'When Sun Sets Tomorrow...' - Donald Trump Vows At MAGA Victory Rally Ahead Of Inauguration

Donald Trump told thousands of roaring supporters he would impose severe limits on immigration on his first day in office, vowing to swiftly fulfill the central promise of his presidential campaign at a rally on Sunday inside a packed Washington arena a day before he returns to power, Reuters reported.

Ahead of the event, Trump's fans, many dressed in the campaign's trademark red jackets and MAGA hats, waited in a cold, driving in the rain along several downtown Washington blocks, some chanting "USA! USA!"

Trump's Stance On Immigration

"By the time the sun sets tomorrow, the invasion of our country will have come to a halt," he said to cheers at a "Make America Great Again Victory Rally" at the Capital One Arena, Reuters reported.

Trump repeated his campaign pledge to launch the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, which would remove millions of immigrants. An operation of that scale, however, would likely take years and be hugely costly.

"This is the greatest political movement in American history, and 75 days ago, we achieved the most epic political victory our country has ever seen," he said. "Starting tomorrow, I will act with historic speed of strength and fix every single crisis facing our country."

The event marked his first major address in Washington since his speech on Jan. 6, 2021, that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol by an angry mob of his supporters. Trump has said he will pardon many of the more than 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the attack.

Trump's Stance On Government Policies

Trump's rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, 20th January could preview the tone he plans to adopt during his second White House term. 

He vowed to repeal "every radical and foolish executive order of the Biden administration" within hours of assuming the presidency at noon ET (1700 GMT).

A source familiar with the planning said Trump will take more than 200 executive actions on Monday, Reuters reported.

Border security will figure prominently in Trump's first executive orders, another source said, including classifying drug cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations," declaring an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border and moving toward reinstatement of the "Remain in Mexico" policy that forces non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their U.S. court dates.

Trump also said he would "get radical woke ideologies the hell out of our military" and order the military to construct a missile defense shield over the U.S., though he has yet to offer details on how to carry it out.

He also pledged to release classified documents relating to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and his brother Senator Robert Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., both in 1968.

Trump's Swearing-In : Who Will Attend

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew planned to attend the rally, hours after the company announced it was restoring its service thanks to Trump's promise to delay a U.S. ban that took effect on Sunday. Chew is also expected to join other tech executives at Trump's inauguration on Monday, including the world's richest man, Elon Musk , a close Trump confidant who made a brief appearance on stage with Trump.

Trump took credit for bringing TikTok back online and said the U.S. would do a "joint venture" to save the app alongside bidders to buy the company.

President Joe Biden, meanwhile, made his last official trip as president on Sunday to Charleston, South Carolina, to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is also on Monday. He attended services and spoke about King's legacy at Royal Missionary Baptist Church, while also urging despondent fellow Democrats not to give up hope.

Trump will take the presidential oath of office inside the rotunda of the Capitol building after cold weather prompted organizers to move the ceremony indoors. Approximately 25,000 law enforcement personnel will be on hand to provide security.

(Reuters Inputs)