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As Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Massachusetts’ representatives in Congress were quick to warn their constituents about his second term.

Massachusetts, which overwhelmingly voted for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the general election, is exclusively represented by Democrats at the federal level. At the state level, Democrats control the governor’s office and both chambers of the state legislature.

Sen. Elizabeth A. Warren (D-Mass.), who attended the ceremony in the Capitol Monday alongside five of the state’s nine representatives, posted a video to X criticizing Trump’s inaugural address.

“If it’s any indication of what Trump’s second term will look like, it’ll be great for his billionaire donors and giant corporations, and pain and costs for everyone else,” she wrote in an accompanying post.

Days earlier, Warren had penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal saying she was willing to work with Trump and his allies to “rebuild the middle class” — soliciting bipartisan support for policies aimed at lowering housing costs, rooting out junk fees, and bulking up banking regulations. But her tone Monday was far more pessimistic about Trump’s populism.

Warren and other members of Congress broadcast suspicion about Trump’s close relationship with billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg — who all had prime seats at his swearing-in ceremony.

“Trump gave billionaires & big tech CEOs front row access… in front of his own cabinet.” Rep. Jim P. McGovern (D-Mass.) wrote in a Monday post on X. “It’s clear who calls the shots. Now he’ll cut their taxes — and you will pay for it.”

Rep. Ayanna S. Pressley (D-Mass.) was one of several Massachusetts representatives who did not attend the ceremony. Instead, Pressley spoke at an event in Roxbury to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

“Today, America is facing a painful contradiction – honoring Dr. King while also seeing the former occupant of the White House return to the highest office in the land,” she said at the ceremony.

“Today, we accept disappointment. Yes, the past election was a painful result, but we’ll continue to do the work necessary to earn back voters’ trust and to retake power in Washington,” Pressley added.

Massachusetts representatives also condemned Trump’s first actions in his second term. Within hours of assuming office, Trump removed the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement and pardoned more than 1,600 people for their involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

“Donald Trump ran on the promise that he would make life more affordable for hard working Americans, but he spent day one of his presidency doing next to nothing to lower costs,” Warren wrote in a statement on her official site. “Instead, he spent his time on an agenda of revenge, division, and cruelty with a side helping of cozying up to billionaires.”

Rep. Katherine M. Clark (D-Mass.), whose district encompasses most of Harvard’s campus, slammed Trump’s early actions.

“Just hours after taking the oath of office, Donald Trump took down reproductiverights.gov — a website to help women find health care and understand their rights,” Clark wrote in a pinned post on her X account. “They’re wasting no time assaulting freedom.”

Trump also signed an order delaying enforcement of a law banning TikTok downloads, something he had promised within hours of the social media app going dark. TikTok’s availability, however, divided Massachusetts’ delegation in the days leading up to its 12-hour ban.

“Today, I am once again urging the Biden administration to take steps to ensure that TikTok does not go dark tomorrow,” Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) wrote on his official site on Jan. 18. “I have been hearing from creators, businesses, and communities in Massachusetts and across the country who are worried that a TikTok ban will make it harder to afford groceries, pay their rent, and seek medical care, and will shut off their virtual spaces for expression.”

But Rep. Jake D. Auchincloss ’10 (D-Mass.) took a hard line against TikTok, arguing it posed a national security risk.

“As a dad, I am outmatched by the tech executives who get richer each minute my children spend staring at a screen,” he wrote in a Jan. 16 post on X. But as a member of the congressional committee with jurisdiction over social media, I am fighting back hard.”

“The Chinese Communist Party cannot be allowed to control the most influential media platform in America,” Auchincloss continued on Jan. 17.

Massachusetts’ representatives and senators largely shared concern over the first hours of Trump’s second term, striking a grim note in their comments after their inauguration.

“On Day 1, Trump signed more than 200 executive actions,” Clark posted on X. “None do anything meaningful to lower the cost of living. In fact, some make it easier for Big Pharma and Big Oil to jack up costs on hardworking American taxpayers. What a shame.”

—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Frances Y. Yong can be reached at frances.yong@thecrimson.com.