President Joe Biden took the oath of office to become the 46th Commander in Chief on Jan. 20, pledging to unite a country that faces deep internal division and to project strength abroad by repairing alliances. “This is a great nation. We are good people,” Biden said in his inaugural address. “And over the centuries, through storm and strife, in peace and in war, we’ve come so far. But we still have far to go. We’ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do ..., much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain.” Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took their oaths at a Capitol building that two weeks ago was the site of a violent insurrection while Congress was certifying the election. “Here we stand across the Potomac from Arlington Cemetery, where heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion rest in eternal peace,” Biden said. “And here we stand just days after a riotous mob thought they could use violence to silence the will of the people, to stop the work of our democracy, to drive us from this sacred ground. It did not happen. It will never happen.”

A new team of acting leaders in the Defense Department and the Department of the Air Force took command at 12:01 p.m. Jan. 20, leading the military on a temporary basis while Biden administration nominees await confirmation. Immediately after President Joe Biden took the oath of office, former Under Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist became Acting Defense Secretary, following the departure of now former Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller. And, John P. Roth became Acting Secretary of the Air Force, replacing Former Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett, who worked remotely until her tenure as the service’s 25th Secretary ended at noon, according to an Air Force statement.

President Joe Biden told American allies they’ll have a friendlier partner in the White House, pledging to renew cooperation and “engage with the world once again.” The comments mark a departure from the Trump administration’s frequent threats to withdraw from alliances, and its transactional approach to bilateral and multilateral agreements and arms sales.

Government leaders from across the globe took to Twitter to congratulate President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on taking the nation’s reigns at a turbulent moment in world history, expressing optimism about the prospect of collaborating with the new administration on topics ranging from security and counterterrorism to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

Former President Donald J. Trump on the morning of Jan. 20 took off on Air Force One from Joint Base Andrews, Md., for the last time, after brief remarks highlighting his administration’s accomplishments in adding military funding and creating the newest military service. Hours before President Joe Biden swore in, Trump flew to Andrews on Marine One and boarded the USAF VC-25 with the callsign Air Force One—since Trump was still in office at the time—in front of a crowd of family, supporters, and staff. “What we’ve done has been amazing by any standard,” Trump said. “We rebuilt the United States military, we created a new force called Space Force. That, in itself, would be a major achievement for a regular administration. We were not a regular administration.”

In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, Air Force Magazine is posting daily recollections from the six-week war, which expelled Iraq from occupied Kuwait.

On March 23, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host a virtual Nuclear Deterrence Series event featuring Scowcroft Group Principal Frank Miller. At a time when nuclear modernization programs are accelerating around the world, proposals to recapitalize the U.S. nuclear arsenal are at the forefront of debates over defense spending. Miller will share his insights into the prospects for U.S. nuclear modernization programs and the value of nuclear deterrence in today's competitive security environment. The think tank will post event video on its website and YouTube page after the live event.