JOE Biden vowed to be "a President for all Americans" as he was sworn in as the 46th US President of the United States.
He is now experiencing his first full day as POTUS following a day and evening packed with ceremonial events.
In a powerful inauguration address at the Capitol yesterday. Biden declared that "democracy has prevailed" but warned that "disagreement must not become disunity" and vowed to unite a divided America.
But it was his eight-month-old grandson Beau who really stole the show as he was filmed dancing to Lovely Day while held in the President's arms inside the White House.
Meanwhile UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed Biden's presidency as a “fantastic thing for America" as he tried to cement close early ties with the new White House regime.
Follow our Inauguration Day live blog below for the very latest news on Joe Biden's swearing-in
- Christy Cooney
BIDEN DANCES WITH GRANDSON
Video shows President Biden dancing with his grandson Beau at last night's inaugural celebration at the White House.
Eight-month-old Beau is the child of Biden's son Hunter.
He is named after Biden's other son, Joseph "Beau" Biden III, who died from glioblastoma in 2015.
Biden was seen holding the infant while watching a remote performance by Demi Lovato of Bill Withers' Lovely Day.
President Joe Biden dances to inauguration concert with adorable eight-month-old grandson – named after the late Beau Biden – in his arms
- Christy Cooney
'WE WANT TO EXPAND PEACE WITH ARAB WORLD', SAYS NETANYAHU
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he hopes to work with the Biden administration to "continue expanding peace between Israel and the Arab world".
It comes after Israel last year signed agreements to normalise relations with the UAE, Morocco, Sudan, and Bahrain.
Speaking in a video message, Netanyahu said: "Congratulations President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on your historic inauguration.
"President Biden, you and I have had a warm personal friendship going back many decades.
"I look forward to working with you… to continue expanding peace between Israel and the Arab world and to confront common challenges."
- Christy Cooney
HOW DOES BIDEN'S USE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS COMPARE TO PAST PRESIDENTS?
Biden spent his first hours as president signing 15 executive orders to overturn a number of Trump-era policies.
Executive orders can be used by presidents to dictate – within limits – how a certain law should be enforced.
Biden has made heavy use of the orders just in the first 24 hours of his term.
In his first two weeks in office, President Trump signed eight, while President Obama signed nine.
George W Bush and Bill Clinton signed two and three orders in their first fortnight respectively.
- Christy Cooney
WORLD 'MUST RAISE AMBITION ON CLIMATE CHANGE', SAYS KERRY
The world has to "raise its ambition" if it is to properly tackle climate change, new climate envoy John Kerry has said.
Writing on twitter, Kerry, who previously served as Secretary of State, said: "Today, @POTUS rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, restoring America’s credibility and commitment — setting a floor, not a ceiling, for our climate leadership.
"Working together, the world must and will raise ambition. It’s time to get to work – the road to Glasgow begins here."
This November, Glasgow will host the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, with the parties of the Paris Agreement expected to enhance their commitments for the first time since the original accord.
- Christy Cooney
IN PICTURES – TRUMP SUPPORTERS WAIT TO GREET HIM NEAR HIS MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE IN FLORIDA YESTERDAY
- Christy Cooney
TRUMP 'PUT AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AT RISK', SAYS SPANISH PM
Donald Trump put American democracy at risk, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has said.
Speaking after the inauguration of President Biden, Sanchez said: "Some years ago, some may have thought Trump was a bad joke.
"But now, five years later, we have realised he has put at risk nothing less and nothing more than the most powerful democracy in the world."
- Christy Cooney
PRESS SEC PLEDGES 'TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY'
New White House press secretary Jen Psaki has pledged to "bring truth and transparency back" to press briefings.
Speaking at her first briefing, Psaki said: "When the president asked me to serve in this role, we talked about the importance of bringing truth and transparency back to the briefing room.
"There will be times when we seen things different in this room, among all of us. That's okay, that's part of our democracy.
"And rebuilding trust with the American people will be central to our focus in the press office and in the White House every single day."
