Reporting from Washington — Freshly sworn in to office, President Trump set about Friday trying to deliver the change he promised as he took the helm of the vast executive branch bureaucracy and began steering it toward a new conservative-dominated government.
Away from the pomp and circumstance of Inauguration Day that celebrated the handover of power to Trump from former President Obama, the nuts-and-bolts implementation began largely behind the scenes.
In a ceremonial office of the Capitol shortly after he took the oath, Trump signed papers nominating candidates for Cabinet secretary posts, paving the way for their confirmations. The Republican-led Senate voted hours later to approve retired Gen. James N. Mattis as secretary of Defense and John F. Kelly, another retired Marine general, as head of Homeland Security.
And Friday night in the Oval Office, Trump signed a largely symbolic executive order directing agencies to take steps to “ease the burden” of the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature healthcare law, as Republicans work to repeal and replace it.
“The time for empty talk is over,” Trump declared in his inaugural address. “Now arrives the hour of action.”
Early clues about Trump’s top priorities came on the updated White House website, including a commitment to reverse Obama’s climate plans, pursue tax reform, enhance law enforcement and the military, and withdraw from a major Pacific Rim trade pact that had been an Obama administration priority.
Trump’s most significant plans will require cooperation from Congress. But Obama’s own aggressive use of presidential authority also provides a path Trump can use to quickly reverse course on his predecessor’s actions on immigration, foreign policy and other issues.
An hour after Trump assumed the presidency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development indefinitely suspended a pending rate cut for mortgage insurance required for government-backed home loans.
The move reverses a policy announced in the waning days of the Obama administration that would have trimmed payments for borrowers by hundreds of dollars a year. Similar directives were being made at other agencies, an advisor said, though not all were expected to be announced.
Ben Carson, Trump’s nominee for Housing secretary, singled out the policy for scrutiny during his confirmation hearing last week amid GOP concerns about whether taxpayers would be responsible for the loans if they started to go sour.
Like many other candidates in the lengthy presidential campaign, Trump had identified dozens of actions he intended to take on his first day in office. As Trump’s inauguration approached, aides increasingly focused on which would ultimately make the list.
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US President Donald Trump and the first lady Melania Trump dance at the Liberty Ball at the Washington DC Convention Center.
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US President Donald Trump and the first lady Melania Trump dance at the Liberty Ball at the Washington DC Convention Center.
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Vice President Michael Pence and his wife Karen Pence, left, with President Donald J. Trump and his wife first lady Melania Trump dance at the Liberty Ball.
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President Donald Trump dances with first lady Melania Trump during the inaugural Freedom Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
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President Trump signs papers in the Oval Office formally nominating his Cabinet candidates.
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President Trump views the inaugural parade with son Barron and Vice President Mike Pence.
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President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump walk in the inaugural parade.
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The limousine carrying President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump drives along the the inaugural parade route flanked by security.
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People watch from above as President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk in the inaugural parade.
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President Donald Trump greets spectators at the inaugural parade on Thursday.
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President Donald Trump waves as he walks with first lady Melania Trump during the inauguration parade.
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President Donald Trump walks with his wife Melania (C, blue dress) and son Barron to the White House during the presidential inaugural parade.
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President Donald Trump gestures during the inaugural parade on Pennsylvania Ave. outside the White House.
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An onlooker snaps a photo during the inaugural parade.
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President Donald Trump waves during the inaugural parade in Washington
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First Lady Melania Trump, President Trump, Vice President Pence and Karen Pence inspect the Army marching band after the inauguration.
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The Culver Academy Black Horse Troop equestrian team from Culver, Indiana rides during the inauguration parade.
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Tractors drive past President Donald J. Trump in the viewing stand during the inauguration parade.
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President Donald Trump and motorcade parade up Pennsylvania Ave after he was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.
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President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and their spouses wave to the helicopter carrying former President Obama and the first family.
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From left, First Lady Melania Trump, President Donald J. Trump, outgoing President Barack Obama and outgoing First Lady Michelle Obama walk towards Marine One after President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of The United States in Washington, D.C.
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Marine One carrying outgoing President Barack Obama and outgoing First Lady Michelle Obama takes off from the capitol after Donald J.Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of The United States in Washington, D.C.
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Donald Trump is sworn as the 45th President of the United States by U. S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.
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President Trump closes his inaugural address with a raised first.
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Donald Trump is sworn as the 45th President of the United States by U. S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.
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Mike Pence is sworn in as vice president by Justice Clarence Thomas.
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President-elect Donald Trump is greeted by President Barack Obama as he arrives on the platform of the Capitol.
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Donald Trump waves to the crowd when he enters before being sworn as the 45th President of the United States.
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The crowd crosses their heart and stands at attention during the National Anthem.
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Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton leave the ceremony after Donald Trump is sworn as the 45th President of the United States.
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Donald Trump gives a speech after being sworn as the 45th President of the United States.
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President-elect Donald Trump arrives on the West Front of the Capitol.
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President Donald Trump is sworn as the 45th President of the United States in Washington, D.C.
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President-elect Donald Trump pumps his fist as he arrives for his presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol.
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Vice President-elect Mike Pence, left, applauds as President-elect Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives on the platform at the U.S. Capitol.
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President-elect Donald Trump arrives on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
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Guests sit on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Friday at the start of the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump.
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Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton winks and shakes hands with President Barack Obama as former President Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama look on at the U.S. Capitol.
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First Lady-in-waiting Melania Trump arrives on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
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President Barack Obama greets Melania Trump, Karen Pence, Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump at the Capitol.
