President Joe Biden pledged to repair alliances and engage with the world once again.
"Here's my message to those beyond our borders. America has been tested, and we've come out stronger for it. We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again," he said, vowing a change from the isolationist policies of his predecessor.
"We'll lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. We'll be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress and security," he added.
Newly minted President Joe Biden referenced the current plight of America during his inaugural address, noting that the country has "much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain."
As the coronavirus American death toll surpassed 400,000 this week, Biden noted that "few people in our nation's history have been more challenged or found a time more challenging or difficult than the time we're in now."
Speaking specifically of the Covid-19 pandemic, Biden referenced a "once-in-a-century virus, that silently stalks the country. It's taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II."
But amid tones of pain and strife, as "millions of jobs have been lost," and there exists a "cry for racial justice some 400 years in the making," Biden offered signs of hope.
"To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America, requires so much more than words. It requires the most elusive of all things in a democracy: unity."
Many European leaders have tweeted their congratulations to the new administration and expressed their optimism at working together.