WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump capped off his first six weeks in workplace with a 100-minute speech to a joint session of Congress
The March 4 handle adopted a blitz of greater than 100 government actions that impacted practically each side of presidency and U.S. relationships with different nations.
Listed below are the highlights of the speech, which started with the assertion “America is again” and ended with a name to “renew the limitless promise of the American dream.”
1. Tax Cuts Promised for All People
Trump pledged across-the-board tax cuts, together with private earnings, company, and trade cuts.
After Republicans’ 2017 tax invoice didn’t make private earnings tax cuts everlasting, Trump says he’s pushing lawmakers to make sure that this Congress does so.
Trump reiterated his marketing campaign proposals to finish taxes on suggestions, extra time pay, and Social Safety advantages, and proposed zero curiosity on loans for American-made autos.
Trump inspired Democrats to hitch Republicans in backing the laws, suggesting they’d face political penalties in any other case.
“I’m positive you’re going to vote for these tax cuts as a result of, in any other case, I don’t consider the individuals will ever vote you into workplace,” he mentioned.
Trump added that these tax cuts—which might complete $4.5 trillion over a decade underneath the present Home GOP plan—could be retroactive to Jan. 20, 2025.
2. Border Closed, Deportations Underway
Trump touted his administration’s efforts to safe the border, having signed 10 government orders associated to halting the circulation of unlawful immigrants and initiating mass deportation efforts nationwide to take away violent criminals from the nation.
“Inside hours of taking the oath of workplace, I declared a nationwide emergency on our southern border, and I deployed the U.S. army and border patrol to repel the invasion of our nation, and what a job they’ve performed,” Trump mentioned. “In consequence, unlawful border crossings final month have been by far the bottom ever recorded.”
Trump mentioned his rhetoric additionally helped encourage would-be unlawful immigrants to rethink their plans.
“They heard my phrases, they usually selected to not come,” he mentioned.
The president additionally highlighted his order designating cartels and transnational gangs as overseas terrorist organizations.
3. Trump Touts ‘Frequent Sense Revolution’
Trump additionally introduced a “widespread sense revolution,” together with primarily by means of rooting out “woke” concepts from the federal government and federally-funded packages.
Trump highlighted his government order stripping federal funding for faculties that enable males to compete in feminine sports activities. One order declared that it’s the official coverage of america that Title IX applies to ladies and never males who establish as transgender females.
The primary gallery visitor launched by Trump was Payton McNabb, a feminine athlete who suffered accidents whereas enjoying volleyball in opposition to a male participant.
Trump additionally referenced merit-based hiring—quite than hiring to fulfill variety quotas—as a part of his “widespread sense revolution” agenda.
4. Tariffs Defined, ‘A Little Disturbance’
Trump mentioned his commerce insurance policies will stay centered round tariffs which are designed to spice up overseas funding in america and steadiness multi-billion-dollar commerce deficits. The objective is to carry trillions of {dollars} into the president’s new “exterior income service.”
“Should you don’t make your product in America,” Trump mentioned, “you’ll pay a tariff, and in some instances, a quite giant one.”
A sequence of tariffs—together with 25 % charges on items from Canada and Mexico and 20 % along with these already imposed on China—took impact on March 4, and across-the-board reciprocal tariffs are set to take impact on April 2.
“Different nations have used tariffs in opposition to us for many years, and now it’s our flip to begin utilizing them in opposition to these different nations,” Trump mentioned.
Whereas critics have recommended the tariffs may trigger inflation, the president rejected the notion and mentioned any affect could be momentary.
“There will be somewhat disturbance, like we’re okay with that,” Trump mentioned. “It gained’t be a lot.”
5. DOGE Findings Highlighted
Trump praised the work of Elon Musk in main the Division of Authorities Effectivity, which has introduced financial savings of over $105 billion by means of contract cancellations, workers reductions, and figuring out fraud and waste.
Trump listed quite a few multi-million greenback tasks associated to variety, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) that had been terminated, and a $22 billion plan to supply housing and cars for unlawful immigrants.
“We discovered a whole lot of billions of {dollars} of fraud,” Trump mentioned, noting that the Authorities Accounting Workplace has estimated that as much as $500 billion in fraudulent funds are made yearly.
“By slashing the entire fraud, waste, and theft we are able to discover, we’ll defeat inflation, carry down mortgage charges, decrease automobile funds and grocery costs, defend our seniors, and put more cash within the pockets of American households,” Trump mentioned.
