YORK COUNTY — After being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump gave his inaugural address to a crowd of thousands, promising to bring jobs back to American soil while protecting the nation’s borders on Friday. 

“From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first,” he said. “Every decision on trade, on taxes, immigration, foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.”

He also promised to “return” the country back to its citizens, and said under his administration he would bring jobs back to the U.S. while prioritizing the needs of the nation above the affairs of others.

“We will follow two simple rules: buy American and hire American,” he added. “We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world, but we do so with the understanding that is the right of all nations to put their own notions first.”

Following Trump’s speech, several York County legislators were vocal in their opinions about the address.

Sen. Susan Deschambault, D-Biddeford, was cautious about Trump’s methods in bringing businesses back to the U.S., saying she hasn’t heard him announce any concrete plan on how to do so.

“How does he expect to do that? Is he going to funnel funds down to the local level where we have a better idea of what the need is?” Deschambault said. “There’s corporate jobs, some manufacturing jobs and information technology jobs, but the day-to-day in the struggles of managers of towns and cities is to promote small businesses.”

She said in order for businesses to return to American soil, there has to be solid plan in place to incentivize them to.

“We’ve got to lower our energy costs, We’ve got to have workforce people,” she said. “You can’t argue against (bringing jobs back), but those are just words until you sit down and design how it’s going to be accomplished.”

Trump also addressed issues of addiction and crime, describing the ongoing heroin crisis and other misfortunes as “American carnage.” Deschambault said she was glad to see Trump address addiction, given that Maine’s addiction crisis still runs rampant throughout the state.

“We’re struggling with it. We don’t have any direction from the federal government. It’s up to every state and community,” she said. “I got to applaud that I think (Trump) knows enough people I’m sure that may have suffered from addiction issues, so if you can make anything out of that.”

Rep. Robert Foley, R-Wells, said he found Trump’s address more divisive than unifying.

“What did disappoint me is I didn’t see it as a unifying speech, which is what I hoped I’d hear more of — how he’d unite the country, and I didn’t hear any of that,” Foley said Sunday evening, although he was pleased to see Trump address manufacturing.

Sen. Justin Chenette, D-Saco, agreed with Foley about the tone of Trump’s speech.

“I was really hoping to hear a little more talk of unity and bringing the country together and some sort of olive branch to those who disagree with him,” Chenette said Friday. “I think a lot of us were really hoping that would take place. That speech was really meant for his core supporters.”

Chenette, who is a digital advertising executive for the Journal Tribune also said, like Deschambault, he isn’t sure of how Trump plans to bring jobs back to American soil.

“There is something about having a mentality of providing residents with a sense of economic vitality and prosperity that is important,” he continued, “(But Trump’s) speech speech didn’t give specifics. What does it mean to have an ‘America first’ economy?”

Foley said he hopes Trump invests in newer products and technologies as part of his strategy to put America first, although he also said it’s important to recognize that the U.S. is not the only country in the global economy.

“It’s always easy to think selfishly for ourselves, but this is a global economy, and we need to make sure that any kind of trade deals or agreements we make are in our interest as well as other countries,” Foley said.

Foley said he is hopeful the new administration can bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. and back to Maine, which has seen significant decline in its paper mill industry and manufacturing base in recent years.

“With ‘America-first’ and ‘Maine-first’ ideas, I always think of what’s in Maine’s best interest, but there are times when we need to look a little broader beyond our own boundaries,” Foley said. “We can’t forget that this is a global economy we live in, and those have to be taken into consideration whenever you’re talking about economic development or trade.”

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.