President Joe Biden is signing a series of executive orders at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, just hours after his inauguration. Source: Getty Images North America

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‘Let’s end this uncivil war’: Joe Biden signs a slew of executive orders after entering the White House as US President

Follow along with the SBS News live blog as Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America.

President Joe Biden is signing a series of executive orders at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, just hours after his inauguration. Source: Getty Images North America

Published 21 January 2021 3:04am

Updated 21 January 2021 3:37pm

By Maani Truu

Source: SBS

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21 Jan 2021 8:14am

Scott Morrison welcomes the new US President and Vice-President

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has joined the flood of world leaders congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their new roles.

"Congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris on your inauguration," he wrote on Twitter.

"The Australia-US Alliance has never been more important. I wish you both every success for your time in office and look forward to working closely with your new administration."

21 Jan 2021 8:06am

The new first family enter the White House

Joe Biden has officially entered the White House for the first time as President. Inside, a letter from former president Donald Trump awaits him.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at the North Portico of the White House. Source: AAP,AP / AAP/AP Pool

21 Jan 2021 8:02am

Inaugural parade makes its way through an empty city

Today's inauguration has been unique in many ways, not least of which is the stark lack of blue, white, and red-clad spectators lining the streets of Washington DC to welcome the new President.

The coronavirus pandemic and security concerns in the wake of the Capitol attack have forced officials to bar the public from the day's events, including the inaugural parade.

CNN reports that law enforcement and officials were almost the only people visible on the streets as President Biden's motorcade made its way through the city from Arlington National Cemetery to the White House.

President Joe Biden and his family walk towards the White House. Source: AAP,The New York Times

But the eerily quiet scenes did not deter the new President from revelling in the excitement. Mr Biden jumped out of his car - nicknamed the Beast - to walk the final leg of the procession with his family, taking a moment to fist bump a member of the press, encouraging them to keep doing what they're doing.

He also took a moment to say hello to Mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser.

It's a bizarre start to the Biden Administration, against the backdrop of a truly unprecedented time in history.

21 Jan 2021 7:45am

Renos already underway at the White House

White House staff are working quickly to prepare the presidential residence for its new occupants.

Plexiglass shields have reportedly been installed around desks in the West Wing, on request from the Biden Adminstration, while CNN reported that photos of President Biden and the First Lady have already been hung in the hallways.

Aides reportedly told CNN they arrived at the White House and begun unpacking moments after the new President was sworn into office.

21 Jan 2021 7:22am

Joe Biden's day one agenda

While a presidential inauguration is a day for celebration, it is also a day to get stuff done.

President Biden will waste no time putting his agenda into action as he enters the White House for the first time as president, with plans to immediately sign 15 executive actions undoing policies put in place by his predecessor.

To address the “crises” of the pandemic, the economy, climate change and racial inequity, President Biden will sign the executive orders and memorandums in the Oval Office in the afternoon, and ask agencies to take steps in two additional areas, said incoming Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

They will include a mask mandate on federal property and for federal employees, an order to establish a new White House officer to coordinate the pandemic response, and an order halting the US' withdrawal from the World Health Organization.

The new President will also begin the process of re-entering the Paris climate accord and issue a sweeping order tackling climate change, including revoking the presidential permit granted to the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Among a raft of orders addressing immigration, he will also revoke Donald Trump's emergency declaration that helped fund the construction of a border wall and end a travel ban on some majority-Muslim countries.

Read the full story from Reuters below:

From coronavirus to climate change, Joe Biden is set to immediately roll back a raft of Trump policies

21 Jan 2021 7:06am

Anthony Albanese congratulates Joe Biden

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has issued a short but sweet congratulations to the new US President.

Still waiting on a congratulatory message from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Here's what other world leaders had to say:

'The United States is back': World leaders congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris following inauguration

21 Jan 2021 6:52am

New and former presidents lay wreath at Arlington Cemetery

The most recent former president's of the United States - with one notable exception - have gathered at Arlington Cemetery to lay at wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier alongside President Biden and Vice-President Harris.

Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and their wives will participate in the symbolic ceremony in a bipartisan show of solidarity.

As we've previously reported, Donald Trump left Washington DC for Florida early this morning.

Barack and Michelle Obama (left), George W. and Laura Bush (centre) and Bill and Hillary Clinton at Arlington Cemetery. Source: AP

21 Jan 2021 6:36am

Greta Thunberg's parting message to Donald Trump

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has tweeted a parting message to former president Donald Trump, referencing his own comments about her in 2019.

The then-president tweeted that Ms Thunberg "seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future" in response to her fiery speech at the United Nations, in which she accused world leaders of stealing her dreams and childhood by refusing to act on climate change.

21 Jan 2021 6:24am

Why American politics isn't yet free from Donald Trump

Donald Trump may have left the White House, but SBS News journalist Jarni Blakkarly reports that Trumpism will be around for a long time to come.

