President vowed Tuesday to keep up his campaign of 鈥渟wift and unrelenting action鈥 in reorienting the nation鈥檚 economy, immigration and foreign policy in an that left Democratic legislators to register their dissent with stone faces, placards calling out 鈥渓ies,鈥 and one legislator鈥檚 ejection.
Here's the latest:
That was then, this is now
The president has always reveled in his reputation for tough talk. But a look back at 2017, when Trump gave his first speech to Congress in his first term, shows how Trump has only become more of a hardliner.
Eight years ago, he talked about working with Canada鈥檚 Trudeau to support women entrepreneurs in both countries. He paid homage to 鈥渙ur nation鈥檚 path towards civil rights.鈥 He said 鈥渞eal and positive immigration reform is possible.鈥 There was no reference to Barack Obama, who he replaced in the White House.
Now Trump is feuding with Trudeau over tariffs. He used his speech to criticize diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which he鈥檚 been swiftly eliminating across the federal government. His remarks on immigration focused on deporting criminals. And he repeatedly derided Biden.
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Espaillat claims in Spanish rebuttal that DOGE wants to cut essential programs
Espaillat claimed in his Spanish rebuttal that the Trump administration created the Department of Government Efficiency to cut essential programs like Social Security, Medicaid and benefits for veterans.
The is preparing to lay off at least 7,000 people from its workforce of 60,000, according to a person familiar with the agency鈥檚 plans who is not authorized to speak publicly. It鈥檚 not clear how the layoffs would impact the benefits of the 72.5 million Social Security beneficiaries.
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Associated Press reporter Adriana Gomez Licon contributed reporting.
Trump airs grievances and inflates achievements
Trump set a tone of division almost from his first words, calling his predecessor the worst president in history and chiding Democrats as so stinting in their praise of him they would not even grant him perfunctory applause.
He placed himself alongside the country鈥檚 first president, George Washington, when discussing what he said was the flood of early achievements of his second term.
Trump leaned hard into cultural flashpoints: his opposition to affirmative action, diversity programs and transgender rights.
He inflated the scale of his victory in November, the margin of which was actually among the smallest in American history. The tenor was more that of a campaign speech than an address to Congress.
Trump described Democrats as a lost cause. 鈥淭here is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy,鈥 he said.
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Democrats give Spanish-language response
Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, chair of the Hispanic Caucus, gave a rebuttal in Spanish, criticizing Trump for not doing enough to bring prices down and instead signing orders such as changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
鈥淔or the past 45 days, we鈥檝e seen a president who acts more like a king, more like a monarch, than a president,鈥 Espaillat said.
Speaker Johnson: 鈥業t was really shameful what the Democrats did鈥
House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News there may be a censure resolution brought to discipline Texas Rep. Al Green.
Green was removed from the chamber for disturbing Trump鈥檚 address.
Slotkin keeps things concise
鈥淚t鈥檚 late,鈥 she began, 鈥渟o I promise to be a lot shorter than what you just watched.鈥
Slotkin鈥檚 response to Trump鈥檚 speech was as concise as the president鈥檚 was wordy.
The Michigan senator鈥檚 address clocked in at around 11 minutes, compared to the about one hour and 40 minutes Trump鈥檚 speech took.
Slotkin implored listeners, 鈥淒on鈥檛 tune out. It鈥檚 easy to be exhausted. But America needs you now more than ever.鈥
Conservative immigration group criticizes Trump鈥檚 immigration 鈥榞old card鈥 plan
The Federation for American Immigration Reform, which backs immigration restrictions, predictably applauded Trump for his actions since Jan. 20 and the agenda he laid out in his speech. The group took him to task, though, for touting a $5 million 鈥済old card鈥 path to citizenship for wealthy buyers.
鈥淩ather than a plan to allow people to buy their way into our country, the president should put forward a long overdue proposal to reform our legal immigration system that selects new immigrants based on merit, not money,鈥 said Dan Stein, the group鈥檚 president.
Slotkin says the country will endure despite political division and upheaval
鈥淲e鈥檝e gone periods of political instability before, and ultimately, we鈥檝e chosen to keep changing this country for the better," Slotkin said.
