President Joe Biden began his term in office expressing a profound sense of the challenges awaiting him – from coronavirus outbreak to political fissures – as he vowed to work for the unity of the nation.
“This is democracy’s day,” he declared after taking oath as the 46th president of the United States on the Capitol Hill, the scene of riots by a mob of former president Donald Trump’s supporters.
Vice President Kamala Harris became the first woman to hold the high office. She is also the first-ever African American and Asian-American of Indian descent to be vice president.
Biden identified a cascade of challenges facing the nation including political extremism but said America has endured hardships in the past and through unity would be able to navigate through the current difficulties to emerge as a strong democracy and leader of the world.
WATCH: Our @alroker gets a fist bump from President Biden before he heads into the White House for the first time as Commander-in-Chief.
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Trump, earlier, left the White House hours before his term ended while former vice president Mike Pence attended the inaugural ceremony.
“Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy,” Biden said.
The 78-year-old Democrat and former vice president – with almost a half century experience in the key branches of the government, noted that the will of the people has been heard and the will of the people has been heeded.
“We have learned again that democracy is precious. Democracy is fragile. And at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”
“And now, a rise in political extremism, white supremacy, domestic terrorism that we must confront and we will defeat.”
He emphasized the message of hope and unity several times in his speech.
“Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together. Uniting our people. And uniting our nation. I ask every American to join me in this cause.”
He also told the world community that America would restore its alliances and would lead by its example.
Soon after moving to the White House, President Biden signed a series of executive orders rescinding a ban on immigration from the Muslim majority countries and getting the U.S. back into the 2015 Climate Change accord.
