Speaking before a National Mall, President Biden said, "Democracy has prevailed" (File)
Moments after taking oath on the steps of the US Capitol, in his first tweet as the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden said, "There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face."
"That's why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families," his tweet, from the President's official Twitter handle, further read.
Earlier today, Biden's aides had said the newly sworn-in President will sign 17 orders and action hours on his Day 1 in office, news agency AFP had reported.
In first-day moves, Biden will end Trump's ban on visitors from several Muslim-majority countries and stop the construction of the wall that Trump had ordered on the US-Mexico border to stem illegal immigration, the agency had said.
Biden, who led a powerful tribute to the 400,000 Americans lost to Covid-19 as he arrived in Washington on the eve of his inauguration, signalled a new tone for the US government in dealing with the pandemic.
He will now set a mask mandate on federal properties to curb the spread of the deadly virus and seek freezes on evictions and protection for millions who are behind on their mortgages due to the coronavirus pandemic, reported news agency AFP.
Speaking before a National Mall that was virtually empty due to the ultra-tight security and a raging Covid-19 pandemic that he vowed to confront immediately, Biden said: "Democracy is precious, democracy is fragile and at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed."
"We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts, if we show a little tolerance and humility and we're willing to stand in the other person's shoes."
"Together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear, of unity, not division, of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healings and goodness," Joe Biden added.
(With inputs from AFP)