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People watch from the National Mall during the inauguration of Donald Trump.
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The Trump family, from top, sons Barron and Eric, daughters Tiffany and Ivanka, and Donald Jr., arrive on the platform at the U.S. Capitol.
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Supreme Court justices, front row from left, John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. Back row, from left, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Bryer and Samuel Alito.
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Former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
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President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton arrive for the inauguration of Donald Trump.
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Campaign strategist Kellyanne Conway is greeted upon her arrival on the platform of the U.S. Capitol on Friday.
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President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama watch as President-elect Donald Trump’s motorcade arrives at the White House prior to his inauguration.
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Former Senator Bob Dole arrives for the 58th presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
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President-elect Trump gives a thumbs up as he and his wife, Melania, second from left, are greeted by First Lady Michelle Obama and President Obama at the White House on Friday.
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Young members of the National Cathedral Choir wait below the Capitol dome in Washington before the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump.
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The Capitol before Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of The United States in Washington. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Crowds put on their rain gear as a light rain falls Friday morning before the inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington.
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A helicopter arrives at the Capitol before Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of The United States in Washington on Jan. 20.
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Fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial after a public concert and appearance by President-elect Donald Trump.
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President-elect Donald Trump, left, and his wife Melania Trump arrive to the “Make America Great Again Welcome Concert” at the Lincoln Memorial, Thursday, Jan. 19 in Washington.
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Fireworks explode over the Lincoln Memorial after a public concert and appearance by President Elect Donald Trump.
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President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrive to a VIP reception and dinner with donors at Union Station in Washington
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President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a pre-inaugural “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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A view of the national monument at dusk in Washington, D.C.
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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrive for a celebration at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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Audience members sing.
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Mike Wieseler, from Washington state, waives a Donald Trump flag on the eve of the inauguration. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)
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A member of the media walks out of the staging area before the presidential inaugural ceremony in Washington, D.C.
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Dusk falls on the Capitol as the presidential inaugural preparation continues in Washington, D.C.
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The Piano Guys perform at a pre-Inaugural “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington
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President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence participate in a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
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The Lincoln Memorial is seen at sunset during a pre-Inaugural “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration.”
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Final preparations are underway Thursday for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
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Members of the television media prepare for the inauguration in Washington, D.C.
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Bunting is hung from the Capitol ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump.
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Missouri State University Chorale members rehearse Thursday for the inauguration of the nation’s 45th president.
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People await a sighting of President-elect Donald Trump outside Trump International Hotel the day before his swearing-in.
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Dane Senser, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., traveled to be in Washington, D.C., during the inauguration. He caught a glimpse of Donald Trump through a car window as the president-elect left Trump International Hotel.
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WASHINGTON D.C.--JANUARY 19, 2107--People gather in front of Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. and try to get a glimpse of President Elect Donald Trump as he leaves the hotel. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
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Streets are closed all around the capital as inauguration preparations are finalized.
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SWAT personnel keep watch near the Washington Memorial on Thursday.
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A view of Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol on Thursday.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) But a fluke of the calendar meant that the most significant changes would wait at least another few days. With the inauguration falling at the end of the work week and additional celebratory events planned over the weekend, aides said Friday that the most significant actions — probably on healthcare and foreign policy — would wait until Monday.
Officials have devised a “day-one, day-100 and a day-200 action plan,” Vice President Mike Pence told reporters this week.
Nevertheless, the rocky nature of the transition meant Trump was forced to ask dozens of Obama administration appointees to stay on until he could fill their jobs.
And the business of government did not pause for the transfer of power. The Pentagon announced Friday that U.S. drones and warplanes launched airstrikes the day before on an Al Qaeda training camp in northwestern Syria, killing more than 100 militants. Though the U.S. bombs Islamic State fighters daily in Syria, it does not hit Al Qaeda strongholds nearly as often. The exceptions are known Al Qaeda leaders, who are targeted with drone strikes.
The strike was authorized by the outgoing Obama administration; Trump may pull back U.S. support for rebels struggling against President Bashar Assad’s government.
Republican congressional leaders signaled their readiness to work with the new president, even if his style was one that at times discomfited some in the party.
“He has been underestimated often. But he never let it stop him from succeeding,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a toast to Trump at a congressional luncheon in his honor. “We are wishing him similar success as he turns to the charge of governing.”
The Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm Mattis, 98 to 1, before turning to Kelly. McConnell criticized Democrats who he said were standing in the way of additional confirmation votes.
In 2009, six of Obama’s Cabinet picks were confirmed on Inauguration Day — all unanimously, when Democrats had a strong majority in the Senate.
Democrats who bitterly oppose some of the Trump nominees now no longer hold the power to block them, only to delay them. Still, subjecting Trump’s nominees to more scrutiny could weaken them politically, thus diminishing their power to implement policies Democrats oppose.
Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), the minority leader, said the performance of many of Trump’s Cabinet choices during confirmation hearings have only deepened many Democrats’ concerns.
“The more we learned about these nominees, the more important a thorough and fair process became. And the more it became clear Republicans were simply trying to jam through these nominees, out of sight of the American people,” he said this week.
The new White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said it was Democrats who were not acting in good faith to “ensure a continuity of government.”
“These were people that are highly qualified, that were considered ‘consensus candidates’ prior to a few weeks ago,” he said.
Times staff writers W.J. Hennigan in Washington and Andrew Khouri in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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UPDATES:
4:25 p.m.: This story was updated to report an executive order Trump signed Friday night.
3:30 p.m: This story was updated with comments from Trump and Senate votes.
This story was originally published at 11:40 a.m.
