‘A lot of fun’: Trump hints at wild first day of new presidency

Donald Trump has hinted at a complete reversal of President Joe Biden’s White House legacy “within hours” of taking office.

Speaking a pre-inauguration rally packed with celebrity allies and thousands of supporters, Trump said he planned a vast slew of executive orders for his first day in office.

“Somebody said yesterday, ‘Sir, don’t sign so many (executive orders) in one day; let’s do it over a period of weeks.’ I said, ‘Like hell we’re going to do it over weeks, we’re going to sign them at the beginning,'” Trump said.

“We’ll have plenty to sign in the future, don’t worry about it. It’s not going to stop.”

Trump is planning to issue dozens of executive actions within his first week in office, sources familiar with his plans told CNN, including those aimed at ramping up US energy production, tightening border security, reeling in regulations and other top policy priorities.

“Every radical and foolish executive order of the Biden administration will be repealed within hours of when I take the oath of office,” Trump told the crowd at Capitol One Arena.

“You’re going to have a lot of fun watching television tomorrow.”

Earlier, Trump opened his address with the declaration: “We won!”

“I’m thrilled to be back with so many friends, supporters and true American patriots on the eve of taking back our country. That’s what we’re going to do, take back our country,” Trump said.

“Tomorrow at noon, the curtain closes on four long years of American decline, and we begin a brand new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride. Bringing it all back once and for all.”

He struck a similar note to his campaign rallies, declaring Biden’s presidency a “failed administration” and that he would stop the “invasion” of the US.

Trump said “radical woke left ideology” would be targeted in schools, the military, and government, and that his administration would “unlock the liquid gold beneath our feet” – a reference to his oil-drilling plans.

The president-elect also took credit for a number of developments since his electoral victory last year, particularly the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release in recent days.

“We achieved more without being president than they achieved in four years with being president,” he said.

“This week we achieved an epic ceasefire agreement as a first step toward lasting peace in the Middle East.

“And this agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November.”

President Biden’s team worked closely with Trump’s team on the deal, but both men have claimed credit for the ceasefire.

He also pointed to “record highs” for Bitcoin and a surging stock market.

Trump addressed the resumption of TikTok service in the US, which was temporarily shut down after a federal ban linked to bipartisan security concerns.

“I said, ‘We need to save TikTok because we’re talking about a tremendous’ – who in this audience goes with TikTok? Many?” he said,

“Yeah, it’s very popular. And frankly, we have no choice, we have to save it.”

He said the US government would seek to own half the app.

“A lot of jobs. We don’t want to give our business to China. We don’t want to give our business to other people,” he said.

Trump has credited TikTok with his success among young voters.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who was a major financial backer of the Trump campaign and has become a close companion of the president-elect, joined Trump onstage and briefly spoke to the crowd.

Musk said the Republican victory was “just the start”.

“What matters going forward is to actually make significant changes, cement those changes, and set the foundation for America to be strong for a century, for centuries, forever.”

After retaking the podium, Trump praised Musk.

“I always say we have to be protective of our geniuses, because we don’t have too many,” he said.

“But that one is a good one.”

The victims of the Los Angeles wildfires received a mention, with Trump saying he was “praying” for them.

“I want to send our love to everybody affected by the terrible wildfires raging in California,” he said.

The president-elect takes office tomorrow morning AEDT.

Many of Trump’s campaign hot-button issues received an airing, including unfounded claims foreign governments are “emptying” their prisons, jails or mental institutions into the US.

He said the press excoriated him during the campaign for repeatedly bringing up the fictitious character Hannibal Lecter but suggested some of the immigrants living in the US “are probably worse.”

The crowd applauded as he teased plans for mass deportation, without going into detail.

Trump also again claimed his 2020 election defeat was “rigged”, an allegation multiple courts have found to be without basis.

He repeated a promise to release all the remaining secret records pertaining to the assassinations of John F Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, “and other topics of great public interest”.

Despite promises by multiple presidents and a law passed by Congress in 1992, the CIA, the Defense Department and the Department of State all continue to have documents they refuse to publicly release.

The rally opened with a performance of the US national anthem, a prayer, and a performance by musician Kid Rock.

Anuel AA and Justin Quiles, two Puerto Rican musicians, spoke in support of Trump onstage as well.

The moment stood in stark contrast to one of Trump’s rallies near the end of the campaign, when a comedian opening the rally called Puerto Rico a ” floating island of garbage.”

The rally gives supporters an extra chance to cheer for the president-elect after his inauguration ceremony – set to begin early tomorrow morning AEDT – was moved indoors due to the bitter cold afflicting Washington DC.

Ahead of the rally, Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery, where he laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Accompanied by Vice President-elect JD Vance, he also spoke with families of soldiers killed fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Close confidants of Trump believe he’s in high spirits on the eve of his inauguration.

“I haven’t talked to him in a couple of days, but I would describe him as an ebullient, serene, calm, excited, I mean, about the potential,” Roger Stone, a political consultant and close ally of Trump, told the Associated Press.

“He’s much more engaged in the formation of his administration than he was in 2017. He’s actually in a great mood.”

Stone consulted on Trump’s 2016 campaign run and was a central subject of investigation for the special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller into potential Russian election interference.

Stone said he preferred the inauguration being held indoors for security reasons, not inclement weather.

“I’m happy it’s going inside. We have had, undeniably, two assassinations attempts on him. I speak only for myself here, but I think he’s much safer under these circumstances,” Stone said.

With Associated Press.