ST. PAUL — Minnesota senator and 2020 presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar delivered opening remarks at Monday’s inauguration of President Donald Trump, with a focus on democracy, finding common ground and the power of the people.
As chair of the Inauguration Committee, a bipartisan committee, Sen. Klobuchar opened the Monday, Jan. 20, inauguration with a five-minute speech, declaring the theme of the ceremony “enduring democracy.” Klobuchar was the only Democratic speaker at the inauguration.
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“In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of interest in politics, holds office, every one of us is in a position of responsibility,” she said. “With that responsibility of citizenship comes an obligation not to seek out malice, as President Lincoln once reminded us, but to view others with a generosity of spirit despite our differences. With that responsibility of leadership, comes an obligation to stand our ground when we must and find common ground when we can.”
Klobuchar also paid tribute to a famous Minnesota singer-songwriter in her speech, quoting Bob Dylan’s song “Shelter from the Storm.”
“It is on all of us, to quote an incredible songwriter who just happened to be born in my state, to ensure that our nation’s democracy is our ‘Shelter from the Storm,’ ” she said.
Klobuchar started her role as chair of the Inauguration Committee in May of 2024. Ahead of Monday’s inauguration, she spoke with Forum News Service on Friday, Jan. 17, about what it’s been like to oversee this committee after having supported the ticket of fellow Minnesotan Gov. Tim Walz and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Obviously, I supported the Harris-Walz ticket, and I would have liked to see them win, but this week, my mind is on what I have to do,” Klobuchar said. “It’s my obligation and duty, and I am committed to making sure this inauguration goes well for our country.”
Klobuchar called to attention bipartisanship’s role in the Inauguration Committee, something she has a reputation for as a senator with some of the passed in 2021.
“What’s most important is that this ceremony be a positive ceremony for not just (Trump’s) supporters, but for the country, because this is a moment where everyone steps back and sees that what unites us is bigger than what divides us,” Klobuchar said Friday. “That is why you see President Biden, Vice President Harris, President Obama and the Clintons. I mean, there’s a lot of Republicans and Democratic leaders up on that stage, so our job was to do this no matter who won, and that’s how we plan this.”
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Trump on Friday decided to move the inauguration inside, as temperatures were projected to hit all-time lows. In 2019, Klobuchar announced her bid for the 2020 presidency in the snow, a moment that could have been replicated visually on Monday if the ceremony stayed outdoors.
Klobuchar said it was her job to honor the decision to move indoors, and that she was focused on making sure the inauguration went smoothly.
As chair of the Senate Rules Committee for the past four years, Klobuchar has also worked on several bipartisan measures to improve Capitol security, since Jan. 6, 2021, including around large events like the inauguration. She said that she and her colleagues have hired a new police chief, added more officers and “increased morale,” among other measures.
“You know, there are always people trying to do our country harm, and so you can’t anticipate every single way that will be done, but I can tell you that they’re more prepared than ever,” she said.
Klobuchar was joined by other members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation at Monday’s inauguration: Sen. Tina Smith; Reps. Brad Finstad, R-MN1; Angie Craig, D-MN2; Kelly Morrison, D-MN3; Tom Emmer, R-MN6; Michelle Fischbach, R-MN7; Pete Stauber, R-MN8. Reps. Betty McCollum, D-MN4; and Ilhan Omar, D-MN5; were not in attendance.
Stauber, R-Duluth, tweeted from the Capitol rotunda during Trump’s speech.
“We are so back,” Stauber said on X. “Drill baby drill!”
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The Trust Project
