President Donald Trump delivered a combative and highly partisan address to Congress on Tuesday night, using the platform to celebrate his administration's early policy moves, justify his aggressive tariff strategy, and launch repeated attacks against Democrats. Speaking for just under one hour and 40 minutes-the longest annual presidential address in modern history-Trump framed his first weeks back in office as a time of sweeping reform, while repeatedly blaming his predecessor, President Joe Biden, for economic and foreign policy failures.
"There is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy," Trump said, referring to Democrats, many of whom staged walkouts or held protest signs during his speech. The partisan tone was set early, as Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was ejected from the chamber after repeatedly interrupting the president.
Trump made little effort to reach across the aisle, instead doubling down on key culture war issues. "We're getting wokeness out of our schools and out of our military, and it's already out," he declared. The president highlighted guests in the First Lady's box to drive home his policy positions, including female athletes, parents of children murdered by undocumented immigrants, and a mother whose daughter Trump claimed had been "secretly socially transitioned" in school.
A central theme of the speech was Trump's commitment to dismantling Biden-era policies, particularly on government spending and trade. He praised Elon Musk, whom he appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), for identifying "billions in waste" and cutting funding to various programs. Holding up Democrats as obstacles to his vision, Trump accused them of wanting to "keep the money flowing" to fraudulent programs.
Trade policy dominated a significant portion of the address, as Trump sought to justify his sweeping tariff increases on Mexico, Canada, and China. The president dismissed concerns about economic disruption, arguing that reciprocal tariffs would ultimately benefit the U.S. "Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. That's reciprocal, back and forth," he said. "We will take in trillions and trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before."
The president's embrace of tariffs has drawn skepticism from lawmakers in both parties, with some Republicans expressing concern about the impact on key industries. Trump offered little in the way of details, but acknowledged that "there'll be a little disturbance" in the short term.
On foreign policy, Trump touched on the ongoing war in Ukraine but primarily in the context of his administration's decision to suspend military aid. "I am also working tirelessly to end the savage conflict in Ukraine," he said. The speech notably lacked a strong commitment to Kyiv, and instead emphasized Trump's frustration with how much U.S. money has been spent on the war.
Trump did, however, acknowledge a recent statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who earlier in the day expressed regret over a tense Oval Office meeting with the U.S. president and signaled readiness to negotiate peace. "I appreciate that he sent this letter," Trump said, without elaborating on whether he would meet with Zelensky again.
The address also included references to Trump's energy policy, with the president teasing a forthcoming announcement on boosting U.S. production of critical minerals and rare earth elements. He highlighted a proposed Alaska pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, claiming that foreign partners were ready to invest "trillions of dollars." Trump also reiterated his opposition to Biden-era environmental policies, falsely claiming that the Paris Agreement was "costing us trillions of dollars."
Democrats quickly criticized the speech, with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) delivering the official rebuttal. She accused Trump of "reckless" governance and denounced his treatment of Ukraine's leader. Ronald Reagan would be "rolling in his grave," she said. Slotkin urged Americans to engage politically rather than succumb to "doom scrolling," an appeal for grassroots activism.