Slotkin closed her response to Trump鈥檚 speech by saying, 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 the first time we鈥檝e experienced significant and tumultuous change as a country.鈥
She described herself as a student of history and said that the U.S. is resilient and has emerged stronger from periods of social and political upheaval in the past.
Slotkin says grocery prices are rising, but they aren't by much
鈥淕rocery prices and home prices are going up, not down," Slotkin said. "And he hasn鈥檛 laid out a credible plan to deal with either of those.鈥
Grocery prices aren鈥檛 actually rising by much, except for high-profile items such as eggs. Grocery costs, on average, have risen just 1.9% in the past year. At the peak of inflation in 2022, grocery prices soared more than 13% in a year.
Slotkin says Trump鈥檚 actions would have gotten him fired in the real world
鈥淣o CEO in America could do that without being summarily fired," she said.
Slotkin criticized a Trump administration effort led by Musk for firing scores of federal employees only to rehire them then after realizing those dismissed worked on critical issues.
She suggested that Musk himself would have lost his job if he had done similarly in the business world.
Slotkin seeks to set the tone for Democrats
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin said that President Donald Trump is 鈥渢rying to deliver an unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire friends,鈥 in Democratic response to his first of his second presidency.
Slotkin is attempting to present a refined economic message as the Democratic Party continues to struggle to unify around a strategy to counter Trump.
Democratic Response underway
Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin is giving the Democratic response to Trump鈥檚 speech from Wyandotte, Michigan, where she noted that both she and Trump won with voters last November.
She opened her remarks promising to keep things much tighter than Trump, who set a record for a joint address to Congress by talking for around an hour and 40 minutes.
Trump singles out 鈥業slamic terrorism鈥 during Ramadan
鈥淎merica is once again standing strong against the forces of radical Islamic terrorism,鈥 Trump said in reference to a in Afghanistan that killed more than a dozen American servicemembers and around 170 Afghan civilians.
Muslims around the world, including an estimated 4.5 million who live in America, began observing on Friday the holy month of Ramadan, during which many fast, gather and commit to strengthening their faith.
Trump sets record for longest address to a joint session of Congress
Trump has set a record for the longest address to a joint session of Congress. And it wasn鈥檛 even close.
He talked for more than an hour and 40 minutes, breaking the previous record set by President Bill Clinton鈥檚 2000 State of the Union address, which ran 1 hour, 28 minutes and 49 seconds.
That鈥檚 according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara, which has tracked speech length since President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
Trump鈥檚 speech is not technically a State of the Union since he only took office about six weeks ago. But his lengthy address is nonetheless the longest offered to a joint session of Congress.
Trump concludes his speech
鈥淭he golden age of America has only just begun,鈥 he told Congress as he finished his speech after speaking for nearly 100 minutes.
Republican lawmakers rose to their feet and cheered the conclusion of Trump鈥檚 address, pumping their hands in the air while chanting 鈥淔ight! Fight! Fight!鈥
Democrats quickly streamed from the chamber while GOP lawmakers tallied to shake hands with the president.
Trump wants to reduce childhood cancer
Trump said that driving down childhood cancer rates and studying autism cases in the U.S. will be a top priority for his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine and environmental advocate who is lobbying to redesign the U.S. food supply.
鈥淥ur goal is to get toxins out of our environment, poisons out of our food supply and keep our children healthy and strong," Trump said.
Childhood cancer remains in the U.S., with about 15,000 children diagnosed with the disease every year. Cases of pediatric cancer have risen in recent years, but treatments have improved, leading to a decline in deaths from the disease.
Among 8-year-olds in the U.S., about 1 in 36 were in 2020.
鈥業 received an important letter鈥
Trump recited a letter he received earlier Tuesday from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying that the wartime president wants to come back to the table after an explosive Oval Office meeting last week broke down negotiations for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淲ouldn鈥檛 that be beautiful?鈥
Arrest and extradition in connection with Afghanistan attack
Trump says the U.S. government is extraditing a suspect in the deadly Abbey Gate bombing in the final days of the Afghanistan withdrawal that killed 13 American servicemembers.