- Christy Cooney
JOE BIDEN'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS…
- blocked the deportation of Liberians who had been in the US for "many years"
- directed officials to interpret the Civil Rights Act as outlawing workplace discrimination based on gender, race, and other aspects of personal identity
- introduced an “ethics pledge” that will bar executive appointees acting out of personal interest
- reversed a number of Trump-era orders related to “regulatory process”
- committed the administration to “embedding equity across federal policymaking and rooting out systemic racism and other barriers to opportunity from federal programs and institutions”.
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JOE BIDEN'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS…
- overturned a Trump order excluding undocumented migrants from the census
- directed officials to “preserve and fortify” the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme, intended to protect the rights of undocumented people brought to the US as children
- repealed restrictions on entry to the US from a number of Muslim-majority countries
- directed agencies to end the "harsh and extreme enforcement" of immigration policy under the Trump administration
- paused the building of the wall on the Mexican border
Continued… (2/3)
- Christy Cooney
WHAT EXECUTIVE ORDERS HAS JOE BIDEN SIGNED?
Joe Biden spent his first hours in office signing 17 executive orders and other actions overturning a number of Trump-era policies. The orders…
- mandated mask-wearing and social distancing on federal property
- launched the "100 Days Masking Challenge" urging American to wear masks
- reversed the US withdrawal from the World Health Organisation
- re-established a number of government positions related to pandemic response
- extended a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the pandemic
- extended a pause on student loan repayments
- re-entered the United States into the Paris Climate Agreement
Continued… (1/3)
REJOINING PARIS ACCORD 'HUGELY POSITIVE' NEWS, SAYS PM
Joe Biden's decision to recommit the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement is "hugely positive news", Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
Writing on twitter this morning, he said: "President @JoeBiden rejoining the Paris Agreement is hugely positive news.
"In the year we host @COP26 in Glasgow, I look forward to working with our US partners to do all we can to safeguard our planet."
BIDEN HAILS RETURN TO PARIS ACCORD
President Biden has hailed the return of the United States' to the Paris Climate Agreement.
Following his election win, Biden vowed to rejoin the agreement on his first day in office, and yesterday signed an executive order to bring it back into force.
The agreement, signed in 2015, pledged the vast majority of countries around the world to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
President Trump announced the withdrawal of the US in June 2017, claiming the agreement had been "very unfair at the highest level to the United States".
A post from Biden's twitter account this morning read: "We're back in the Paris Climate Agreement."
'EUROPE HAS A FRIEND IN THE WHITE HOUSE', SAYS EU COMMISSIONER
Europe has a friend in the White House again, European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen has said.
Speaking in the European parliament, she said: "Once again, after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House.
"This new dawn in America is the moment we've been waiting for so long.
"Europe is ready for a new start with our oldest and most trusted partner."
POLICE AND PROTESTERS CLASH IN PORTLAND
Police and protesters clashed last night during a demonstration calling for the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the federal agency tasked with enforcing immigration policy and preventing illegal immigration into the United States.
It has faced particular criticism over the separation of children from their families in detention centres at the Mexican border.
Around 100 protesters began a march towards an ICE facility at around 9pm, but police deployed tear gas after the assembly was declared unlawful at around 9pm.
At least one person was reportedly arrested.
CHINA BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR NEW ADMINISTRATION, SAYS GERMANY
China will remain the biggest foreign policy challenge for the Biden administration, the German foreign minister has said.
Speaking following yesterday's inauguration, Heiko Maas said: "The new US President will certainly continue to consider #China the foremost challenge for US foreign and security policy.
"In this area, there are issues on which we should co-operate more closely. We stand ready to do so."
- Alahna Kindred
PARTING WORDS
Joe Biden said that his predecessor Donald Trump wrote him a "very generous" letter and that he will speak to the former president.
Biden informed reporters at the White House about the letter after reports that Trump left the note for him as he departed for the final time as the country's leader.
"The president wrote a very generous letter," Biden said.
