BBC Analyst
Appearances
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
But they are in no way the kind of core base MAGA supporters that would have been outside listening to this speech in person there in that arena.
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
And so I suspect tonight when he does eventually get there, when the presidential parade is held at the Capital One Arena, when he does address the crowd there, and we hear he may even sign some executive orders in front of the crowd, I expect that to be an incredibly ruckus event.
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
Yeah, well, look, you're already seeing people react that this sounded more like a State of the Union speech that was very policy heavy and repeated a lot of his campaign rhetoric rather than a kind of visionary outline of his goals and attempts to unify the country.
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
But what we saw in the room was Democrats kind of stone-faced, some visibly reacting to some of his lines, such as Hillary Clinton bursting out loud when he talked about changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to the Gulf of America, while others who are in line with Donald Trump's agenda stood up and applauded numerous times. But this was, for Donald Trump, again, a chance for him to...
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
to declare that he has started a movement and that this will lead to a long-lasting movement and a new direction for the country. There were a few things that we've kind of never heard before in a State of the Union. Again, those kind of policies when it comes to, for example, transgender rights, him saying there are only two genders in America.
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
maybe more than any of the other elements. And I think it's Donald Trump's willingness to go where other politicians are unwilling to on those very touchy, difficult subjects that makes his base so excited. They view political correctness as censorship. They view traditional American values as under attack.
Global News Podcast
US inauguration special
And so it does not surprise me at all that some of those kind of red meat issues in his speech... would have made his base extremely happy, and they would have felt that he was speaking directly to them, because those in the rotunda, of course, represent a cross-section of American politicians, corporate leaders, some who have recently now come over to Donald Trump's side.