January 20, 2025 will go down in the history books, but not for the reasons Donald Trump thinks. His inauguration was a “shock and awe” affair, but the shock was at how much Trump’s narcissism has grown and how long his anger over his own mistakes has lasted. That anger has sent Trump on a journey to rewrite the sordid history of his own treason in the hopes that once he is dead, he will still be viewed by some as a great man.
Trump’s inauguration speech this year was as remarkable as that of 2017 but bests it in the depth of its lies and the sheer viciousness, expressed in how the speech treated President Biden and his administration.
Trump implies that the Biden administration was one of the most consequential—in a bad way—in American history. To believe Trump, Biden, ridiculed for years by Trump as senile and incompetent, not only undid America’s last golden age (2017-2021) but most of the things that made America great before Trump’s first term.
As president, Trump is entitled to his own perspective on history, but we are entitled to judge its veracity. Similarly, Trump won the presidency, in part, because he is brash and crude, but, as citizens, we have the right to condemn him when his behavior disgusts us. Trump tripped that wire in his inauguration speech.
President and Jill Biden, unlike Trump in 2017, chose to attend the inauguration of his successor despite the viciousness of Trump’s campaign. Starting in 2021, Trump systematically sought to destroy Biden’s presidency and credibility, both through personal attacks and by lying. Trump succeeded. Biden left office with a permanently broken legacy he doesn’t deserve. Biden had every reason in the world not to attend the inauguration.
Had Biden not been the fundamentally decent and patriotic man he is, he would have left Washington on January 19.
Here is what Trump told America in his speech with Biden sitting a few feet away:
“As we gather today, our government confronts a crisis of trust. For many years, a radical and corrupt establishment has extracted power and wealth from our citizens while the pillars of our society lay broken and seemingly in complete disrepair.
“We now have a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home while, at the same time, stumbling into a continuing catalogue of catastrophic events abroad.
“It fails to protect our magnificent, law-abiding American citizens but provides sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals, many from prisons and mental institutions, that have illegally entered our country from all over the world.
“We have a government that has given unlimited funding to the defense of foreign borders but refuses to defend American borders or, more importantly, its own people.
“Our country can no longer deliver basic services in times of emergency, as recently shown by the wonderful people of North Carolina — who have been treated so badly — and other states who are still suffering from a hurricane that took place many months ago or, more recently, Los Angeles, where we are watching fires still tragically burn from weeks ago without even a token of defense. They’re raging through the houses and communities, even affecting some of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in our country — some of whom are sitting here right now. They don’t have a home any longer. That’s interesting. But we can’t let this happen. Everyone is unable to do anything about it. That’s going to change.
“We have a public health system that does not deliver in times of disaster, yet more money is spent on it than any country anywhere in the world.
“And we have an education system that teaches our children to be ashamed of themselves — in many cases, to hate our country despite the love that we try so desperately to provide to them.”
President and Jill Biden—and Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff—should have walked out on Trump.
J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s List on Medium and Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Actually, was not Hillary Clinton laughing at one point during Trump’s speech? If so, good for her!
Can we all speak about The Right Reverend Bishop Budde’s pointed homily yesterday in St. John’s Church?
This has gone viral . No, she was not afraid to “speak truth to power”.
Bless her!
John Dean says
Thanks for the comment. I noticed Hillary Clinton laughing as Trump announced he was changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico. I also find that action laughable.
I watched Budde’s homily and agree it was great. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look at Trump’s response to it that he posted on his social media site.
Gerard Marconi says
Today Trump said that Bishop Budde should apologize for her inappropriate remarks at the end of her sermon. Since when is it inappropriate for an ordained member of the clergy to apologize for saying such things in church? Because she is a woman or because he is not really a believer?
John Dean says
Thank you for the comment. I watched the video of Bishop Budde’s homily and President Trump’s reaction. I was shocked this morning to read Trump’s remarks about Budde on his social media site. He called her a left-wing, hard-line Democrat.
Henry Osborne says
Walked out ? Maybe it’s time for 78 yr old bronzed billionaire to act like a Gentlemen and not a child in a sand box fighting with all the other kids on the playground.
You won and now your Musk’s new toy. So pull up your big boy pants and be nice have some class.
John Dean says
Well said.
Thank you for reading the piece.
Steven A. Smith says
I was in Aldi yesterday for 20 minutes with my grocery list. During that 20 minutes of pushing my cart among many other shoppers I did not hear one word spoken. None of the shoppers spoke and none of the employees spoke. People all had their heads down, going about their business, but there was a pall in the room, as if everyone was mourning for a lost relative, actually, an America that is no longer. I went to my car with my two sacks of groceries and began to cry.
John Dean says
Thank you for sharing your experience. I know of many others who feel the same way.
R Hughes says
I agree. To sit an listen to lie after lie is not going high when he went low; it is going above and beyond with respect for the office, even when the person holding the office is not worthy of said respect. And hooray for Reverend Bishop Budde!
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the piece. I share your appreciation for Bishop Budde.
Matt LaMotte says
Spot on Deidre, as usual. American voters elected him, so now they’ll have live in his dystopian world. Best of luck with that!
Andrea Masters says
Had Biden been a fundamentally decent and patriotic man, he would have left Washington long before January 19th. (When he could still walk out unassisted.)
…but thank you for the lovely speech highlights!
John Dean says
As you know, Trump did not attend the 2021 Inauguration–how could he after his failed coup attempt?
I’m glad you liked the speech excerpts–Everyone I have spoken to that read or listened to them was disgusted with the whole speech.
All that having been said, thank you for reading the piece.