The White House identified the man as Muhammed Sharifullah and said he was on his way to the U.S. to face charges.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the extradition was the result of work by the FBI, Justice Department and CIA.
Trump claims responsibility for a rise in Army recruitment that preceded his presidency
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Army had its best recruiting in January, suggesting that the turnaround is tied to his time in office.
In fact, according to Army data, recruiting numbers have been increasing steadily over the past year, with the highest total coming in August 2024 鈥 before the November election. Army officials closely track recruiting numbers.
A significant driver of the recruiting success was the Army鈥檚 decision to launch the at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in August 2022. That program gives lower-performing recruits up to 90 days of academic or fitness instruction to help them meet military standards and move on to basic training.
Trump wants to 鈥榬eclaim鈥 the Panama Canal
Trump gave a shoutout to Marco Rubio, his secretary of state, as the president detailed his plans to 鈥渞eclaim鈥 the Panama Canal. But Trump鈥檚 comments appeared to also be a veiled warning for his Cabinet official, who is under immense pressure to execute massive cuts to U.S. foreign policy efforts abroad.
鈥淕ood luck, Marco,鈥 he said. "Now we know who to blame if anything goes wrong.鈥
He comment resulted in some laughter from Republicans. He quickly pivoted to point out that Rubio was confirmed unanimously in the Senate and that 鈥渉e鈥檚 going to do a fantastic job.鈥
Democrats applaud Trump鈥檚 acknowledgement of US aid for Ukraine
It was the only line from Trump鈥檚 speech that drew more applause from Democrats than Republicans, yet Democrats applauded as Trump acknowledged that the U.S. has sent billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine.
A few Republicans also applauded but were more subdued. However, GOP lawmakers rose in a standing ovation when Trump told them that Ukraine was showing it was ready to negotiate a peace deal.
And seated Democrats joined Republicans鈥 standing applause for Americans recently released from Russia through a deal brokered by the Trump administration.
Trump says, 鈥榃e need Greenland鈥
Trump said the U.S. supports Greenland鈥檚 right to determine its own future but would 鈥渨elcome鈥 the country into the United States for national security 鈥 and to make them rich, he claims.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to get it," he said of Greenland. "One way or another, we鈥檙e going to get it.鈥
Since his first term in office, has expressed interest in which is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally and a founding member of NATO. It is also home to a large U.S. military base.
Democrats continue to leave the chamber
Democratic lawmakers are continuing to duck out of President Trump鈥檚 speech.
The Democratic side of the chamber now has plenty of open seats as lawmakers leave. Some made shows of their exit to protest the president鈥檚 remarks, while others appeared to be simply ducking out as Trump鈥檚 speech goes on.
Trump wants an office of shipbuilding, but he gave few details
鈥淚 am announcing tonight that we will create a new office of shipbuilding in the White House and offer special tax incentives to bring this industry home to America," he said.
Trump wants the United States to start building more large ocean-going vessels. It鈥檚 a push also being made by labor unions who see job gains in shipyards. But it鈥檚 unclear just what Trump鈥檚 move would accomplish.
Trump signs executive order renaming wildlife refuge for Houston girl killed
Trump signed an executive order renaming a wildlife refuge for a young girl who prosecutors say was killed by two Venezuelan men in the country illegally.
鈥淭he death of this beautiful 12-year-old girl and the agony of her mother and family touched our entire nation greatly," Trump said.
鈥檚 death was one of several cases last year that became flashpoints in the immigration debate. Prosecutors have charged two who entered the U.S. illegally . for Trump. She was in the audience Tuesday as Trump gave his address.
Speaking of Jocelyn鈥檚 love of animals, Trump said he decided to rename the wildlife refuge near her Houston home for her.
Trump's address hits 80-minute mark
His campaign speeches often went above 90 minutes. His inaugural address in January, however, was about 30 minutes long.
Trump calls on Congress to criminalize gender-affirming surgeries for children
鈥淚 want Congress to pass a bill permanently banning and criminalizing sex changes on children and forever ending the lie that any child is trapped in the wrong body," Trump said.
