Donald J Trump has been sworn in as the 45th President of America and vowed to rebuild the country using "American hands".  "American carnage stops right here and right now," he said on the steps of the Capitol after taking the Oath of Office. He said he would strip power away from Washington and give it "back to the people".
"We must think big and dream even bigger," he said. "America will start winning again, winning like never before. "We will bring back our jobs, we will bring back our borders, we will bring back our wealth and we will bring back our dreams."We will build new roads and highways and bridges and airports and tunnels and railways all across our wonderful nation."
Barack Obama, the former president and his wife Michelle, the former first lady, watched on as they handed power to the Trumps.During Mr Trump's speech, the rain started falling in Washington.He and wife Melania had earlier had tea at the White House with the Obamas. Hillary and Bill Clinton were also there along with other former presidents, George W Bush and Jimmy Carter, and their first ladies. George H W Bush and his wife Barbara remain in hospital in Houston.
“We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people,” Trump told the crowd as rain began to fall. “Together we will determine the course of America and all of the world for many many years to come.” The new president said: “Today we are not merely transferring power from one party to another ... but we are transferring power from Washington DC and giving it back to you, the people.”
He added: “January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers once again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now.” Reviving some of the populist slogans from his election campaign, he told the crowd: “From this day forward, it’s going to be only America First, America First,” he said, and described “two simple rules”: “buy American and hire American.”
But in his 20-minute speech he also described a nation falling apart. “The crime, and the gangs, and the drugs that have stolen so many lives ... This American carnage stops right here and stops right now,” he said.  “Whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots,” he said. “Whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky ... and they are infused with the same breath of life by the almighty creator.”
Turning briefly to foreign affairs, he attacked “radical Islamic terrorism” and said “we will eradicate completely [it] from the face of the Earth”. Although Trump, who has no political experience, tore up the rulebook in his election campaign, on Friday he followed familiar solemn traditions. Trump and his wife, Melania, attended an hour-long prayer service at St John’s Episcopal church and then visited the White House. They were warmly greeted by Barack and Michelle Obama on a red carpet, and presented them with a gift box.