Spanberger Inaugurated as Virginia Governor, Uses Speech to Criticize Trump Administration Policies
Abigail Spanberger was sworn in on Jan. 17, 2026, in Richmond as Virginia’s first female governor in a noon outdoor ceremony at the state Capitol administered by Senior Justice William Mims amid a cold drizzle; Ghazala F. Hashmi was sworn in as lieutenant governor — the first Muslim woman to hold statewide office in the U.S. — and Jay Jones took office as attorney general. In her inaugural address Spanberger sharply criticized the Trump administration for cuts to health care, imperiling rural hospitals, closing markets and driving up costs for groceries, medicine and housing, while urging Virginians to speak up and also to work together where possible.
📌 Key Facts
- Abigail Spanberger was sworn in as Virginia governor on Jan. 17, 2026, in Richmond — the ceremony took place at noon outside the Virginia State Capitol in a cold drizzle and the oath was administered by Senior Justice William Mims.
- Spanberger is Virginia’s first female governor.
- Ghazala F. Hashmi was sworn in as lieutenant governor, becoming the first Muslim woman to hold statewide office in the U.S., and Jay Jones was sworn in as Virginia attorney general, the first Black person elected to that post in the state despite a prior text-message scandal.
- Virginia Democrats picked up 13 House of Delegates seats after 2024 and plan to work with Spanberger on an aggressive agenda that includes redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms.
- Spanberger ran as an explicit adversary of the Trump administration, focusing on anger over federal layoffs and civil service cuts in a state with nearly 150,000 federal civilian jobs and saying she would protect Virginia’s economy from those federal policies.
- In her inaugural address she directly criticized the Trump administration — saying, 'I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington' — and accused it of cutting health-care access, imperiling rural hospitals, driving up costs, closing off markets, hurting innovation, 'gilding buildings while schools crumble,' breaking the social safety net and sowing fear.
- She framed rising costs for groceries, medicine, day care, electricity, rent and mortgages as central concerns for Virginians and paired her criticisms with a call to cooperate, saying those who disagree can still 'work together where we may find common cause.'
📊 Relevant Data
As of 2024, Virginia has approximately 350,000 civilian federal employees, representing about 1 in every 13 civilian workers in the state, with a significant concentration in Northern Virginia where 42.2% of the state's federal civilian jobs are located.
Virginia's Federal Jobs Landscape Amid a Potential Federal Shutdown — The Commonwealth Institute
In 2025, federal civilian employment in Virginia declined significantly due to policy changes, with cuts wiping out years of job growth and leading to a net loss of over 20,000 federal jobs, contributing to slower overall economic growth and expected rises in unemployment in 2026.
DOGE cuts wiped out years of growth in Virginia's federal civilian jobs — WHRO
As of 2025, nine of Virginia's 31 rural inpatient hospitals are at risk of closing, with potential Medicaid cuts under federal policies projected to result in losses of up to $26 billion in hospital payments over 14 years, potentially leading to 600,000 Virginians losing health coverage by 2027.
Health systems forecast pain from Medicaid cuts — Virginia Business
In Virginia, Black residents are 44% more likely to die before age 75 compared to the overall population, with disparities in health care access persisting, including higher rates of forgone care among Black adults (12.7%) and Hispanic/Latino adults (20.1%) compared to White adults in 2023.
Dying too soon: New report reveals deep and persistent health disparities in Northern Virginia — Virginia Commonwealth University
Between 2020 and 2025, Virginia's population growth has been increasingly driven by international immigration, contributing to about three-quarters of recent growth, which has been linked to rising housing costs and affordability challenges, with migration patterns influenced by economic opportunities in sectors like federal government and technology.
Demographics: Trends, Projections, & Potential Impacts — JLARC
In Virginia, as of 2023, rates of forgone health care due to cost are higher among Black adults (12.7%) and Hispanic/Latino adults (20.1%) compared to the national average, with these disparities persisting despite overall improvements in access.
Exploring Racial Disparities in Forgone Health Care Using State Health Compare — SHADAC
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Spanberger’s inaugural address explicitly said, 'I know many of you are worried about the recklessness coming out of Washington.'
- She accused the Trump administration of 'cutting health care access, imperiling rural hospitals and driving up costs' and 'closing off markets, hurting innovation and private industry.'
- She criticized Washington for 'gilding buildings while schools crumble' and 'breaking the social safety net and sowing fear across our communities.'
- Spanberger framed rising costs for 'groceries, medicine, day care, the electricity bill, rent and the mortgage' as central to Virginians’ concerns and a reason to 'speak up' and 'take action.'
- She paired the attacks with a call for cooperation, saying people who disagree with her assessment can still 'work together where we may find common cause.'
- CBS piece details Spanberger’s inauguration occurring at noon outside the Virginia state Capitol amid a cold drizzle, administered by Senior Justice William Mims.
- Confirms that Ghazala F. Hashmi is the first Muslim woman to serve in statewide office in the U.S. as lieutenant governor, and Jay Jones is the first Black person elected Virginia attorney general despite a text-message scandal.
- Adds that Virginia Democrats picked up 13 House of Delegates seats after 2024, and that state Democrats plan to work with Spanberger on an aggressive agenda including redrawing the state’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms.
- Highlights Spanberger’s campaign framing as an explicit adversary of the Trump administration, capitalizing on anger over federal layoffs and civil service cuts in a state with nearly 150,000 federal civilian jobs.
- Notes Spanberger’s stated focus on protecting Virginia’s economy from Trump administration tactics, including complaints about rising costs of goods and changes to the state’s fragile health-care system.
- Confirms the swearing-in has formally occurred on Jan. 17, 2026 in Richmond.
- Reaffirms that Spanberger is the first female governor in Virginia history.
- Attributes the report to the Associated Press, giving a timestamp of 12:33 p.m. local time.