Trump has already used executive actions to roll back a series of Biden administration policies promoting transgender rights, and he has vowed to stamp out 鈥済ender ideology.鈥
During his speech, the president asked Congress to limit gender-affirming surgeries performed on minors, though he offered few details. Some of Trump鈥檚 executive actions, meanwhile, have already been met by legal challenges.
Trump again invokes Springfield and Aurora
鈥淏eautiful towns like Aurora, Colorado, and Springfield, Ohio, buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like no one鈥檚 ever seen before," Trump said. "Beautiful towns, destroyed.鈥
Both Springfield and Aurora 鈥 still standing, of course 鈥 figured in Trump鈥檚 campaign. At the time, he amplified false conspiracy theories that legal Haitian immigrants in Springfield were eating dogs and cats.
Aurora had a more serious issue: a series of incidents at rundown apartment complexes, one of which was captured on video that showed heavily armed men going door to door. But the buildings have since been closed and Aurora, with a population 400,000, is the size of Tampa. It never buckled.
Child who overcame cancer sworn in as honorary Secret Service member
More than a dozen Democrats joined Republicans in a standing ovation for a guest of Trump, a child diagnosed with cancer who Trump said aspires to become a police officer. The child, named DJ, was held up by his father as Republicans and attendees in the House gallery chanted 鈥淒J.鈥
Trump announced DJ would be sworn in by his new Secret Service director as a member of the force. DJ was held up by his father as he received a Secret Service badge by Director Sean Curran.
Democrats then went largely silent as Trump discussed his health policies. Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib held up a whiteboard that read, 鈥淵ou cut cancer research.鈥 One Republican shouted, 鈥淢AHA baby!鈥
Democrats invoke Trump鈥檚 Jan. 6 pardons as he talks about 鈥榣aw and order鈥
Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas., first shouted 鈥淛anuary 6th鈥 as Trump recounted his plans for combatting crime throughout the country. At least a dozen Democrats joined in the repeated chant as Trump discussed the need to crack down on violent criminals.
Trump pardoned around 1,500 rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, in a bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Trump鈥檚 Democratic rivals are fundraising off his speech
鈥淗OLY COW!!!!!鈥 reads the subject line of an email from former Vice President Kamala Harris seeking contributions to the Democratic National Committee.
Harris and the Democratic Party鈥檚 prodigious fundraising operation raised more than $1 billion in their campaign against Trump. But the former vice president has continued to solicit contributions under the 鈥淗arris Fight Fund.鈥
That鈥檚 the post-election label for the 鈥淗arris Victory Fund,鈥 a joint fundraising operation of Harris鈥 campaign, the DNC and state Democratic parties.
Trump echoes campaign rhetoric with 鈥榣aw and order鈥 message
鈥淎s we reclaim our sovereignty, we must also bring back law and order to our cities and towns," he said. "In recent years, our justice system has been turned upside down by Radical Left lunatics."
Trump has long promoted a tough-on-crime agenda and sought to paint Democratic-led cities as besieged by violence, despite statistics showing a downward trend in violent crime after a spike during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump鈥檚 comments also echo his campaign trail rhetoric about the need for more aggressive policing. He suggested last year that 鈥渙ne rough hour鈥 of law enforcement action would tamp down retail theft. He has also advocated for ensuring that officers 鈥渉ave immunity from prosecution.鈥
Trump lauds his wife鈥檚 work to criminalize revenge porn
Trump praised his wife for lobbying for a that would make it a federal crime to post intimate imagery online, whether real or fake. He thanked the Senate for passing the measure.
The president called it a 鈥渢errible, terrible thing鈥 to publish such images online. He then seemingly joked: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to use that bill for myself, too, if you don鈥檛 mind.鈥
Trump says tariffs make Americans rich, while economists say his taxes make people poorer
鈥淭ariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again," Trump said. "And it鈥檚 happening. And it will happen rather quickly. There鈥檒l be a little disturbance, but we鈥檙e okay with that. It won鈥檛 be much.鈥
Trump is banking on the idea that taxing imports is the road to riches for the United States. Most economists say Trump鈥檚 tariffs would hurt the country, as they鈥檙e tax increases that could raise the costs of goods in ways that could also harm economic growth. Trump suggests that the impact on inflation would be minimal.
