Newly elected US President Donald Trump has announced that he will put an end to the ‘transgender craze’ the day he comes into power. The official policy of the US government will be “that there are only two genders, male and female,” Trump said on Sunday.
With his performance at ‘AmericaFest’ in the city of Phoenix, newly-elected US President Donald Trump gave a preview of how he is likely to spend his second term in office. It was the first speech of this type since his election victory in early November and was reminiscent of his rallies of the previous months – but visually it was even more spectacular:
Topics from Musk’s influence to the Panama Canal to TikTok
He also used the stage to respond to accusations that tech billionaire Elon Musk exerted too much influence on his politics, demanded the return of the Panama Canal, commented again on the impending demise of the video app TikTok in the US and resorted to cultural policy. Controversial topics that he described as ‘woken bullshit’.
“I will sign executive orders to end child sexual mutilation and ban transgender people from the military and our schools,” Trump said. The Republican further emphasized that he wanted to ‘keep men out of women’s sports’.
“We are being ripped off at the Panama Canal”
He repeated the threatening gesture he had already made against Latin America, namely the announcement that he wanted to regain control of the Panama Canal under certain circumstances. “Has anyone here ever heard of the Panama Canal?” he asked the audience at a right-wing conservative conference in Arizona. “Because we are being ripped off at the Panama Canal, like everywhere else.”
Trump criticized Panama Canal transit fees as “very unfair.” He called for control of the waterway to be returned to the United States if it was not treated fairly. The canal – one of the world’s most important trade routes – was built by the United States in the early 20th century and controlled for a long time before gradually passing control to Panama. However, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said the fees would be determined transparently and during public hearings.
Trump: Musk will “not take over the presidency”
In Phoenix, Trump also commented on the role of Elon Musk, who recently caused criticism during budget negotiations in Congress. According to Forbes, the world’s richest man is accused of interfering in government work without a political mandate to pursue his own economic interests. Some Democrats mocked the fact that Musk was the real leader of the Republicans, ironically calling him “President Musk.”
Trump now strongly opposed this term, but did not immediately deny Musk’s influence behind the scenes. Instead, he declared: “No, he is not taking over the presidency. (…) But Elon did a great job. Isn’t it nice to have smart people we can rely on?”
Will TikTok perhaps “keep it around” for a while?
Trump was once again skeptical about TikTok’s impending demise. “Maybe we should keep this thing for a while,” the Republican said. The video app from Chinese company Bytedance is under pressure in the US due to privacy concerns. A law passed in April requires TikTok to be sold by January 19 or risk a ban from US app stores and the loss of key infrastructure.
Migration: “We are no longer swamped”
Another central topic of his speech was migration policy. Just as in the election campaign, Trump spoke of an ‘invasion’ and used dehumanizing rhetoric. “We will no longer be occupied, we will no longer be overrun, we will no longer be conquered,” he said. The migrants are all criminals or people from “mental asylums”. “We will once again (…) be a nation we can be proud of.” Mass deportations were a central promise in his election campaign. To implement this plan, Trump has already brought in a number of right-wing hardliners to his team.
Who’s who of the American right
AmericaFest is a major annual conference that celebrates conservative values, patriotism and activism. The multi-day event attracts thousands of participants and is organized by the organizations Turning Point Action and Turning Point USA. In addition to Trump, many prominent representatives of the ultra-right spectrum also appeared there, including Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Sebastian Gorka and Matt Walsh.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
