President Donald Trump, 20 minutes into his administration, "delivered the most dreadful inaugural address in history," author George Will wrote in The Washington Post on Friday.
"The always remarkable Trump proved that something dystopian can be strangely exhilarating: In what should have been a civic liturgy serving national unity and confidence, he vindicated his severest critics by serving up reheated campaign rhetoric about 'rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape' and an education system producing students 'deprived of all knowledge.' Yes, all," Will wrote.
Will writes a twice-weekly column on politics and domestic and foreign affairs for the Post. He had been considered a conservative Republican, but he turned away from the GOP in June after Trump's nomination.
"This is not my party," he wrote.
After Trump's Electoral College victory in November, Will also wrote a chilling rebuke of Trump's presidency for Newsmax.
"In 2016, Republicans won a ruinous triumph that convinced them that they can forever prosper by capturing an ever-larger portion of an ever-smaller portion of the electorate," Will wrote.
Back to Will's critique of Friday's address by Trump, Will considered the reference of "American carnage" — referencing the destructive Democratic policies of former President Barack Obama — to be a "phrase the likes of which has never hitherto been spoken at an inauguration."
Trump's pointed remarks in his address promised hope and change he said Obama's administration did not deliver.
"Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge," Trump said, per his address transcript. "And the crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.
"This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.
"We are one nation — and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.
"The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans."
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