REVIEW - Biden On Day 1 Takes 'Bold Action' To Dismantle Trump's Signature Policies

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st January, 2021) US President Joe Biden shortly after being inaugurated signed a flurry of executive orders designed to reverse several of his predecessor's key environmental, security and immigration policies.

Washington was on virtual lockdown ahead of and during the inauguration festivities amid fears of violence stemming from the January 6 assault on the Capitol by supporters of then-US President Donald Trump. The protesters, after a fiery speech from Trump, had tried to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's victory. Trump was impeached last week for allegedly inciting the "insurrection" and the pending senate trial threatens to overshadow the beginning of Biden's term.

Some 25,000 National Guard soldiers were mobilized to the nation's capital to boost security during the inauguration. In addition, multilayered fences were erected and scores of metro stations, roads and bridges closed for what was the lowest attended inauguration in US history due to the pandemic and security fears from the Capitol riots.

Judy Grear, who traveled all the way from California's Santa Catalina island, told Sputnik she came to see history in the making but was disappointed with the harsh restrictions.

"It is really sad that it has to be all online and all virtual. It seems that there are so many things that are taken away because of this insurrection and riot," Grear said as she tried to catch a glimpse of Biden's motorcade from behind the backs of police on Wednesday.

Biden was sworn into office at around noon EST (17:00 GMT) in a ceremony administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts outside the US Capitol building. The 78-year-old Democratic Party veteran took the oath with his hand on top of a 127-year-old, five-inch-thick family Bible, with his wife Jill and son Hunter standing by his side. Biden's swearing-in came right after Kamala Harris took the oath as the country's first female vice president.

Bind in his inaugural address vowed to bring the country together in order to defeat the virus along with political extremism, white supremacy and domestic terrorism.

"We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this," Biden said during the address.

In addition to fixing damage at home, the former Obama administration vice president said he also aims to repair US alliances and "engage with the world once again."

Biden and Harris then conducted a ceremonial review of troops before heading to Arlington Cemetery in Virginia, where the president laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

As he made his way to the White House, the new president said "there is no time to waste" in order to tackle the crises the country faced.

"That's why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action," Biden said via Twitter.

And bold action he took. Biden signed fifteen executive orders on Wednesday tops amongst which called for halting construction of the border wall, rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, rescinding the Keystone XL pipeline permit, along with terminating the so-called Muslim travel ban.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that he welcomes Biden's decision to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and remains committed to cooperating to overcome the climate emergency and recover from the coronavirus pandemic. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres also welcomed US "re-engagement" with the WHO and supporting the COVAX Facility, a global vaccine initiative.

"With vaccines being a critical tool in the battle against COVID-19, the United States joining and supporting the COVAX facility will give momentum to efforts to ensure equitable access to vaccines for all countries," Dujarric said in a statement on Wednesday.

The White House said US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci will participate in a WHO meeting on Thursday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a statement said he was disappointed in Biden's decision to reject the permit for the construction of the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, which is designed to transfer oil from Alberta to the US state of Nebraska.

Other major orders included a covid mask mandate for Federal workers and the launch of an initiative to address racial inequalities in government.

The White House said the president also submitted new immigration legislation to Congress, both houses of which are now controlled by Biden's Democratic Party after flipping the Senate in the 2020 election.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Sputnik that while no contacts have yet been made with the new administration, Russian diplomats were familiar with many of Biden's nominees for top jobs.

The ambassador said he looks forward to beginning substantive talks with Biden's teams especially on renewing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).

"Russia is open for a substantive dialogue on the New START. There are still chances to reach this agreement before the treaty expires on February 5, 2021. The ball is in Washington's court, we are waiting for constructive proposals," Antonov said.

Antonov also said Russia would like to work with the US on issues such as rebuilding Syria and hopes Washington studies Moscow's idea to hold a summit of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

"It would be useful to find areas where Russia and the US could cooperate. For instance, on humanitarian aid, post-conflict rebuilding, de-mining, helping refugees and internally displaced persons return, and counterterrorism. We are ready for such cooperation � on condition that Syria's sovereignty is respected," the ambassador said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki later in the evening told reporters there was nothing to announce yet in terms of a call between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. She said Biden's first telephone call with a foreign leader is scheduled for Friday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Psaki said she expects Biden's decision on the Keystone pipeline to be one of the topics discussed.

Conspicuously absent from the inauguration ceremony was Trump, who left for his Mar-a-Lago golf club in Palm Beach on Wednesday morning. He became the first president to skip his successor's inauguration since 1879. Biden did say that Trump left him a "generous letter."

"What we've done has been amazing by any standard. We rebuilt the United States military, we created a new force, called the Space Force - that in itself would be a major achievement for a regular administration. We were not a regular administration," Trump told reporters.

Trump also wished the Biden administration "great luck and great success."

"I think they'll have great success, they have the foundation to do something, really spectacular," Trump said. "So, just a good bye. We love you. We will be back in some form... Have a good life, we will see you soon."