Shortly after he was sworn in as President of the United States, Donald Trump rounded up lawmakers and members of his family in a room near the Senate floor to watch him take his first presidential actions—signing some paperwork.
Trump put his signature on a few presidential documents, including a proclamation for a National Day of Patriotism and formal nominations for his Cabinet picks, just after he was officially inaugurated, his spokesman Sean Spicer said. Details about the National Day of Patriotism were not immediately clear.
Trump also signed a waiver allowing retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to become the new Defense Secretary, despite a law that would have required him to be out of active military duty for seven years. Mattis was later confirmed and sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on Friday.
At the same post-inauguration ceremony, Trump also suspended a housing order that had benefitted people buying new homes. It will increase the amount of money that most non-wealthy mortgage holders must pay to the Federal Housing Authority’s insurance program.
He then doled out the signing pens to members of Congress.
About the same time, Trump fired off a series of tweets from his personal account, reiterating what he said during his first speech: that Americans have taken back power from the government. He said the day would be “remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again,” as he pledged to “bring back” America to its glory.
The Trump administration also updated the official White House website, writing that Trump is “committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies” of former President Barack Obama, including his Climate Action Plan and other environmental initiatives.
In his first executive order—signed in the Oval Office—Trump directed government agencies to scale back Affordable Care Act regulations, allowing agencies to delay or waive provisions of the law, thereby beginning to roll back it back before an official repeal by Congress, the New York Times reported.
Trump’s administration also ordered a freeze on all pending government regulations in order to review and approve them—a move that former Obama also took after he was inaugurated.
During the afternoon, Trump attended a luncheon hosted by Congress in the Capitol before heading to participate in the presidential procession and inaugural parade on Pennsylvania Avenue. Later in the evening, he attended three official inaugural balls.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- How Elon Musk Became a Kingmaker
- The Power—And Limits—of Peer Support
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com