US political experts say despite Mr Trump's fall from power, the man - and the politics of nationalism and resentment he so carefully cultivated - won't be going anywhere soon.

“[Mr] Trump will be a feature of American life until he dies,” said Associate Professor of American Politics, Brendon O’Connor, from the United States Studies Centre.

“This is someone who thrives on attention. The idea that he will go quietly into the night and be a seldom heard from ex-president like George Bush is pretty unrealistic.”

You can read the full story here
.

Why Trumpism will live on long after Donald Trump stops being US president

21 Jan 2021 6:15am

The hidden message in the White House website

The recently updated website for President Joe Biden’s White House carried a secret invitation for tech specialists savvy enough to find it.

Hidden in the HTML code on

www.whitehouse.gov

was an invitation to join the US Digital Service, a technology unit within the White House.

“If you’re reading this, we need your help building back better,” the message said.

Former President Barack Obama launched the service in 2014 to recruit technologists to help revamp government services - for example by modernising Medicare’s payment system or reforming hiring practices across government agencies.

Tech specialists join the Digital Service for typically one or two years.

Reuters

21 Jan 2021 6:08am

Joe Biden signs first documents as president, reviews military

President Biden has signed three documents in the President's Room of the Capitol. They are the Inauguration Day Proclamation, Nominations to Cabinet Positions, and Nominations to sub-Cabinet Positions.

Shortly afterwards, he and Vice-President Harris were given gifts including flags that flew over the Capitol during the ceremony and engraved glasses marking the occasion.

This is all very keeping with tradition, as Inauguration Day so far goes off without a hitch despite security concerns.

President Biden, Vice-President Harris and their partners will now review the readiness of the military - another long-standing, symbolic tradition that represents the peaceful transfer of power to a new Commander-in-Chief.

The new President of the United States watches the Pass in Review ceremony. Source: Getty / Getty Images

21 Jan 2021 5:49am

Officer Eugene Goodman promoted after Capitol attack

The black police officer who diverted a mostly white mob of rioters away from the Senate Chambers - where politicians were working to confirm the results of the election - during the attack on the Capitol has been promoted to acting deputy Senate sergeant-at-arms.

Officer Eugene Goodman has been widely praised for his actions, which many believe saved the lives of American political leaders and staff.

During the inauguration, he was tasked with escorting Vice-President Kamala Harris to the stage where she was sworn in to office.

US Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman arrives at the inauguration. Source: AFP

21 Jan 2021 5:38am

World leaders congratulate President Biden

World leaders say they are looking forward to working with US President Joe Biden, after the Democrat was sworn in as president after four turbulent years under Donald Trump.

No word yet from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, but given the time difference that isn't entirely unexpected.

European Union

Charles Michel, president of the European Council, tweeted congratulations to both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, adding: "It's time to bring back conviction and common sense and rejuvenate our EU-US relationship."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Europe is ready for a fresh start."

Iran

President Hassan Rouhani hailed the departure of "tyrant" Mr Trump, having repeatedly called on Washington to lift sanctions imposed over its nuclear drive.

"We expect [the Biden administration] to return to law and to commitments, and try in the next four years, if they can, to remove the stains of the past four years," President Rouhani said.

Biden's administration wants the United States back in the landmark Iran nuclear accord, from which Mr Trump withdrew, provided Tehran returns to strict compliance.

Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged President Biden to "strengthen" a long-standing alliance between the two countries.

"I look forward to working with you to further strengthen the US-Israel alliance, to continue expanding peace between Israel and the Arab world and to confront common challenges, chief among them the threat posed by Iran," Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a video.

NATO

"The bond between North America and Europe is the bedrock of our security, and a strong NATO is good for both North America and Europe," said NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg.

"NATO Allies need to stand together to address the security consequences of the rise of China, the threat of terrorism, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a more assertive Russia."

Russia

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would seek "good relations with the United States", while a foreign ministry statement said they expected a "more constructive" approach to upcoming arms control talks.

The US and Russia are to discuss extending the landmark 2010 New START nuclear weapons accord shortly after President Biden's swearing in. The last remaining nuclear pact between the countries, it limits each side to 1,500 nuclear warheads and is set to expire 5 February.

Germany

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, Europe's biggest economy, said he was "greatly relieved" President Biden was replacing Mr Trump as US president, calling it a "good day for democracy".

Germany looked forward "to knowing we again have the US at our side as an indispensable partner" in addressing "the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, security issues, arms control and disarmament, and many urgent conflicts around the world".

France

French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said President Biden's commitments to rejoin the World Health Organization, which leads the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Paris climate treaty were "extremely important" following Mr Trump's exit from them.

Britain

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has faced criticism over his close relationship with Mr Trump, said he was looking forward to "working closely" with President Biden.

"In our fight against COVID and across climate change, defence, security and in promoting and defending democracy, our goals are the same and our nations will work hand in hand to achieve them," he said.

