Washington, Jan 21 (IANS): US President Donald Trump attended the Commander-in-Chief inaugural ball, the first of three events scheduled after his swearing-in ceremony, where he expressed gratitude to service members and highlighted plans for military strength and national security.
Joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Usha Vance, Trump danced on stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Addressing the attendees, he said, "Today, we celebrate the enduring strength and resilience of our glorious Republic. It is highly appropriate that we honour the men and women who keep us safe. Your bravery inspires us, your service unites us, and your sacrifice protects us all."
Trump took the opportunity to praise Pete Hegseth, his nominee for Secretary of Defence.
"Under the leadership of our next Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth -- who I just saw and is fantastic -- we will again build the most powerful military the world has ever seen," he stated.
Referring to his previous term, Trump said, "We did that four years ago, and then it dissipated a little, but we're going to do it again -- much bigger and stronger than ever before."
He assured the crowd that the military's sole focus would be on defending the nation. "You do not have to worry about political agendas. There is only one focus: defeating America's enemies. We are not going to be defeated or humiliated; we are only going to win."
The President also emphasised economic strength and national security.
"The economy is going to be strong; we are not going to let our friendly and unfriendly nations push us around from many standpoints, including the economy because we have something that we do not have. We have the power that they don't have. We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars we end and, perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into; it's called peace through strength. We don't have to fight the wars if we can do it without fighting," Trump said.
Trump predicted a renewed global reputation for the United States, saying, "Our friends will respect us, our enemies will fear us and the world will admire the unrivalled greatness of the US military."
"This is going to be a golden age of America," he added.
During the event, Trump spoke via video with troops stationed in South Korea, addressing the situation with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"Hello everybody, how's Kim Jong Un doing?" Trump asked sarcastically before commenting, "He's a tough cookie, but I developed a pretty good relationship with him. How's it going over there?"
The evening concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony featuring the Trumps and the Vances before they left to attend the Liberty Inaugural Ball.