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DIPLOMACY

Trump pledges to save America from decline, vows swift border crackdown

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US President Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd following his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. SHAWN THEW/Pool via REUTERS

Donald Trump pledged to rescue America from what he described as years of betrayal and decline after he was sworn in as president on Monday, prioritizing a crackdown on illegal immigration and portraying himself as a national saviour chosen by God.

“For American citizens, January 20, 2025, is Liberation Day,” Trump, 78, said inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, the symbol of U.S. democracy that was invaded on Jan. 6, 2021, by a mob of Trump supporters intent on reversing his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden.

The half-hour speech echoed some of the themes he sounded at his first inauguration in 2017, when he spoke of the “American carnage” of crime and job loss that he said had ravaged the country.

The inauguration completes a triumphant return for a political disruptor who was twice impeached, survived two assassination attempts, was convicted in a criminal trial and faced charges for attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss. He is the first president in more then a century to win a second term after losing the White House.

“I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said, referring to the assassin’s bullet that grazed his ear in July.

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Trump is the first felon to serve as president after a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid to a porn star.

“Many people thought it was impossible for me to stage such a historic political comeback,” he said. “I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do in America. The impossible is what we do best.”

While Trump sought to portray himself as a peacemaker and unifier, his speech was often sharply partisan. He repeated false claims from his campaign that other countries were emptying their prisons into America and voiced familiar and unfounded grievances over his criminal prosecutions.

With Biden seated nearby, affecting a polite smile, Trump issued a stinging indictment of his predecessor’s policies from immigration to foreign affairs and outlined a raft of executive actions aimed at blocking border crossings, ending federal diversity programs and overhauling international trade.

“First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border,” he said. “All illegal entry will be immediately halted, and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came.”

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Numerous tech executives who have sought to curry favor with the incoming administration – including the three richest men in the world, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg – had prominent seats on stage, next to cabinet nominees and members of Trump’s family.

Trump said he would send astronauts to plant the U.S. flag on Mars, prompting Musk – who has long talked about colonizing the planet – to throw his hands up in celebration.

Trump vowed to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and repeated his intention to take back control of the Panama Canal, one of several foreign policy pronouncements that have caused consternation among U.S. allies.

TRIUMPHANT RETURN

Following his address, Trump stopped by the Capitol’s visitor center and delivered an even longer, informal speech to supporters reminiscent of his freewheeling campaign rallies.

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In the later remarks, Trump struck a sharply different tone, voicing suspicion about election processes, calling people charged with taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack “hostages” and suggesting the congressional probe into his actions around that day was illegal.

“I think this was a better speech than the one I made upstairs,” Trump said.

Trump took the oath of office to “preserve, protect and defend” the U.S. Constitution at 12:01 p.m. ET (1701 GMT), administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. His vice president, JD Vance, was sworn in just before him.

Outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump in November, was seated next to Biden in a section with former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, arrived with her husband Bill, but Obama’s wife, Michelle, chose not to attend.

The ceremony was moved indoors due to the extreme cold gripping much of the country.

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Trump skipped Biden’s inauguration and has continued to claim falsely that the 2020 election he lost to Biden was rigged.

Biden, in one of his last official acts, pardoned several people whom Trump has threatened with retaliation, including former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, former Republican U.S. Representative Liz Cheney and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley. He also pardoned five family members just minutes before leaving office, citing fears that Trump would target them.

Trump acknowledged he was taking office on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and said he would work to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy. At the same time, he said he would issue orders to scrap federal diversity programs and require the government to recognize only genders assigned at birth.

“As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female,” Trump said, as Democratic U.S. Representative Sarah McBride, the first transgender person to serve in Congress, quietly smiled in the audience.

Trump will not immediately impose new tariffs, instead directing federal agencies to evaluate trade relationships with Canada, China and Mexico, a Trump official said, an unexpected development that unleashed a broad slide in the U.S. dollar and a rally in global stock markets on a day when U.S. financial markets were closed.

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Some of the executive orders are likely to face legal challenges.

DISRUPTIVE FORCE

As he did in 2017, Trump enters office as a disruptive force, vowing to remake the federal government and expressing deep skepticism about the U.S.-led alliances that have shaped post-World War Two global politics.

Police separated a group of 40 supporters of the militant far-right group the Proud Boys, backers of Trump whose former leader Enrique Tarrio was among those imprisoned for Jan. 6, and a dozen counter protesters in downtown DC.

