Not a word about Ukraine, abortions and tariffs: what Trump was silent about in his inaugural speech

21.01.2025/20/00 XNUMX:XNUMX    420

 

Donald Trump made grandiose promises in his inaugural address, including a vow to send troops to the US-Mexico border and a declaration that the government would not recognize any gender other than male and female. At the same time, Politico points out, Trump avoided topics that were central to the election campaign and could determine the success of his second presidency, among them the war in Ukraine, tariffs and abortion.

Ukraine

During the campaign, Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours if elected president. However, the issue did not receive even a brief mention in the president’s inaugural address – instead, he focused on the success of the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

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However, he said his “proudest legacy” would be being a “peacemaker and a unifier,” saying he would measure success “not just by the battles we win, but by the wars we end,” as well as “by the wars we never get involved in.”

Abortions

It was the No. 1 issue for Democrats during the election campaign. Trump managed to neutralize it in the presidential race by promising to leave the issue of abortion access to the discretion of the states.

Trump's decision not to speak out on the issue is a testament to how deeply polarizing the issue remains for the country, and his desire to stay out of the political spotlight.

The power of the courts

Republicans have long been obsessed with moving the courts to their side. In his first term, Trump was able to appoint three conservative judges to the Supreme Court – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. However, during Trump’s address on Monday, it was not about conservative judges or a shift “to the right” in the courts, but only about restoring “fair, equal and impartial justice within the framework of the constitutional rule of law,” writes Politico.

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Tariffs

On Monday, Trump promised to create a “Foreign Revenue Service” to collect tariffs and other revenues from foreign countries and promised to “rebuild” the country’s trading system. But he did not specify what tariffs he would impose on imports from other countries, including Canada, Mexico and China, although in November Trump promised to impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada on his first day in office.




“The avoidance of discussing these difficult topics suggests that the new administration still has to consider competing interests as the president receives advice from people with different views on trade, foreign affairs and aspects of domestic policy such as abortion,” the publication writes.

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Why Trump didn't mention Ukraine

CNN writes that there are two most obvious reasons. First, after receiving executive power, Trump could decide to refrain from commenting on his position and the timing of the end of the war. This seems to be the most rational approach, given the complexity of the task and the reluctance to make public commitments.

Second, Trump may have realized the scale of the problem and realized that his idea of ​​a quick win is unattainable in the short term. He is likely willing to accept a long and difficult negotiation process.


uapress.kyiv.ua