When the Yale University Budget Lab looked at the tariffs that Trump imposed Tuesday on Canada, Mexico and China, it found that inflation would increase a full percentage point, growth would fall by half a percentage point and the average household would lose about $1,600 in disposable income.
Trump says agricultural products imported from abroad 鈥榤ay be very dirty and disgusting鈥
鈥淭hose goods that come in from other countries and companies, they鈥檙e really, really in a bad position in so many different ways," Trump said. "They鈥檙e uninspected. They may be very dirty and disgusting as they come in and they pour in and they hurt our American farmers.鈥
Laying out more details on how he plans to stimulate the farming economy, Trump argued that increasing U.S. tariffs on agriculture products from abroad would protect domestic producers at home while acknowledging, 鈥淚t may be a little bit of an adjustment period.鈥
But tariffs wouldn鈥檛 necessarily stop farm products from coming aboard, only make them more expensive for U.S. consumers.
Trump鈥檚 immigration fast-track for rich immigrants
Trump is touting a plan he announced on Feb. 26 to offer a 鈥済old card鈥 for prospective rich immigrants.
鈥淔or $5 million, we will allow the most successful job creating people from all over the world to buy a path to U.S. citizenship," Trump said. "It鈥檚 like the green card, but better and more sophisticated."
The program will replace an offering U.S. visas to investors who spend about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.
Under Trump鈥檚 plan, investors would have to pony up $5 million. They would have to pay taxes in the U.S., Trump said. More than 100 countries around the world have something similar.
But some countries, including Spain and the U.K., . Spain鈥檚 program was criticized for causing soaring housing prices, while there were security concerns over the U.K. program.
Both Democrats and Republicans clap for the family of Laken Riley
Riley, a University of Georgia student, was killed by an immigrant in the country without permanent legal status.
Congress passed and Trump signed into law a bill bearing her name as his first piece of legislation in his second term.
Most Democrats were seated and, after the round of applause, again held up 鈥淔alse鈥 signs at Trump鈥檚 claims about the Biden administration鈥檚 approach to immigration.
Trump brags about gender policy
鈥淚 signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female," he said.
Trump鈥檚 order actually states that there are , and it was one of a series Trump has signed that target the rights of transgender people.
The orders paved the way for kicking transgender people , denying changes to the and erasing any mention of transgender people from a website , among others. And they鈥檙e facing legal challenges.
Two judges in the past week have kept on hold a policy to block federal for transgender people under age 19.
Trump says Democrats will pay a price for opposing his tax cuts, but the record suggests otherwise
Trump taunted Democrats for opposing his tax cut plans, which could cost anywhere from $5 trillion to $11 trillion over 10 years, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure you鈥檙e going to vote for those tax cuts because otherwise I don鈥檛 believe the people will ever vote you into office," he said.
Of course, Democrats know what happened after they opposed Trump鈥檚 2017 tax cuts, many of which are set to expire next year because they were funded through debt. There was no political penalty for opposing Trump鈥檚 cuts that Democrats portrayed as favoring those with extreme wealth.
In the 2018 midterms, Democrats picked up a majority by gaining 40 seats, their strongest gain since the 1974 elections.
Trump says tariffs will help farmers, but farmers brace for uncertainty
Trump said farmers need to 鈥渂ear with me again鈥 as he imposes tariffs.
鈥淚 love the farmer,鈥 he said.
But the retaliatory action from other countries could hurt farmers鈥 bottom lines by billions of dollars collectively if they remain in place long term, and consumers could quickly see that result in higher prices at the grocery store.
The exact toll is hard to predict at this stage. But tariffs make farmers uneasy about investing in expensive equipment.
鈥淔armers are very concerned,鈥 said Steve Kuiper, a director at the Iowa Corn Growers Association.
Trump promises reciprocal tariffs are coming soon
鈥淥ther countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it鈥檚 our turn to start using them against those other countries," he said.
Trump promised that come April 2, reciprocal tariffs will be imposed for most of the country鈥檚 trading partners.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 reciprocal, back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax that,鈥 he said.
