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Trump’s inauguration speech channeled Richmond native Steve Bannon

Posted at 11:59 PM, Jan 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-20 23:59:28-05

WASHINGTON -- In President Donald Trump’s inaugural address he vowed to put “America First” while also emphasizing carnage, crime, and closed factories.

"This American carnage stops right there and stops right now," Trump said. "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," Trump said.

Experts say Trump’s remarks had the finger prints of a Richmonder all over it.

Steve Bannon, President Trump’s chief strategist at the White House was born and raised in north Richmond.

“Donald Trump took on the entire Washington establishment.  He didn’t say anything really positive about Republicans,” said CBS 6 Political Analyst Bob Holsworth. “He basically said what he was doing was standing up for the forgotten American, the populist message that Steve Bannon told him would win this election, and Donald Trump embraced it.”

Trump’s speech was music to the ears of his supporters, but not everyone had a positive outlook on it.

"I didn't particularly like or dislike any part of it. I thought it was a continuation of his campaign for president," Sen. John McCain told CNN.

"I think America's the leading world power and that was not a speech that was uplifting or committed America to continued leadership in the world," said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner.

Holsworth said the challenge for the Trump administration is to live up to those promises now that they are in power.

Glen Allen business owner and Trump voter John Mikulec soaked in Friday’s inauguration from the National Mall.

“It’s still kind of surreal that he’s our President,” he said.

To Mikulec, President Trump is the change agent Washington needed.

“I think there are a lot of organizations and agencies around here that need to be cleaned up a little bit,” he said. “After any administration that’s eight years, things start getting a little too big, and things need to be flipped around.”

Experts and advocates will now watch to see how the Trump administration goes about pulling that off.

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