Center For American Progress: MLK Jr. Day And Trump’s Second Inauguration

By Center For American Progress

Photos: Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. — Ahead of Donald Trump being inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:

On Monday, our nation will honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and inaugurate Donald Trump as president. Dr. King’s work lifting people out of poverty, expanding rights and freedoms, and making American democracy a more inclusive project is anathema to the new president’s vision for our country. Trump’s Project 2025 agenda will inflict real harm on people—enriching billionaire insiders at the expense of the middle class, ripping away our freedoms, and making Americans less safe.

The president-elect has proven he knows how to win an election and speak to people’s anxieties, but with unified control of government in Washington, he shoulders responsibility for lowering prices, uniting the American people, and strengthening our standing in the world. Time will tell how well his administration addresses these issues, but if the past is prologue, we are in for a turbulent few years. It will be critical for lawmakers to make progress where possible with this new administration but also to hold his administration accountable when they fall short.

As Dr. King famously said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” That’s why the best way Americans can honor Dr. King’s legacy is to use their voices in this most critical moment to stand up for what is right and speak out against injustices when they occur.

The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values. We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that is “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”