當地時間1月21日中午，美國總統奧巴馬在國會山公開宣誓後發表第二任期就職演講，演講強調美國建國精神，並提及就業、醫療、移民、氣候、同性戀、兒童安全等多項議題。以下為奧巴馬就職演說全文：
謝謝，非常感謝大家。拜登副總統、首席大法官先生、國會議員們、尊敬的各位嘉賓、親愛的公民們：
（MR. OBAMA: Vice President Biden, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the United States Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:）
每一次我們集會慶祝總統就職，我們都在見證美國憲法的持久力量。我們都在確認美國民主的承諾。我們重申，將這個國家緊密聯繫在一起的不是我們的膚色，也不是我們信仰的教條，更不是我們族名的來源。讓我們與眾不同，讓我們成為美國人的是，我們對於一種理念的恪守。200多年前，這一理念在一篇宣言中被清晰表明：
（Each time we gather to inaugurate a president, we bear witness to the enduring strength of our Constitution. We affirm the promise of our democracy. We recall that what binds this nation together is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names. What makes us exceptional – what makes us American – is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago:）
“我們認為下述真理是不言而喻的：人人生而平等。造物主賦予他們若干不可剝奪的權利，包括生命權、自由權和追求幸福的權利。”
（“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”）
今天，我們繼續著這一未竟的征程，架起這些理念與我們時代現實之間的橋梁。因為歷史告訴我們，即便這些真理是不言而喻的，它們也從來不會自動生效。因為雖然自由是上帝賦予的禮物，但仍需要世間的子民去捍衛。1776年，美國的愛國先驅們不是只為了推翻國王的暴政而戰，也不是為贏得少數人的特權，建立暴民的統治。先驅們留給我們一個共和國，一個民有、民治、民享的政府。他們委托每一代美國人捍衛我們的建國信條。
（Today we continue a never-ending journey, to bridge the meaning of those words with the realities of our time. For history tells us that while these truths may be self-evident, they have never been self-executing; that while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth. The patriots of 1776 did not fight to replace the tyranny of a king with the privileges of a few or the rule of a mob. They gave to us a Republic, a government of, and by, and for the people, entrusting each generation to keep safe our founding creed.）
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