Trump says he is 'just getting started' during fiery address to US Congress
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
US president Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to keep up his campaign of “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy in an unyielding address before the US Congress that left Democratic legislators to register their dissent with stone faces, placards calling out “lies,” and one legislator’s ejection.
Mr Trump’s speech was the latest marker in his takeover of the nation’s capital, where the Republican-led House and Senate have done little to restrain the president as he and his allies work to slash the size of the federal government and remake America’s place in the world.
The president’s address, clocking in at a record 99 minutes, added up to a defiant sales pitch for the policies that Mr Trump promised during his campaign and leaned into during his first weeks back in office.
Mr Trump pledged to keep delivering sweeping change to rescue the nation from what he described as destruction and mistakes left by his predecessor.
He seldom addressed his comments directly to the American people, who are trying to keep up with the recent upheaval, while repeatedly needling the Democratic lawmakers seated before him.
Michigan senator Elissa Slotkin, who delivered the Democratic response following Mr Trump’s speech, allowed that “America wants change, but there’s a responsible way to make change and a reckless way, and we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy.”
Emboldened after overcoming impeachments in his first term, outlasting criminal prosecutions in between his two administrations and getting a tight grip on the GOP-led Congress, Mr Trump has embarked on a mission to dismantle parts of the federal government, remake the relationship with America’s allies and slap on tariffs that have sparked a North American trade war.
“It has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action,” Mr Trump said of his opening weeks in office.
“The people elected me to do the job, and I am doing it.”
Mr Trump, who has billionaire adviser Elon Musk orchestrating his efforts to slash the size and scope of the federal government, said he is working to “reclaim democracy from this unaccountable bureaucracy” and threatened federal workers anew with firings if they resist his agenda.
Musk, who was seated in the House gallery, received a pair of standing ovations from Republicans in the chamber, as Mr Trump exaggerated and shared false claims about alleged government abuse uncovered by the Tesla and SpaceX founder and his team of disrupters.
Mr Trump repeated false claims that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments, prompting some Democrats to shout, “Not true!” and “Those are lies!”
Mr Trump spoke at a critical juncture in his presidency, as voters who returned him to the White House on his promise to fix inflation are instead finding economic chaos.
All the gains the S&P 500 have made since Election Day are now gone, while consumer sentiment surveys show the public sees inflation as worsening.
Mr Trump seemed prepared to double down on his trade policies, which experts have warned will raise prices for consumers.
At the same time, he tried to ease concerns about the resulting price increases, saying, “There’ll be a little disturbance, but we’re okay with that. It won’t be much.”
Mr Trump said one of his “very highest priorities” was to rescue the economy and offer relief to working families. He promised to organize the federal government to lower costs on eggs and energy, blaming his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden for the situation and offering scant details of his own plans.
Mr Trump also called for the extension of his first-term tax cuts and additional federal funding for his border crackdown, including for his promised efforts at “mass deportation” of people in the US illegally.
He celebrated his crackdown on migration, saying, “It turns all we really needed was a new president.”
Speaking about his promised tax cuts, Mr Trump seemed to goad Democrats, saying: “I’m sure you’re going to vote for those tax cuts. Because otherwise I don’t believe the people will ever vote you into office.”
The backdrop was the new economic uncertainty unleashed after the president opened the day by placing stiff tariffs on imports from the country’s neighbors and closest trading partners.
A 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico went into effect early Tuesday — ostensibly to secure greater cooperation to tackle fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration — triggering immediate retaliation and sparking fears of a wider trade war. Mr Trump also raised tariffs on goods from China to 20%.
Republicans were boisterous as Mr Trump stepped to the lectern in the House, chanting “USA! USA!” as the president basked in the cheers. The GOP lawmakers were jubilant, having won a trifecta of the White House, Senate and House in the elections.
However, they face the challenging task of delivering on Mr Trump’s agenda as well as avoiding a government shutdown later this month.
Across the aisle, out-of-power Democrats set the tone early, with most remaining seated without applauding or making eye contact with Mr Trump as he was introduced in the chamber.
Some Democrats chose to highlight the impact of Mr Trump’s actions by inviting fired federal workers as guests, including a disabled veteran from Arizona, a health worker from Maryland and a forestry employee who worked on wildfire prevention in California.
Mr Trump also used his speech to address his proposals for fostering peace in Ukraine and the Middle East, where he has unceremoniously upended the policies of the Biden administration in a matter of just weeks. On Monday, Mr Trump ordered a freeze to U. military assistance to Ukraine, ending years of staunch American support for the country in fending off Russia’s invasion.
Mr 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 a explosive Oval Office meeting last week broke down negotiations for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
“We’ve had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace,” Mr Trump said.
“Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” He also announced the arrest of a suspect in the 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed US troops during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Mr Trump’s 1 hour and 39 minute speech was the longest annual address a president has ever delivered to Congress, breaking Bill Clinton’s record of 1 hour and 28 minutes.
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