Caroline Thomas says
President Biden has declined in the four years since he took office. He is 81 and these things happen to some of us when we get older. Mr. Trump is a pathetic human being, who instead of looking forward, is continually looking backward. I am sickened by his speech and heartbroken for this country.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Hi Caroline, had heard from a Biden Family friend that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and that
was one reason for the back and forth…should he run or not? I am assuming this is true.
He cared for our citizens and did so much in four years. Well done Sir!
Wilson Dean says
Trump’s inauguration was a horrible display of egoism and misinformation. Instead of rising up to try to be a President for all Americans, he is pursuing policies only to advance his own power and that of his supporters’ white Christian nationalist agenda favoring only those who look and think they way they do.
John Dean says
Well said. Thank you for reading the piece.
Kathleen Carroll says
President Biden is a decent man who respects the traditions of the presidency. I’m sure he would have loved to get up and walk out but felt that wouldn’t have been a peaceful and respectful transfer of power. I, on the other hand, didn’t have to sit through the speech. I was trying to give him a chance and even overlook his constant bragging. But as soon as he started talking about criminals being sent to this country, I had to turn off the TV and walk out.
dennis kastel says
Look J.E. you have cut down Trump enough , how about you run for president if you think you can do better!!!
Paul Rybon says
Far as I could see, there were no lies in the part of the speech that was quoted. Plus DT did not mention any of the Biden family crime activities that the DOJ is examining. Pardoning members of his own family preemptively seals the sleazy aspects of the whole dismal Biden experience.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Still projecting. LOL
Sarah Oppenheimer says
Joe Biden ran his 2020 campaign on a total lie. He said he decided to run because Trump called Neo Nazi’s and white supremacists very fine people. Trump in fact said the opposite. Democrats need to understand that this lie brought down the entire Democrat Party and put Trump back in the White House. Because they kept repeating it even after it has been fully debunked for years which is not only insulting to the American people but truly destructive. Joe Biden is a terrible person.
John Dean says
I’m confused. I thought President Trump said there were “very fine people on both sides,” which was interpreted as saying that Trump had no problem with the white supremacists in Charlottesville.
May I respectfully suggest you review your facts.
And Joe Biden is not a “terrible person.” Why would you write something like that?
Sarah Oppenheimer says
Please watch the press conference from 2017. Trump is calling the people at the protest – those on both sides of the argument about keeping the statue in its place or taking it down – very fine people. He then immediately says “I am not talking about the Neo Nazi’s and the white supremacists because the should be condemned totally”. The media (CNN was the first) cut the video off so it appeared he was calling Neo Nazi’s fine people. The Democrats have been repeating this FOR YEARS! Obama repeated it two days before this very election. And as I said before Joe Biden ran his 2020 campaign on it. If you watch coverage of the 2024 election you will witness many prominent liberals and democrats saying that once they understood this lie they changed their minds to support Trump. I call Joe Biden a terrible person because repeating this lie over and over brainwashed half of the county to come to the conclusion that the other half would vote for someone who would actually call Nazi’s fine people. It is unforgivable in my opinion.
Charles Barranco says
President Biden and the former Presidents should have left after the first paragraph of the speech.
However, he showed the man that he is and the love of country for a peaceful transfer of power without the viciousness of his predecessor.
Unfortunately, the country and the world seem to tolerate the ruthless, evil coward that the president elect is.
Let’s hope Congress finds a backbone and stops him before he destroys America.
John Dean says
Thank you for this comment. I could not agree more.
Mark Sinclair says
President Biden should have walked out….three years ago.
Knowing that most of the pro-Biden rhetoric in the comments come from people who are one mild flu away from assisted living, I find it pretty typical for this site that there’s so much defense of this dementia-struck man, who, we’re discovering, didn’t know half of what he was signing. Ron Klain was actually your president.
I guess if you consider using lawfare to try and eliminate Trump from appearing on ballots, tying him up in court so he couldn’t campaign properly, smearing him with concocted (phony) stories, and then pardoning/commuting over 3,000 criminals, many who haven’t been charged with anything, is a great presidency, then your bar is set pretty low.
But, it’s the Democrats’ coping mechanism. They blur their own failings, and blame others for “not getting it” and “putting democracy in peril” despite bypassing democracy themselves by using a coup to oust the “great” president Biden, then using a cabal of insiders to coronate Kamala Harris with ZERO primary votes.
Trump perfectly summarized the Biden-Harris legacy during the speech. Demons were exorcised. Seeing THREE people he beat (Clinton, Biden and Harris) have to sit there and get dunked on was delicious for the millions who voted for him.
Face it; your policies are trash, America knows it, and voted to drop Democrats like a bad habit. Enjoy many years of irrelevancy.
Deirdre LaMotte says
You know Mike, sorry to burst your MAGA bubble but your dementia ridden autocrat is on the decline. Fast. His zoom with the Economic Forum in Davos had people laughing so hard they had to hide their faces.
And sorry to say it, I don’t think 77 million people actually voted *for* this dipsh*t. I think they voted *against* the brown candidate who doesn’t have a penis (even a little mushroom like Stormy talked about). You know, racism is alive and well with the simpletons.
Enjoy yourself while the country is in flames. Respectfully I will add how big you must feel, little man.
John Dean says
Thank you for reading my piece. May I suggest you missed the point of my piece? It wasn’t that Biden was a good or great president. It was how low Trump went in rattling off a dark picture of America that disingenuously and falsely blamed Biden for “America’s decline” while Biden was sitting a few feet away. That gesture–that lack of graciousness–is what the piece was about.