January 20, 2017

Udall Statement on the Inauguration of Donald Trump

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall attended the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump. He issued the following statement:

"The peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of our democracy. Since George Washington, each United States president has peacefully turned the office over to the next. I don't agree with much of what Donald Trump stands for, but our nation is bigger than any one person. I am a proud American, and I felt it was important to attend today's inaugural ceremony.

"President Trump made many promises today about where he will take the country. I hope that he is sincere in his calls for unity, and that he will take a different tone as president than the divisiveness and recklessness we've seen from him up to this point. So many Americans are scared and angry at this moment in our history. Now is not the time to despair, but rather to come together and organize to fight for what is right.

"I will be using my position in the Senate to hold the President accountable. I will work to educate President Trump and his administration about the laws and policies that matter to New Mexicans. And I will fight for New Mexico priorities and the values that our democracy was founded on."