US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday vowed to prevent World War III and to halt the "invasion" of the country’s borders as he prepares to assume office for a second term.
Addressing a packed rally at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC, Trump pledged to fulfil the promises he made during his campaign, including a crackdown on illegal immigration and swift policy reversals.
“We are going to give them the best first day, the biggest first week, and the most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history,” Trump declared to roaring supporters at the Make America Great Again (MAGA) victory rally.
He pledged to reverse executive orders issued by outgoing President Joe Biden “within hours” of taking office on Monday and announced plans to execute the “largest deportation exercise in American history.”
Trump also vowed to classify drug cartels as foreign terrorist organisations, declare an emergency at the US-Mexico border, and reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers.
“All illegal border trespassers will, in some form or another, be on their way back home by the time the sun sets tomorrow evening,” Trump claimed. However, experts suggest that deportation efforts of such magnitude would likely take years and incur significant costs.
Ceasefire in Gaza credited to Trump
During his speech, Trump took credit for the Gaza ceasefire agreement that ended a 15-month conflict between Israel and Hamas. He criticised the Biden administration, claiming the conflict would not have occurred under his leadership.
“We achieved an epic ceasefire agreement as a first step towards lasting peace in the Middle East. Without even being president, we have achieved more than they did in four years,” Trump said.
The agreement resulted in the release of three Israeli hostages by Hamas and the freeing of 90 Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
TikTok reinstated
In a surprising move, Trump announced that TikTok, the Chinese-owned video-sharing app, would resume operations in the US under a “joint venture” with 50% ownership by American entities.
“TikTok is back. We’ve saved jobs, and we’re not giving our business to China,” Trump said. This announcement came after the US Supreme Court upheld a federal law requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its operations to an American-approved buyer.
Pledges for peace and prosperity
Trump reiterated his commitment to ending global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, and preventing World War III. “I will end the chaos in the Middle East, I will stop the war in Ukraine, and I will ensure World War III never happens,” he stated, adding that Americans have no idea how close the world is to such a scenario.
As Trump prepares to take the oath of office as the 47th President of the United States, his ambitious agenda has garnered both optimism and scepticism from observers. Critics warn of potential challenges in implementing sweeping policies, but Trump remains confident in delivering on his promises.
