How did Trump's inaugural address address economic issues
Introduction
Trump’s second inaugural address in 2025 focused heavily on economic issues, presenting a vision of American prosperity and promising swift action to address economic challenges:
Economic Prosperity and “Golden Age”
Trump declared the beginning of a “golden age of America,” promising that the country would “flourish” and become the “envy of the world”. He positioned his administration as the catalyst for this economic transformation, contrasting it with what he characterized as economic decline under his predecessor.
Inflation and Prices
Acknowledging inflation as a top concern for many Americans, Trump promised to tackle rising prices:
He pledged to sign executive orders focused on the economy.
Trump admitted that lowering prices, especially for groceries, would be “difficult”.
He announced plans to direct his Cabinet to tackle inflation and bring down costs.
Energy Policy
Trump emphasized energy production as a key strategy for economic growth:
He promised to declare a “national energy emergency”.
Trump vowed to expand drilling, famously stating, “We will drill, baby, drill”.
He pledged to rescind policies like the Green New Deal and electric vehicle mandates.
Trade and Tariffs
While holding off on immediate tariff implementation, Trump reiterated his commitment to protectionist trade policies:
He promised to impose tariffs and taxes on foreign nations to “enrich our citizens”.
Trump pledged to create an “External Revenue Service” to level tariffs against other countries’ goods.
Jobs and Manufacturing
Trump repeated familiar themes from his first term regarding job creation and revitalizing American manufacturing:
He promised to bring back jobs and protect American workers.
Trump criticized past policies that he claimed enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry.
Infrastructure
The president briefly mentioned infrastructure development, though with less emphasis than in his first inaugural address:
He alluded to rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and airports.
Conclusion
Trump’s second inaugural address presented a vision of economic nationalism, emphasizing energy production, protectionist trade policies, and government intervention to address inflation and boost American industry. However, he also acknowledged the challenges in quickly reversing economic trends, particularly regarding prices and inflation.
