Trump talks trade, infrastructure during inauguration

HOUSTON (ICIS)–President Donald Trump highlighted trade and infrastructure in his inauguration speech after taking the oath of office in Washington DC at approximately 11:00 Houston time (17:00 GMT) on Friday.

During his speech, Trump also thanked the previous US presidents in attendance, along with Americans and people around the world.

“For many decades we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry. We’ve subsidised the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military,” Trump said. “We’ve defended other nation’s borders while refusing to defend our own. And spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.”

He referenced shuttered US factories and out-of-work Americans, stating it was in the past.

“From this day forward it is going to be only America first. America, first,” Trump said. “Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs.”

That focus on protection, Trump explained, would bring back US jobs, border security, wealth and dreams.

“We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation,” he said. “We will get our people off of welfare and back to work, rebuilding our country with American hands and American labour. We will follow two simple rules: buy American and hire American.”

Trump’s administration gives the US its first unified government since 2009-2011. The unification removes gridlock between the legislative and executive branches, creating potential for the government to pass policies which could benefit the chemical industry.

During the inauguration, Trump protests and demonstrations were held across the US, some of which led to clashes with Trump supporters as well as law enforcement, media reports said.