‘A new era’: Gianforte, Montana delegation attend Trump inauguration ceremonies

While the outdoor public ceremony was scrapped in recent days by Trump’s inauguration team, Montana’s congressmen and senators each posted photos from the Capitol inauguration ceremony and released statements lauding the Republican businessman and media personality being back in office after a four-year gap.

Montana’s new junior U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, who unseated three-term Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in November, said it was “a new day in America” and posted several photos from the inauguration ceremony.

“It was an honor to witness President Trump’s historic return to office, and I am ready to work with President Trump, Vice President Vance, and their new administration to put America First and restore common sense in Washington, D.C.,” Sheehy said in a statement. “Let’s get to work!”

U.S. Rep. Troy Downing, the Republican former state auditor who handily won his congressional election in eastern Montana two months ago, said Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president marked “the first day of the rest of the American Experiment.”

“In November, voters gave Donald Trump a clear mandate to get our economy back on track, secure our border, restore international order, and return to societal normalcy. For too long, Democrat governance has impeded these ends. Not anymore. I stand beside my Republican colleagues in the House and Senate ready to work with this Administration to Make America Great Again.”

While many Republicans have said Trump’s reelection and Republicans’ sweep of both the U.S. House and Senate give them a mandate to implement their policies, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, who is Trump’s pick to be his national security adviser, resigned on Monday, cutting Republicans’ narrow majority in the House to 218-215, with two vacancies.

But Republicans enjoy what is effectively a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate — two independents caucus with Democrats — due in large part to U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, now Montana’s senior senator who chaired the Senate Republicans’ election apparatus during the 2024 election cycle and was key in flipping Senate control back to the GOP.

He, too, called Trump’s taking office for a second term a “new day in America.”

“The American people have had enough of unaffordable prices, an out-of-control border and weakness on the world stage,” Daines said in a statement.  “I’m excited to work with President Trump to restore America’s greatness.”

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, who served as Trump’s first Secretary of the Interior during his initial administration but submitted his resignation in 2018 amid multiple investigations and reported pressure from the administration, congratulated Trump on his second term.

“It was an honor to serve in your first cabinet as Interior Secretary and I remain just as committed today as I was then to working with you in Congress to deliver historic wins and usher in a new golden era of peace and prosperity for Montana and the American People,” Zinke said in a statement on social media.

Gianforte and first lady Susan Gianforte watched the inauguration ceremony with other governors at the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center, his office said. They are set to attend the president’s Inaugural Liberty Ball on Monday evening.

“Susan and I are honored to attend President Trump’s inauguration and join the nation in celebrating the start of a new era for our country,” Gianforte said in a statement. “The great American comeback begins today with President Trump at the helm. Montana looks forward to the next four years as we work with President Trump to restore safety, strength, and prosperity to our United States.”