On Politics

Sun Jan 19 2025

Rebecca Morin | Senior National News Reporter

@RebeccaMorin_

Hi all! It's Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at USA TODAY. Welcome to a special edition of On Politics on President Joe Biden's last full day as president and the eve of Inauguration Day.

Trump poised for disruptive second term as Inauguration Day arrives

In less than 24 hours, Donald Trump will officially be the president of the United States. He is only the second president ever to serve a non-consecutive second term. But this administration is already shaping up to look a lot like his first term – from governing through social media to demonstrating his appetite for conflict and negotiation, even between members of his own party. Read more.

•	The Trump family flies to DC on plane provided by Biden ahead of inauguration on Monday.
•	And the day before he's sworn in, Trump is holding a "victory rally" in Washington, DC

What else should you expect in Trump's first few days in office? A flurry of executive orders and directives. Trump is planning to issue over 100 executive actions that will undo a range of President Joe Biden 's policies, such as climate initiatives and diversity and inclusion in the federal workforce. Trump will also issue actions that address some of his campaign promises, like mass deportation. Read more.

•	Trump wants to deport immigrants with criminal records. They're hard to track down.
•	Could JD Vance help shape Trump's economic policies?

On Capitol Hill, Democrats are now deciding whether they will confront or cooperate with a returning Trump administration as Republicans hold a slim majority in Congress. Some moderate Democrats are willing to work with the GOP as Trump has improved his standing with independent voters. But more progressive Democrats warn that inching towards Trump's agenda could come at expense of core progressive values.

•	How Speaker Mike Johnson's bond with Trump shapes GOP future
•	How Trump's top administration picks reflect broad geographic diversity

A cutout picture of Donald Trump is held up by a crowd of people waiting in line at Capital One Arena for Donald Trump's victory rally on Sunday in Washington, D.C.

Christopher Furlong, Getty Images

A politics pit stop

•	Inauguration and MLK Day overlap for the third time ever. When has this happened before?
•	Thousands gather on National Mall for People's March
•	Bannon knocks Bezos, Musk and Zuckerberg before inauguration
•	Rapper Nelly joins other artists in performing on Trump Inauguration Day
•	Photos: Washington, D.C. prepares for Trump inauguration
•	History buff? Test your inauguration knowledge with our quiz

Trump says he'll issue executive order to delay TikTok ban

The day before Trump's officially in office offered insight into his priorities for his second term. TikTok, the wildly popular social media app, was shut down for roughly 12 hours. Donald Trump on Sunday said he will issue an executive order on Monday afternoon to "extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security." Read more.

•	A reminder: Trump tried to block TikTok during his first term as president. But during the 2024 election, the president-elect has said the app and social media helped Trump appeal to young voters.
•	Joe Biden on Friday said he wasn't going to enforce the TikTok ban and punted the app's fate to Trump.

Biden says he's 'passionate about our work' on final full day as president

And what about Joe Biden's final full day in office? The president traveled to the state that helped catapult him to the White House: South Carolina. There, he told worshippers at a church in North Charleston to "stay engaged." Read more.

Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.