Trump has made similar threats for weeks but said he didn鈥檛 want to make the announcement on April 1 because of April Fool鈥檚 Day.
A rare bipartisan round of applause for an Alabama steelworker
Trump鈥檚 shoutout to one of his guests, an Alabama steelworker, father of seven and foster parent to 40, received a standing ovation from Republican lawmakers and applause from a clear majority of the seated Democratic caucus.
Other guests of Trump and First Lady Melania Trump received scattered seated applause from Democrats as well.
Trump dismisses the African nation of Lesotho
Trump said: 鈥$8 million to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of.鈥
Trump cited the funding as an example of government waste uncovered by his administration and the Department of Government Efficiency.
Trump鈥檚 move to freeze foreign aid has significantly impacted a program that fights HIV in Lesotho, a poor nation in southern Africa. The program was started by Trump鈥檚 Republican predecessor, former President George W. Bush.
Trump calls out woman injured by transgender athlete
One of Trump鈥檚 orders is intended to from participating in girls鈥 and women鈥檚 sports. At least 24 states have already passed similar laws and a sputtered this week in the U.S. Senate.
鈥淔rom now on, schools will kick the men off the girls team or they will lose all federal funding," Trump said during his speech.
Like others, he portrays the order as a way to protect girls and women.
In the audience was , a former North Carolina high school athlete who suffered a concussion and neck injury that ended her athletic career after a ball hit by a transgender athlete struck her in a 2022 match.
The president of the NCAA said last year he was aware of fewer than 10 active NCAA athletes who identified as transgender.
No checks for dead people
Trump said: 鈥淏elieve it or not, government databases list 4.7 million Social Security members from people aged 100 to 109 years old. It lists 3.6 million people from ages 110 to 119.鈥
The databases may list those people, but , as Trump implied.
Social Security鈥檚 acting administrator, Lee Dudek, said last month: 鈥淭he reported data are people in our records with a Social Security number who do not have a date of death associated with their record. These individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits.鈥
Part of the confusion comes from Social Security鈥檚 software system, which is based on the COBOL programming language and has a lack of date type. This means that some entries with missing or incomplete birthdates will default to a reference point of more than 150 years ago.
Republicans applaud, Democrats point to Musk at Trump line on unelected bureaucrats
Republicans jumped to their feet in applause as Trump told them 鈥渢he days of unelected bureaucrats are over.鈥
But at the same time, Democrats pointed to Elon Musk, who is heading up the Department of Government Efficiency. Democrats have levied their criticism at Musk as his team has scoured the federal government, cutting probationary employees and federal contracts.
Trump again invokes the nonexistent 鈥楨V mandate鈥
Trump again said incorrectly 鈥 as he has done many times before 鈥 that his administration ended what he called the Biden administration鈥檚 鈥渋nsane electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto workers and companies from economic destruction.鈥
But there is no federal mandate to force the purchase of EVs. The Democratic president鈥檚 policies tightened restrictions on pollution from gas-powered cars and trucks and were aimed at encouraging Americans to buy EVs as car companies shift from gas-powered vehicles to electric cars.
Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office that revokes a nonbinding goal set by Biden that by 2030.
Trump makes inflated statements about inflation
Trump said: 鈥淎s you know, we inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare. Their policies drove up energy prices, pushed up grocery costs and drove the necessities of life out of reach for millions and millions of Americans. ... We suffered the worst inflation in 48 years, but perhaps even in the history of our country, they鈥檙e not sure.鈥
Trump is keen to blame former President Joe Biden for inflation, even as consumer sentiment surveys by the Conference Board and the University of Michigan show people are worried about Trump鈥檚 tariffs pushing up prices.
Voters certainly felt worse off under Biden as the cumulative price increases exceeded the growth in average weekly wages, leaving many people feeling like they were falling behind. The consumer price index peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, the highest since December 1981. That was a four-decade high, but the rate declined through September 2024 and now stands at 3%.
Economists are definitely sure that inflation under Biden wasn鈥檛 the highest in history. After all, it was higher at the start of Ronald Reagan鈥檚 presidency, after having spiked during Jimmy Carter鈥檚 presidency. The consumer price index went as high as 23.7% in June 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Democrats keep shouting at Trump
Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros, D-Calif., shouted, 鈥淲hat about the $400 million Tesla contract!鈥 at Trump as the president discussed his cuts to the federal government.
