet nominees and proclaiming a national day of patriotism.