“Whose streets? Our streets,” the Proud Boys chanted as several protesters aimed loud speakers playing sirens at them. Each side shouted expletives at the other

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He returns to Washington emboldened after winning the national popular vote over Harris by more than 2 million votes thanks to a groundswell of voter frustration over persistent inflation, though he still fell just short of a 50% majority.

Trump, who surpassed Biden as the oldest president ever to be sworn in, will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress. His advisers have outlined plans to replace nonpartisan bureaucrats with hand-picked loyalists.

Trump’s influence was already felt in the Israel-Hamas announcement last week of a ceasefire deal. Trump, whose envoy joined the negotiations in Qatar, had warned of “hell to pay” if Hamas did not release its hostages before the inauguration.

Unlike in 2017, when he filled many top jobs with institutionalists, Trump has prioritized fealty over experience in nominating a bevy of controversial cabinet picks, some of whom are outspoken critics of the agencies they have been tapped to lead.

Even as he prepared to retake office, Trump continued to expand his business ventures, raising billions in market value by launching a “meme coin” crypto token that prompted ethical and regulatory questions.

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The inauguration took place amid heavy security after a campaign highlighted by an increase in political violence.

The traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House was moved indoors to the Capital One Arena, where Trump held a victory rally on Sunday.

-Reuters

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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DIPLOMACY

Western Sahara: UK Endorses Moroccan Autonomy Plan on Western Sahara

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David Lammy, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom and Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita signed a joint communique in Rabat on Sunday.

The United Kingdom has endorsed the Moroccan Autonomy Proposal. It is viewed as the most credible basis to settle the dispute over Western Sahara. The proposal is considered viable and pragmatic.

In a landmark diplomatic meeting, the UK stated its commitment. The UK “will continue to act bilaterally, including economically, regionally, and internationally.” This action will be in line with this position to support resolution of the conflict.

This position was expressed in a Joint Communiqué. David Lammy, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, signed it in Rabat. The signing occurred on Sunday. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, also signed it.

This document highlights that the UK “follows closely the current positive dynamic on this issue.” His Majesty King Mohammed VI provides leadership in this matter. It adds that London “recognises the importance of the question of Western Sahara for the Kingdom of Morocco.” It notes that settling this regional dispute “would strengthen the stability of North Africa. It would also aid in the relaunch of the bilateral dynamic and regional integration.” 

The UK affirms, in the Joint Communiqué signed at the Foreign Ministry headquarters, that UK can consider supporting projects in the Sahara. This is notably as part of the UK Export Finance’s £5bn commitment to support new business across the country.

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It also underlines that the UK “recognises Morocco as a key gateway to Africa’s socio-economic development”. The UK reaffirms its commitment to deepening engagement with Morocco. It sees Morocco as a partner for growth across the continent.

In this document, “both countries support the central role of the UN-led process.” They also consider it vital. Additionally, they reaffirm “their full support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura.” To this end, the UK underlines that it is “ready, willing and committed to lend its active support and engagement to the Personal Envoy and the parties.”

“As a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, the United Kingdom agrees with Morocco. There is an urgent need to find a resolution to this long-held dispute. This would be in the interest of the parties,” the document notes. It adds that “the time for a resolution and to move this issue forwards is long-overdue. This action would strengthen the stability of North Africa and the relaunch of the bilateral dynamic and regional integration.”

This new position of the United Kingdom is significant. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it aligns with the strong stances expressed by many major powers. This includes notably the United States, France, and Spain. 

This new position of the United Kingdom is significant. The UK is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. This stance reinforces the growing international momentum. The momentum is driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in support of the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty. It also confirms the credibility of this initiative and the broad consensus backing it to reach a final resolution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara

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Elon Musk leaving Trump administration, capping a turbulent tenure

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Elon Musk listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo/File Photo

Billionaire Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab CEO Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading a tumultuous efficiency drive, during which he upended several federal agencies but ultimately failed to deliver the generational savings he had sought.

His “off-boarding will begin tonight,” a White House official told Reuters late Wednesday, confirming Musk’s departure from government. Musk earlier on Wednesday took to his social media platform X to thank President Donald Trump as his time as a special government employee with the Department of Government Efficiency draws to an end.

