WASHINGTON DC, Jan 20 (RTSG) – Thousands of Trump supporters gathered in the Capital One Arena to see the second inauguration of Donald Trump to the White House amidst freezing temperatures.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden met outside the President’s home to officiate the transfer of power, a courtesy Trump did not give to Biden when he left office in 2021. In the Capitol building, officials and business magnates from all over the United States gathered in the country’s most exclusive event of the year to see Trump swear into office with their own eyes.
But outside the Capitol where formalities and high level political maneuvering took place, regular Americans watched in both DC and across the country as the United States began its second Trump era.
Our reporter Louis managed to interview several people from among the crowd to ask what their thoughts on American politics were at this historic moment.
“It’s not a guessing game—he does what he says he’s gonna do, putting Americans first.”
Marek, a 20-year-old anti-abortion activist from the Midwest, gave his thoughts on Trump. “ I didn’t particularly support Trump, although I certainly prefer him to Kamala, but I’ve been pretty unhappy with his stance on abortion.”
“He came out in favor of Amendment Four in Florida and then kind of backtracked after we put some pressure on him, so I supported Trump in so far as I preferred him over the alternative, but I didn’t support his campaign. I didn’t campaign for him or anything like that.”
“First and foreance, it’s a messaging issue. He’s not even messaging right on the abortion issue. He’s messaging as it’s the state’s right issue. I’m pretty concerned with how his administration is going to go, but I certainly appreciate the masculine gusto and certain things about him.”
Chiedu, a 22-year-old senior in college, posited that “Trump actually promised things that are, you know, beneficial to the American people and the economy. I mean, regardless of gender or race, everybody wants a good economy, right? And he delivered that in his first administration. It’s not a guessing game—he does what he says he’s gonna do, putting Americans first.”
Francis Garriba, a 49-year-old lawyer from the West African Country of Ghana told RTSG News that he had “been a Trump fan since he first ran in 2015.”
“I’m an honest man, and I appreciate that a great man speaks the truth at all times. He’s a peaceful man.”
When asked what about Trump resonated with him and his countrymen, Mr. Garriba replied “We saw him when he became the 45th president; he never engaged in any wars but rather worked to put an end to the wars America was constructing. This is the man who will lead us—putting an end to the war in Israel, and the war in Russia and Ukraine—and ensuring that the borders of the United States are protected. In doing so, America can focus on helping other countries with the resources saved from avoiding endless wars and engagements. Instead of throwing money away on conflicts abroad, we can use those resources to better our own nation.”
At the inauguration, it seemed that one of the most common promises of Trump that were referenced were in regards to foreign policy. Many of Trump’s supporters cited foreign involvement as one of the major reasons they voted for him during the election.
“War is bad, and less war is better. We should stop funding conflicts.”
Mike, a 42-year old engineering director from Texas, had this to say in regards to Trump’s promise to annex Canada: “At first, it was a joke. However, I have many friends in Canada who are frustrated with the outcomes of socialist policies—quasi-tyrannical government control, high prices, no guns, and the erosion of rights as society moves toward communism. If expanding America’s reach could help people live freely, I wouldn’t oppose it.”
Alexander, a Canadian from Nova Scotia who came to DC to support Trump, gave his own views on the matter.
“That would be hard to pull off because it all comes down to provincial differences. While I like the idea in theory, there are complications—such as treaties with Aboriginal peoples and our status as a Commonwealth country—that make it very complex.”
Our reporter then asked what he loved about the United States. Alexander replied simply: “Freedom. People often don’t realize how good they have it until they visit other countries.”
When asked further about Greenland, Mike replied “Absolutely. I would support Greenland coming under a system that helps its people. Many there feel oppressed by their current government and long to govern themselves and live freely—values that resonate with the American way of life.”
He also elaborated upon his views on America’s involvement in foreign wars.
“War is bad, and less war is better. We should stop funding conflicts. When deciding which countries to support, we have to consider that while Ukraine has many good people, it is also troubled by pro-Nazi elements and other problematic issues.”
When it came to the recent issues regarding Israel and Palestine, most of the people RTSG News interviewed were either ambivalent or against sending arms to Israel.
Raúl, a 72-year-old retired county judge from South Texas gave a simple answer to this question.
“I’m totally against any type of war. We need to prioritize peace because killing doesn’t get us anywhere.” Raúl also said that he opposed sending arms to the Ukraine and said that NATO had overstepped the bounds of its original purpose. “NATO has always been a very powerful organization, but I think it should return to its original purpose—putting people first and promoting peace rather than just sending weapons everywhere.”
Marek, the anti-abortion activist from the Midwest, said that “I don’t particularly support Israel as a nation. I think they’re one of the most evil, wicked nations in the world. I don’t support US involvement in the Middle East whatsoever.”
Many of the interviewees were also generally accepting of Elon Musk and Donald Trump working together in regards to H1-B policy.
Dan, a retiree from Boise Idaho, said “I really like Trump’s approach to meritocracy; if you earn your way, that’s what matters. Musk has mentioned that he doesn’t need college-educated workers to run a great company—he’s successfully hired many skilled welders doing groundbreaking work. To me, it’s not about laziness but about whether we are developing new jobs and skills effectively.”
Despite the many issues the United States is going through at the moment, most of the supporters that showed up to the inauguration were relatively optimistic about America’s future. When asked what they valued most about America,
Sam, the CFO of a humanitarian organization, said that “I love that America offers every individual the opportunity for entrepreneurship and freedom. There’s always the chance to grow and succeed—it really is the best country on earth.”
Dan seemed to echo the same opinion, saying “I love that in one generation, anyone can change their conditions. You could be nobody and become somebody. It’s all about freedom.”
Chiedu described his thoughts. “You can work hard, and sometimes you might not achieve it, but it’s all merit-based. You get to dream in America, and that’s something people often take for granted. That’s all I say.”
Reporting by Louis, Edited by Seraph