Democrats increasingly groaned, shouted, 鈥淣ot true!" and 鈥淭hose are lies!鈥 as Trump listed cuts his administration believes it has made to the federal budget.
More house Democrats also exited the chamber, bringing the count to at least a half dozen opposition lawmakers who have left Trump鈥檚 joint address.
Republicans cheer on Musk
Multibillionaire Elon Musk stood at Trump鈥檚 invocation of his Department of Government Efficiency.
The tech mogul waved as Republicans in the chamber cheered him.
Trump talks about an 鈥榚nergy emergency鈥
Trump said: 鈥淎 major focus of our fight to defeat inflation is rapidly reducing the cost of energy. ... That is why on my first day in office, I declared a national energy emergency.鈥
President Trump has already begun dismantling his predecessor鈥檚 climate change and renewable energy policies and declared . But most experts think the characterization of an 鈥渆nergy emergency鈥 does not accurately reflect reality. Scientists say the globe is experiencing
鈥淭he reality is that the United States is well-supplied with energy in all of its forms,鈥 said Gary Dirks, senior director of the Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.
Trump also highlighted his moves to in the pristine for drilling. But expanding the area available for companies to lease and drill doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean that more oil and gas will be produced.
Trump says his government must move quickly to lower egg prices
Trump talked about the price of eggs and other key staples at grocery stores, where prices have remained stubbornly high due to inflation.
He said Biden 鈥渓et the price of eggs get out of control鈥 and instructed members of his Cabinet to bring them down, saying they need to fix rising prices that he suggested the previous administration left them with.
Border crossings are down, but not at their lowest
Trump said: 鈥淚llegal border crossings last month were the lowest ever recorded. Ever.鈥
Not so.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that there were 鈥8,326 apprehensions of illegals by Border Patrol at the U.S. - Mexico Border鈥 in February. He called it the lowest number in history 鈥渂y FAR鈥 and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said it was 鈥渢he lowest month in recorded history,鈥 but U.S. government data show that the Border Patrol routinely averaged below that number in the 1960s.
While February marked the lowest arrest total in decades, the Border Patrol averaged less than February 2025 for the first seven years of 1960s. The government website does not track U.S.-Mexico border totals before 1960. The Border Patrol鈥檚 monthly average was 1,752 arrests in 1961.
Democrats tune out, Republicans tune in
Some Democrats are quietly chatting with each other as Trump delivers his remarks. Others are on their phones.
The caucus is largely silent, save for periodic groans and chuckling throughout Trump鈥檚 speech. A contingent of lawmakers continue to hoist protest signs.
And wearing the words 鈥淩esist鈥 printed on the backs of their shirts, a handful of Democrats exited the House chamber.
Republicans are, by contrast, listening attentively to the president鈥檚 remarks and frequently cheering.
鈥楬ow did that work out鈥
Trump said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e ended weaponized government where, as an example, a sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent like me. How did that work out?鈥
Trump is gloating about having survived, without any meaningful accountability, four different criminal prosecutions 鈥 only one of which went to trial. He鈥檚 also repeating a favored and oft-stated assertion that the Justice Department over the last four years was weaponized against him.
It鈥檚 a claim that overlooks the extensive evidence of criminal conduct that prosecutors say they gathered related to Trump鈥檚 efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his hoarding of classified documents. And his suggestion that his administration has acted to restore impartial justice at the Justice Department belies the fact that the department鈥檚 decision-making has already been rife with political considerations.
A new working group on so-called weaponization is targeting the prosecutors who investigated Trump, and senior officials dismissed a criminal case against New York鈥檚 mayor because they saw him as an ally in the president鈥檚 fight against illegal immigration.
Not an 鈥榚conomic catastrophe鈥
Trump said: 鈥淎mong my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families. As you know, we inherited, from the last administration, an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare.鈥
Americans were certainly still gloomy about the post-COVID inflation spike that peaked in 2022, but Trump did not inherit a disastrous economy by any measure.