Canada

"Our two countries are more than neighbours - we are close friends, partners, and allies," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, pledging Canada's cooperation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, for climate action and for a sustainable economic recovery.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi tweeted: "My warmest congratulations to @JoeBiden on his assumption of office as President of the United States of America. I look forward to working with him to strengthen India-US strategic partnership."

AFP

21 Jan 2021 5:25am

The White House website updates to new administration

The White House's official website has been updated to feature photos of President Biden and Vice-President Harris.

The new White House website. Source: Supplied

President Biden's biography on the website opens with: "From Scranton to Wilmington to the White House - with thousands of train rides in between".

"[President] Biden was sworn into the US Senate at his sons’ hospital bedsides and began commuting from Wilmington to Washington every day, first by car, and then by train, in order to be with his family. He would continue to do so throughout his time in the Senate," it continues.

Donald Trump's biography, meanwhile, has been shifted to the "past presidents" section.

21 Jan 2021 5:11am

Donald Trump leaves note for Joe Biden

Now that the inauguration ceremony has come to an end, let's jump back to some news you may have missed this morning.

After refusing to greet incoming President Joe Biden at the White House, former president Donald Trump's spokesperson confirmed he had left a note for his successor before departing for Florida.

It was previously unclear whether Mr Trump would participate in this long-standing tradition, given he had declined to participate in others and repeatedly refused to accept the results of the election.

The contents of the letter have not yet been revealed.

"We are just temporary occupants of this office," former president Barack Obama wrote in his own note to Mr Trump four years ago, left in the Oval Office.

"That makes us guardians of those democratic institutions and traditions ... that our forebears fought and bled for. Regardless of the push and pull of daily politics, it's up to us to leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them," he added.

AFP

21 Jan 2021 5:03am

A fist bump for the ages

Here's a photo that will go straight to the history books: the first Black president of the United States, Barack Obama, and the first Black vice-president of the United States, Kamala Harris, share a fist bump ahead of the inauguration.

Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff greet former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. Source: Getty / Getty Images

21 Jan 2021 4:56am

New Vice-President Harris escorts Mike Pence to his car

The formal swearing-in ceremony has come to an end, but there is still plenty of excitement to come today so don't go anywhere.

Following the official proceedings, a smiling Vice-President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff walked former vice-president Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, to their car. The pair even appeared to share a laugh along the way.

Outgoing vice-president Mike Pence watches on as his successor Kamala Harris is sworn into office. Source: AAP

The gesture has taken on a special meaning after outgoing president Donald Trump refused to attend the inauguration - the first time in more than 100 years this has happened.

His attendance at the inauguration meant Mr Pence, a longtime supporter of Mr Trump, was unable to attend the 45th president's farewell ceremony.

21 Jan 2021 4:43am

Twitter welcomes a new POTUS

The official Twitter account of the President of the United States of America, or @POTUS, has officially switched to reflect the incoming Biden Administration.

The official White House twitter bio - @WhiteHouse - has also switched to "Welcome to the Biden-Harris White House", while former President Donald Trump will be over at @WhiteHouse45.

"Thank you and farewell," the account tweeted earlier this morning, with a link to Mr Trump's farewell address.

Mr Trump's personal account, @realDonaldTrump, which he favoured during his presidency, was indefinitely banned from the platform in the wake of the violence at the Capitol.

21 Jan 2021 4:31am

Twenty-two-year-old poet Amanda Gorman steals the show

American poet Amanda Gorman has become the youngest person in history to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration at just 22 years old.

Titled the 'The Hill We Climb', her work touched on themes of resilience, hurt and hope.

National youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman arrives at the inauguration. Source: AAP

"We, the successors of a country and a time, where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming President," she read.

"Only to find herself reciting for one."

She is only the sixth poet to perform at a presidential inauguration, following in the footsteps of Maya Angelou and Robert Frost.

You can watch the full performance below:

21 Jan 2021 4:19am

'We must end this un-civil war that pits red against blue'

While striking an optimistic tone in his first speech as US President, Joe Biden has also touched on the dual crises playing out across America.

The first is the deep political divisions spurred by former President Donald Trump's refusal to accept the results of last year's presidential election, that culminated in the deadly attack on the Capitol two weeks ago.

He described the divide as an "un-civil war that pits red against blue" or, in other words, Republicans against Democrats.

"The answer is not to turn inward. To retreat into competing factions. Distrusting those who don't look like you. Or worship the way that you do. Or don't get their news from the same source as you do," he said.

He said healing these tensions will be especially important as the country confronts the upcoming "dark winter" of the coronavirus pandemic.

"In the work ahead of us, we're going to need each other. We need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter," he said.

"We're entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus. We must set aside politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation."

President Biden also asked viewers and the in-person audience of about 1,000 special guests to join him in a silent prayer for all more than 400,000 American lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, friends, neighbours and co-workers. We'll honour them by becoming the people and the nation we know we can and should be," he said.

‘Let’s end this uncivil war’: Joe Biden signs a slew of executive orders after entering the White House as US President