His departure was quick and unceremonious. He did not have a formal conversation with Trump before announcing his exit, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, who added that his departure was decided “at a senior staff level.”

While the precise circumstances of his exit were not immediately clear, he leaves a day after criticizing Trump’s marquee tax bill, calling it too expensive and a measure that would undermine his work with the U.S. DOGE Service.

Some senior White House officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, were particularly irked by those comments, and the White House was forced to call Republican senators to reiterate Trump’s support for the package, a source familiar with the matter said.

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While Musk remains close to the president, his exit comes after a gradual, but steady slide in standing.

After Trump’s inauguration, the billionaire quickly emerged as a powerful force in Trump’s orbit: hyper-visible, unapologetically brash and unfettered by traditional norms. At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, he brandished a red metallic chainsaw to wild cheers. “This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy,” he declared.

On the campaign trail, Musk had said DOGE would be able to cut at least $2 trillion in federal spending. DOGE currently estimates its efforts have saved $175 billion so far, a number Reuters was not able to independently verify.

Musk did not hide his animus for the federal workforce, and he predicted that revoking “the COVID-era privilege” of telework would trigger “a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.”

But some cabinet members who initially embraced Musk’s outsider energy grew wary of his tactics, sources said. Over time, they grew more confident pushing back against his job cuts, encouraged by Trump’s reminder in early March that staffing decisions rested with department secretaries, not with Musk.

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Musk clashed with three of Trump’s most senior cabinet members – Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He called Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.” Navarro dismissed the insults, saying, “I’ve been called worse.”

At the same time, Musk began to hint that his time in government would come to a close, while expressing frustration at times that he could not more aggressively cut spending.

In an April 22 Tesla conference call, he signaled he would be significantly scaling back his government work to focus on his businesses.

“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” Musk told The Washington Post this week. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”

DOGE GOES ON

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Musk’s 130-day mandate as a special government employee in the Trump administration was set to expire around May 30. The administration has said DOGE’s efforts to restructure and shrink the federal government will continue.

Several cabinet secretaries are already discussing with the White House how to proceed without further alienating Congressional Republicans. But even as department heads will keep some DOGE infrastructure in place, they will likely move to reassert control over budgets and staffing, sources have told Reuters.

“The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” Musk said.

Trump and DOGE have managed to cut nearly 12%, or 260,000, of the 2.3 million-strong federal civilian workforce largely through threats of firings, buyouts and early retirement offers, a Reuters review of agency departures found.

At the same time, DOGE has hit a number of roadblocks, with federal courts at times propping back up agencies shortly after DOGE had moved to eliminate them. In some cases, staff and funding cuts have led to purchasing bottlenecks, increased costs and a brain drain of scientific and technological talent.

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The most recent source of friction came on Tuesday when Musk criticized the price tag of Republicans’ tax and budget legislation making its way through Congress.

“I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing,” Musk told CBS News.

One source said the billionaire’s decision to trash Trump’s bill on television deeply upset senior White House aides.

His political activities have drawn protests and some investors have called for him to leave his work as Trump’s adviser and more closely manage Tesla, which has seen falls in sales and its stock price.

Musk, the world’s richest person, has defended his role as an unelected official who was granted unprecedented authority by Trump to dismantle parts of the U.S. government.

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Having spent nearly $300 million to back Trump’s presidential campaign and other Republicans last year, he said earlier this month he would substantially cut his political spending.

“I think I’ve done enough,” Musk said at an economic forum in Qatar.

-Reuters

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Syrian Authorities Confirm Closure of Premises Occupied by Polisario Separatists in Damascus

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A Moroccan technical delegation is preparing to reopen the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Damascus. As part of this visit, a joint mission comprising Moroccan officials and Syrian senior officials paid a field visit. They aimed to ascertain the effective closure of the office of the “Polisario” separatists in the Syrian capital.

The Syrian authorities reaffirmed their commitment to respecting the Kingdom’s national sovereignty. They also ensured territorial integrity. Additionally, they rejected any form of support for separatist entities. 

This move also confirms Syria’s willingness to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Morocco and promote regional stability.  

HM King Mohammed VI’s decision to reopen the Moroccan Embassy in Damascus marks a new era in Moroccan-Syrian ties. 

The closure of the ‘Polisario’ office in Syria shows a tangible expression of this mutual commitment. It demonstrates the commitment to the Kingdom’s territorial integrity.

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-MAP

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