The unemployment rate ticked down to a low 4% in January, the month he took office, while the economy expanded a healthy . Inflation-adjusted incomes have grown steadily since mid-2023. And inflation, while showing signs of stickiness in recent months and still elevated at , is down from its 9.1% peak.
Trump says he鈥檚 stamped out diversity and inclusion initiatives nationwide
Trump said his administration has rushed to ban diversity and inclusion programs in the federal government and dismiss workers charged with advancing such efforts.
鈥淥ur country will be 鈥榳oke鈥 no longer,鈥 he said.
His efforts have prompted private companies and other entities to similarly roll back efforts to promote diversity. They have also drawn a series of legal challenges, many of which are still in court.
Trump admonishes Democrats for not cheering him
鈥淚t鈥檚 very sad, and it just shouldn鈥檛 be this way,鈥 Trump said.
That was him chiding Democratic members of Congress for failing to stand and applaud as the president delivered his speech.
Democrats remained seated as Trump said it, some scowling. Many held up small black signs printed with 鈥淔alse鈥 in white lettering. Every time Trump boasts of his accomplishments, they hold up the signs.
鈥淟ie after lie after lie,鈥 came one shout from the Democratic side of the chamber.
Trump borrows from Biden
鈥淎merica is back.鈥
Trump started his address by taking a line from his predecessor in the White House, Joe Biden.
As president, Biden repeatedly said in speeches that he told world leaders that 鈥淎merica is back.鈥 The former president meant those words as a sign to allies in Europe and Asia that the United States was reengaging with the world. In one noted anecdote, Biden said that one world leader responded to his comment by asking how America would be back. There was a fear among allies, Biden said, that Trump could return.
Now, Trump is using Biden鈥檚 line to suggest that his return to the presidency means his vision of America is back.
Democrat Al Green confronts Trump and is removed from House chamber
鈥淭he presidential election of Nov. 5 was a mandate like has not been seen in many decades,鈥 Trump said as he began his speech.
鈥淵ou have no mandate,鈥 Democratic Rep. Al Green countered.
Republicans quickly jumped to their feet with chants of 鈥淯SA! USA!鈥
Green was then removed from the House chamber.
Republican members cheered at his removal, shouting 鈥淕et out!鈥 and 鈥淕oodbye!鈥 at the lawmaker. Green shouted, 鈥淵ou have no mandate to cut Medicaid!鈥 at Trump before police escorted him from the chamber.
Some Democrats silently hold small signs protesting Trump鈥檚 joint address
The circular black signs have bold white lettering including the statements 鈥淧rotect Veterans,鈥 鈥淪ave Medicaid,鈥 鈥淔alse鈥 and 鈥淢usk Steals.鈥 Some Democrats held the signs higher as the president began his remarks.
'America is back,' Trump says
Trump has begun his joint congressional address to 鈥淯SA! USA!鈥 chants and talking about the first 43 days of his administration, which has been marked by a major effort at reshaping and downsizing the federal government led by billionaire Elon Musk, spats with America鈥檚 allies and economic uncertainties brought by new tariffs.
Republicans greet Trump with chants of 'USA! USA!'
Republicans were boisterous as Trump stepped to the lectern in the House.
Republican lawmakers were on their feet, chanting 鈥淯SA! USA!鈥 as President Donald Trump basks in the applause.
The GOP lawmakers are jubilant, having won a trifecta of the White House, Senate and House in the elections. However, they also face a high-stakes task of delivering on Trump鈥檚 agenda as well as avoiding a government shutdown later this month.
A mostly present Democratic caucus
Despite some notable absences, the Democratic side of the House chamber is largely packed ahead of Trump鈥檚 address.
Some Democrats chose to boycott the speech, including Reps. Becca Balint of Vermont, Don Beyer and Gerry Connelly of Virginia, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Senators Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., also chose not to attend.
Republicans erupt in applause, Democrats don鈥檛 move as Trump enters
The Republican side of the House chamber was on their feet, whistling and applauding as Trump鈥檚 entrance was announced.
The Democrats, meanwhile, were practically motionless. They were seated and mostly faced forward as Trump entered.
The Associated Press
