By Christian Today | Created at 2025-01-20 10:56:51 | Updated at 2025-01-20 18:53:03
9 hours ago
(Photo: Getty/iStock)
Donald Trump has promised sweeping changes from day one of his administration as he prepares to be inaugurated as US president for the second time.
At a victory rally in Washington DC on Sunday, Trump told cheering crowds that he would "act with historic speed and strength to fix every single crisis facing our country", and promised that "every radical and foolish executive order of the Biden administration will be repealed within hours of when I take the oath of office".
Within his sights are diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and trans ideology, illegal immigration and "the most aggressive, sweeping effort to restore our borders the world has ever seen".
He also plans to "get wokeness the hell out of our military immediately and make it like it used to be".
"I will defend religious liberty. I will restore free speech," he added. "We will stop illegal immigration once and for all. We will not be invaded. We will not be occupied. We will not be overrun. We will not be conquered."
Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president inside the US Capitol in Washington DC on Monday, with the oaths of office scheduled for 12pm local time. In an unusual move, the ceremony will take place indoors due to extremely cold temperatures forecast.
Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan's Purse and son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, will give the invocation prayer. Speaking on Fox and Friends, Graham said it was an "honour" to be asked and that it was important to spend time focusing on God and asking "for God's blessing for this administration".
Graham encouraged people to pray for Trump and his administration "every day".
"He needs our prayers ... the problems we are facing as a nation are incredible, huge, and for us to be able to focus and stop for a minute and pray that God would give him wisdom, guide and direct his steps is so important. And I would encourage people everywhere to pray for him every day," he said.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to flock to Washington DC on Monday, with large crowds expected to gather along Pennsylvania Avenue where there will be a ceremonial presidential parade at 2:30pm local time.
Evangelists will be out and about among the crowds distributing 50,000 Christian booklets. The booklets by the Faith & Liberty group "commemorate President Donald Trump's 2025 Inauguration and contain the scriptural books of John and Romans".
"In times of national division like America has recently seen, a new presidential administration can offer hope," said Faith & Liberty Senior Vice President Peggy Nienaber.
"The commemorative scripture booklets were published for this significant occasion for that same reason — to offer hope to people in the Saviour Jesus Christ."
Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of 180 Church in Detroit, Michigan, is one of four religious leaders invited to give the benediction at the inauguration. Sewell said he cried when he got the call.
"I cried because I feel like Jesus wants me to do something Monday. I don't believe this is about me. I think this is about people that are hurting in Detroit," he told WXYZ Detroit.
Detroit pastor and founder of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Rev William F Kumuyi, will also be in attendance at the inauguration.
"This moment in history reminds us that faith transcends borders and unites believers worldwide," he told The Christian Post. "As we gather in Washington DC, the global church stands together in prayer and purpose, advocating for faith-based dialogue to shape policies that uphold religious liberty and foster the growth of Christianity worldwide."
