During an event for young conservatives in Phoenix, Arizona, Donald Trump affirmed that he will sign, upon his inauguration on January 20, “decrees to end the sexual mutilation of children, remove transgender individuals from the military, and exclude them from our elementary, middle, and high schools.”
He also pledged to “remove men from women’s sports,” emphasizing that “the official policy of the United States government will recognize only two genders, male and female.”
Trump escalated his attacks on immigration, which has been one of the central themes of his electoral campaign.
Trump promised to take immediate measures against “immigrant crimes,” pledging to classify drug gangs as foreign terrorist organizations and again addressing the issue of restoring American control over the Panama Canal.
In his speech delivered on Sunday, Trump made promises he vowed to fulfill during his second term, painting a bleak picture of President Joe Biden and his vice, Kamala Harris, whom he defeated in the 2024 elections.
Referring to the day of the presidential oath, Trump stated, “On January 20, the United States will forever close the page on four long, horrific years of failure, incompetence, and national decline, and we will inaugurate a new era of peace, prosperity, and national greatness.”
He added that on that day, “I will sign a complete series of decrees to close our borders to illegal immigrants and stop the invasion of our country. On the same day, we will begin the largest deportation operation in United States history.”
The elected president condemned the arrival of illegal immigrants from the southern borders of the United States, stating that he spoke to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, saying, “I told her: you cannot do this to our country.”
Trump added: “January 20 will truly be the day of liberation in America.”
In his speech, which lasted more than an hour, similar to the rallies he held during his campaign, the incoming president outlined his priorities for his second term, which he promised would be the “golden age,” and insisted on the speed at which he wants to implement his reforms.
He said, “I will end the war in Ukraine. I will stop the chaos in the Middle East, and I will prevent World War III, I promise that.”
Trump repeated his threats issued the previous day regarding the Panama Canal, accusing Panamanian authorities who have controlled the canal entirely since 1999 of not treating American ships “fairly.” He threatened the former real estate mogul by saying: “If this situation does not change, we will demand the immediate return of the Panama Canal to the United States.”
Panama President José Raúl Molino rejected Trump’s threat on Sunday to reclaim control of this passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Without mentioning Trump by name, Molino stated in a video on platform X (formerly Twitter): “The canal is not controlled by China, or the European Union, or the United States, or any other power, neither directly nor indirectly. As a Panamanian, I strongly reject any statement that distorts this fact.”
Previously, Trump had written on his social platform X: “Our navy and commerce are being treated unfairly, and Panama’s tolls are ridiculous,” adding “this plundering of our country will stop immediately.”
He emphasized that if Panama cannot ensure the “safe, efficient, and reliable operation” of this waterway, “we will demand the return of the Panama Canal to us in full and without debate.”
