Well, it’s official.
Whether you hate it or really hate it, Donald Trump is now the 45th President of the United States.
At noon today, Trump was sworn into office, and in addition to Rick Rolling America with promises of never giving you up or letting you down, he roasted the folks sharing the stage with him like he was reenacting the final scene of 8 Mile.
In an address that often sounded more like a campaign speech, Trump struck what analysts (including Republicans like NBC’s Hugh Hewitt) are calling a “grim” and “divisive” tone.
It didn’t come as much of a shock, as Trump rode his “us against them” mentality all the way to the White House, and he’s thus shown no interest in “acting more presidential,” as he’s frequently promised he would.
Some are going so far as to call today’s speech a new low for Trump, as he took his first speech as president as an opportunity to criticize and insult those who held the office before him.
Shortly after thanking the Obamas for their graciousness during his transition, Trump turned on them and just about every one else on Capitol Hill, stoking the flames of outrage by claiming that all politicians have been amassing power and wealth at the expense of the American people:
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have bore the cost,” Trump told the crowd.
“Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered but the jobs left and the factories closed.”
He added:
“The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.
“Their victories have not been your victories.
“Their triumphs have not been your triumphs. And while they celebrated in our nation’s capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.”
Historian Doris Kearns-Goodwin snidely called the address “the best campaign speech” of Trump’s career, noting that he “made enemies” of both Capitol Hill and “the world at large.”
Lester Holt noted that he “found [himself] squirming” during the address, as he felt that Trump was “indicting many of the people he shared a platform with.”
Naturally, Trump supporters have lauded the speech, with some incorrectly claiming that it’s the first time a president has mentioned God in an inaugural speech.
(In fact, every president has ended his address with “God bless America.”)
Chuck Todd called the mistaken assertion evidence of the “informational divide” between Trump supporters and the rest of the nation.
Sadly, that divide will likely get deeper in the years to come.