Biden opened the commander in chief amid a strong military presence in the Capitol

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With thousands of armed National Guard troops patrolling nearby, former Vice President Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th Commander in Chief in a ceremony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

In his first speech as president, Biden vowed to unite the country and address internal threats that threatened his own presidency earlier this month.

“Here we are across from Arlington Cemetery across from the Potomac, where heroes who gave their last full measure of devotion rest in eternal peace,” said Biden.

“And here we are just days after a seditious mob thought they could use force to silence the will of the people, stop the work of our democracy and drive us off this sacred ground. It didn’t happen. It will never happen. Not today. Not tomorrow. No way.”

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took their oath of office on the Western Front of the Capitol, the same spot where pro-Donald Trump rioters stormed the building two weeks ago to halt certification of last November’s presidential election results.

Five people were killed in the violence, including Capitol Hill Police Officer Brian Sicknick, a veteran of the New Jersey Air National Guard.

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In response, 25,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Washington prior to the inauguration, resulting in a demonstration of military violence that has not been seen in the halls of Congress for the past 200 years.

On the Capitol steps, the only military presence seen around Biden was ceremonial, including traditional honor guards and the Marine Corps Band.

But only a few meters away from the assembled dignitaries, thousands of guardsmen watched over the ceremony. Service members with protective shields and rifles were stationed at each entrance to the Capitol grounds. Inside, uniformed troops filled hallways and hearing rooms, waiting for orders.

The tension behind the scenes contrasted with the new president’s message of calm and unity.

Biden – the father of a National Guard soldier, Beau, who was sent to Iraq with the Delaware Guard in 2008 before dying of brain cancer in 2015 – did not acknowledge the military presence in his speech, but called for an end to the Uncivilized War, “the divides Americans today politically.

“We can do this when we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts when we show a little tolerance and humility,” he said.

He urged Americans to “step up” in the midst of several national crises which he said require “boldness” to overcome.

“We are facing an attack on our democracy and the truth, a raging virus, growing inequality, the sting of systemic racism and a climate in crisis. America’s role in the world. Any of these would be enough to challenge us in profound ways. “

Biden and Harris were scheduled to visit Arlington National Cemetery with several other former presidents and their families later that day to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to demonstrate the unity of the two parties.

Unlike his most recent predecessors, Biden did not devote a substantial part of his first speech as President to overseas military conflicts.

But he reiterated his election promise to restore America’s ties with overseas allies and restore America’s standing in the international community after years of strains under Trump.

“America was tested and we came out stronger for it,” he said.

“We will repair our alliances and deal with the world again in order not to meet the challenges of yesterday, but the challenges of today and tomorrow. And we will lead not only by the example of our power, but also by the strength of our example. “

“We will be a strong and trustworthy partner for peace, progress and security.”

One of Biden’s top priorities in the coming days is the confirmation of his national security team, including the candidate for Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. A vote on Austin, a retired four-star Army in need of a Congressional waiver to serve, could come as early as next week.