In a lengthy address to both houses of the United States Congress, President Donald Trump asserted that his return to office marked the “most successful era in the history of our country”. Speaking to the House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday, Trump claimed that his administration had “accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplish in four years or eight years”.

He emphasized, “And we are just getting started,” as he addressed topics like a significant crackdown on undocumented immigrants, whom he accused of being criminals and rapists, support for “beautiful” tariffs meant to balance US trade relations, and hostility towards transgender individuals and diversity programs. Protests and cheers from Members of Congress highlighted the divisive nature of his speech.

Attack on the Federal Workforce

Trump lauded the work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), presenting a list of statistics to claim widespread government waste and fraud. He accused the federal bureaucracy of prioritizing diversity initiatives and misdirected projects while ignoring ineffective spending in areas such as immigration enforcement and the military.

Nativist Themes and Attacks on Immigrants

Trump frequently depicted immigrants as sources of crime, disease, and chaos. He supported this rhetoric with a call for massive funding to advance his deportation campaign. He projected a sense of a nation besieged by dangerous foreigners, although statistics show that immigrants commit violent crimes less frequently than native-born individuals.

Brief References to Ukraine and Gaza

Despite promises to end international conflicts during his campaign, Trump only briefly mentioned the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. He expressed a desire for the Ukraine conflict to end and referred positively to the Abraham Accords concerning Israel. However, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza was not addressed.

Struggle for Democratic Response

While the initial moments of Trump’s speech were met with booing from Democrats and the ejection of Democrat Representative Al Green, their overall response was light. Democrats remained seated and did not applaud, holding up signs that labeled Trump’s statements as false.

Emphasis on Tariffs and Economy

Trump reaffirmed his belief in tariffs as a tool for achieving balance in foreign trade. He vowed to bring manufacturing operations back to the US through these tariffs, aiming to tackle inflation by reducing the cost of eggs and energy. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced investments to tackle egg prices amid rising costs linked to avian flu.

Capture of Kabul Airport Bomber

Trump announced that the US had apprehended the individual behind the 2021 Kabul airport bombing that killed 13 soldiers. He declared that the man was on his way to the US to face justice.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/5/seven-takeaways-from-donald-trumps-speech-to-us-congress?traffic_source=rss