Donald Trump on McKinley's tariffs, Gulf of Mexico and Panama Canal

America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world. 

A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America — (applause) — and we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs. (Applause.) 

President McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent — he was a natural businessman — and gave Teddy Roosevelt the money for many of the great things he did, including the Panama Canal, which has foolishly been given to the country of Panama after the United States spent more money than ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal.

~ Donald J. Trump, 47th president of the United States, inaugural address, January 20, 2025

Donald Trump on the military

This week, I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate with full back pay. (Applause.) 

And I will sign an order to stop our warriors from being subjected to radical political theories and social experiments while on duty.  It’s going to end immediately. (Applause.)  Our armed forces will be freed to focus on their sole mission: defeating America’s enemies. (Applause.) 

Like in 2017, we will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen.  We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into. (Applause.) 

My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.

~ Donald J. Trump, 47th president of the United States, inaugural address, January 20, 2025

Donald Trump: "We stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history" (2025)

After all we have been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history. 

[...]

America will be respected again and admired again, including by people of religion, faith, and goodwill. We will be prosperous, we will be proud, we will be strong, and we will win like never before.

We will not be conquered, we will not be intimidated, we will not be broken, and we will not fail. From this day on, the United States of America will be a free, sovereign, and independent nation.

We will stand bravely, we will live proudly, we will dream boldly, and nothing will stand in our way because we are Americans. The future is ours, and our golden age has just begun.

~ Donald J. Trump, 47th president of the United States, inaugural address, January 20, 2025

President Joe Biden's inaugural speech: "It's time for boldness"

It’s time for boldness, for there is so much to do.

~ President Joe Biden, inaugural address, January 20, 2021

Abraham Lincoln on interfering with slavery in the South

I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.

~ Abraham Lincoln, inaugural address, March 4, 1861

Abraham Lincoln
1869

Donald Trump inauguration: protection leads to prosperity

Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

~ President Donald J. Trump, inauguration speech, January 20, 2017

Barack Obama on the size of government

The question that we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works.

~ President Barack Obama, inaugural address, 2009

Abraham Lincoln on invading the South

[W]e denounce the lawless invasion by armed force of the soil of any State or Territory, no matter what pretext, as among the gravest of crimes.

~ Abraham Lincoln, inaugural address, March 4, 1861

(Lincoln's pledge was broken within a month.)

Credo - Lincoln
1960-1961

Barack Obama on the causes of the economic crisis

Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.

~ President Barack Obama, Inauguration speech, January 20, 2009

Grover Cleveland on a sound and stable currency

Manifestly nothing is more vital to our supremacy as a nation and to the beneficent purposes of our Government than a sound and stable currency. Its exposure to degradation should at once arouse to activity the most enlightened statesmanship, and the danger of depreciation in the purchasing power of the wages paid to toil should furnish the strongest incentive to prompt and conservative precaution.

Grover Cleveland in his second inaugural address, March 4, 1893

Grover Cleveland (1885-1889, 1893-1897)
1938

Cleveland on foreign policy

The genius of our institutions, the needs of our people…dictate the scrupulous avoidance of any departure from that foreign policy commended by the history, the traditions and the prosperity of the Republic.  It is the policy of independence, favored by our position and defended by our known love of justice and by our power. It is the policy of peace suitable to our interests. It is the policy of neutrality, rejecting any share in foreign broils and ambitions upon other continents and repelling their intrusion here. It is the policy of Monroe and of Washington and Jefferson-- "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliance with none."

~ Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th U.S. president, first inaugural address, March 4, 1885