“Because it was private, I won’t talk about it until I talk to him. But it was generous.”
Biden's press secretary Jen Psaki in her first briefing on Wednesday said of Trump's letter: "It was both generous and gracious."
- Alahna Kindred
YOU'RE FIRED?
President Joe Biden warned incoming aides on Wednesday if they treat anyone with disrespect he'll fire "them on the spot."
During the virtual ceremony in the White House's State Dining Room, Biden said: "I'm not joking when I say this. If you're ever working with me – and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone – I promise you I will fire you on the spot.
"On the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts. Everybody, everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity. That's been missing in a big way in the last four years.
"Cathy's gone through all your backgrounds, talked to me about you. I'm confident you have the capacity to do it."
Biden addressed his virtual tough-guy talk to nearly 1,000 appointees.
- Alahna Kindred
STRAIGHT TO WORK
Yesterday evening, Biden signed executive orders addressing a number of different issues, from Covid-19 to climate change, as he began to roll back Donald Trump's policies.
Biden will stop construction of a wall along the southern border with Mexico – and will lift a ban on visa applications from 13 Muslim-majority countries.
Biden signed the first three executive orders as he sat in the Oval Office on Wednesday evening.
Seven hours into his presidency, his press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Biden was ready "roll up his sleeves and get going" after confirming his executive order blitz.
- Debbie White
DONALD TRUMP'S 2ND IMPEACHMENT 'LEFT TO SENATE'
President Joe Biden will leave the mechanics of how to proceed with ex President Donald Trump's impeachment trial to the Senate.
That's according to new White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki.
"We are confident that… the Senate… can do their constitutional duty while continuing to conduct the business of the American people," Psaki told reporters at tonight's White House briefing.
"He's going to leave the mechanics, the timing and the specifics of how Congress moves forward on impeachment to them."
- Debbie White
AMERICA'S IMAGE REBUILDING
President Joe Biden will also focus on rebuilding America's partnerships and alliances around the world, says White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
Biden wants to address the "many threats we face".
- Debbie White
JOE BIDEN 'OPTIMISTIC AND WANTS US TO GET STRONGER'
In regards to Joe Biden's 'commitment' to his new presidential role, the White House press secretary said that he always sees the "optimistic side", including when dealing with people who oppose his views.
"His own history tells you how committed he is", including "reaching out to Republicans", Jen Psaki pointed out.
She said he was focused on moving the US forward and making the country stronger.
- Debbie White
QUESTIONS REMAIN OVER OPENING OF SCHOOLS
There will be "more to share from health experts in coming days" on the reopening of schools, the White House press secretary has told reporters.
Jen Psaki is the new White House press secretaryCredit: Reuters - Debbie White
BATTLE AGAINST COVID MISINFORMATION
The White House press secretary says the Biden administration plans to tackle the Covid pandemic misinformation with "accurate information, truth and data".
Reporters were told that information needed to be shared "even when it's hard to hear" – including when people are desperate for positive news, added Jen Psaki.
- Debbie White
LETTER FROM DONALD TRUMP WON'T PROMPT IMMEDIATE CALL
Asked whether President Joe Biden would call ex President Donald Trump, White House press secretary Jen Psaki replied that she was with Biden when he opened Trump's personal letter to him in the Oval Office.
"His reaction was that this is a letter that is private; it was both 'generous and gracious'.
"And it was a reflection of him not planning to release the letter unilaterally – I wouldn't take it [Biden's comments] as an indication of an impending call with the former president," she added.
- Debbie White
JOE BIDEN'S FIRST PHONE CALL WON'T BE TO PUTIN
US President Joe Biden's first foreign leader call will take place on Friday, when he speaks to Candian PM Justin Trudeau, a White House press conference has been told.
They are expected to discuss Biden's revoking of approval for the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
In regards to a possible call to Russian president Vladimir Putin, new White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, "I expect his early calls will be with partners and allies.
"He feels it's important to rebuild those relationships and address challenges and threats we are facing in the world".
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