Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations

Trump speaks off-the-cuff to supporters inside Capitol after being sworn in

President Trump speaks to the crowd as Vice President Vance looks on in the VIP overflow viewing area in Emancipation Hall after the inauguration ceremonies at the Capitol Rotunda on Monday.
Bill Clark/Pool
/
Getty Images
President Trump speaks to the crowd as Vice President Vance looks on in the VIP overflow viewing area in Emancipation Hall after the inauguration ceremonies at the Capitol Rotunda on Monday.

President Trump addressed a room of supporters inside the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, delivering off-the-cuff remarks shortly after being sworn in nearby at the Capitol Rotunda.

Unlike his more formal remarks during the ceremony, Trump's latter speech ticked through a handful of his issue priorities while also taking swipes at Democratic political leaders and repeating his lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

"I think this was a better speech than the one I made upstairs," Trump joked.

On policy, he zeroed in on immigration and argued it was a larger concern than the economy for many Americans.

"They all said inflation was the No. 1 issue. I disagree," Trump said. "I think people coming into our country from prisons and from mental institutions is a bigger issue for the people that I know."

National polling throughout the election consistently found that the economy was the top concern for voters. After attacking Democrats on high prices during the campaign, Trump has since admitted that bringing down grocery prices will be "hard."

He also alluded to his campaign pledge to pardon individuals charged for taking part in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol four years ago, calling them "hostages."

Trump's second set of remarks was longer — by a few minutes — than his speech earlier in the day.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Elena Moore
Elena Moore is an assistant producer for the NPR Politics Podcast. She also does political reporting for the Washington Desk and fills in as a reporter for the NewsDesk. During the 2020 presidential campaign, she worked as an editorial assistant, doing both research and reporting.