We have a new president — so, what’s next?
Here's everything you need to know.
Monday was a historic day as President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were sworn into office. And it was the commander-in-chief’s statements on God and faith during his inauguration speech that moved many to their feet in applause.
The Upside
In particular, Trump’s stirring reflection about his attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, may go down in history as one of the more defining moments in an inaugural address.
"The journey to reclaim our Republic has not been an easy one; that I can tell you,” Trump said. “Those who wish to stop our cause have tried to take my freedom and indeed to take my life. Just a few months ago, in a beautiful Pennsylvania field, an assassin’s bullet ripped through my ear. But I felt then, and believe even more so now, that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again.”
Moving on: it’s worth looking back at the history of some of these recorded proclamations — the times when presidents throughout the nation’s history unabashedly urged the public to turn to the Lord or to acknowledge His power.
Read more about seven key times presidents have openly praised God, invoked prayer, and mentioned miracles during their inaugural speeches.
Faith played a prominent part in the lead-up to the inauguration as 50,000 Bible booklets were handed out on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. over the weekend. Faith & Liberty, an evangelical organization, partnered with Seedline International and HOPE to the Hill to fill the capitol with prayer with excerpts from the books of John and Romans. Read more about the effort here.
The Downside
And last-minute pardons from outgoing President Joe Biden sent shockwaves throughout the nation.
Many viewed these as preemptive pardons aimed at protecting Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, and other individuals from what Democrats viewed as a form of revenge justice.
President Biden and others feared that President Trump would use his new Department of Justice to target Trump's “enemies” with "unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions."
The pardons followed other record-setting acts of clemency by Biden that included his son, Hunter Biden and other family members, individuals convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, and individuals placed on home confinement during COVID.
And, ICYMI, Billy Hallowell has two recent columns in The Washington Times (see below) that examine what a Trump presidency could mean for free speech and the spread of Christianity in America.
Did Trump just save free speech?
“Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg’s shocking announcement [earlier this month] that his company will upend the way it handles censorship is the latest Earth-shattering victory for the incoming commander-in-chief — and a First Amendment triumph virtually no one saw coming,” Hallowell writes.
“Mr. Zuckerberg not only admitted to the rampant censorship many conservatives have long lamented, but he also pledged to fire fact-checkers and replace them with a more free speech-friendly community notes program,” he continued before diving into other areas where we can expect to see free speech improvements under a Trump presidency.
Can Trump save Christianity?
Next up, Hallowell takes on Trump’s legacy and faith.
“Will President-elect Donald Trump save American Christianity in 2025? Plainly stated: No. Authentic biblical faith doesn’t need a human savior and has flourished for centuries amid some of the most horrific acts of persecution,” he writes.
“While Mr. Trump most certainly isn’t a theological savior or redeemer, there’s something we absolutely must acknowledge: his political reascension will certainly bring about conditions that enable Christians — and Americans of all religious stripes — to practice their faith more fully and authentically,” he continued. Read the rest of the column here.