6. Guarantees Balanced Price range
Trump additionally formalized plans to steadiness the federal funds throughout his second time period.
“I wish to do what has not been performed in virtually 24 years: Stability the funds,” Trump mentioned. “We’re going to steadiness the federal funds.”
A balanced federal funds is a longtime objective of many Republicans however it isn’t a problem Trump has traditionally addressed immediately.
On Feb. 7, he first indicated curiosity in such a plan, writing “Balanced funds!” in all caps in a publish on Reality Social.
Balancing the funds would require both substantial spending cuts or substantial will increase in authorities revenues, whether or not from inner or exterior sources.
He mentioned a part of reaching this may be a “gold card” program underneath which foreigners or their employers may pay $5 million for a path to citizenship.
7. Victims Spotlighted
Trump additionally acknowledged a number of victims of unlawful immigrant crime throughout his handle.
The primary was Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing pupil on the College of Georgia who was murdered by a Tren de Aragua gang member in February 2024.
Describing Riley as “good” and “the perfect in her class,” Trump touted his signing of the Laken Riley Act—the primary signature of his second time period—which requires federal detention of unlawful immigrants accused of sure crimes.
Trump then introduced {that a} 34,000-acre nationwide wildlife refuge close to Houston can be renamed after 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, additionally allegedly killed by Tren de Aragua gang members.
“The dying of this lovely 12-year-old woman and the agony of her mom and household touched our complete nation drastically,” Trump mentioned.
Relations of each victims have been in attendance on the speech.
8. Direct Attraction to Greenlanders
Trump immediately appealed to the individuals of Greenland to hitch america, which he mentioned would profit them and enhance the safety of america and the world.
“We strongly assist your proper to find out your individual future,” Trump mentioned. “And if you happen to select, we welcome you into america of America.”
Trump beforehand provided to purchase Greenland from Denmark, which oversees it as an autonomous territory. The provide was snubbed by the Danes.
“We are going to hold you secure, we’ll make you wealthy, and collectively, we’ll take Greenland to heights,” Trump mentioned.
The president mentioned the island is necessary to nationwide safety.
“We’re working with all people concerned to attempt to get it, however we want it actually for worldwide world safety,” Trump mentioned. “And I feel we’re going to get it in some way.”
9. Letter From Zelenskyy
The president described a letter he acquired from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier within the day, suggesting the be aware may point out the nations are nearer to reaching a mineral deal.
Zelenskyy’s letter mentioned that “Ukraine is able to come to the negotiating desk as quickly as potential to carry lasting peace nearer,” based on Trump.
The U.S.–Ukraine minerals deal fell aside after a tense trade between Trump and Zelenskyy within the Oval Workplace on Feb. 28. Trump additionally paused all U.S. help to Ukraine on March 3.
The be aware knowledgeable U.S. leaders that Ukraine is ready to comply with a minerals deal that might see 50 % of some pure useful resource revenues go to repay America for the roughly $175 billion appropriated to assist Ukrainian protection efforts.
Trump has repeatedly known as for an finish to the battle between Ukraine and Russia.
“I admire that he despatched this letter,” Trump mentioned. “Concurrently, we’ve had severe discussions with Russia and have acquired sturdy alerts that they’re prepared for peace. Wouldn’t that be lovely?”
10. New Shipbuilding Workplace
Trump mentioned a brand new White Home Workplace of Shipbuilding is supposed to counter China’s strides within the shipbuilding sector.
“We used to make so many ships. We don’t make them anymore very a lot, however we’re going to make them very quick, very quickly,” Trump mentioned. “It’ll have a huge effect.”
Traditionally a frontrunner within the shipbuilding trade, america has seen its dominance wane lately, and China now accounts for greater than 50 % of worldwide orders, based on U.N. Convention on Commerce and Growth information.
The president mentioned tax incentives will assist “resurrect” the trade and are supposed to revitalize business and army ship manufacturing and bolster nationwide safety efforts.
11. Arrest of High Terrorist Answerable for Abbey Gate
Trump made a shock announcement that the highest terrorist accountable for killing 13 U.S. service members in the course of the bombing at Abbey Gate in the course of the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 is now in custody.
“America is as soon as once more standing sturdy in opposition to the forces of radical Islamic terrorism,” Trump mentioned. “Tonight, I’m happy to announce that we’ve simply apprehended the highest terrorist accountable for that atrocity, and he’s, proper now, on his manner right here to face the swift sword of American justice.”
The Abbey Gate bombing was allegedly carried out by a suicide bomber, affiliated with ISIS, who detonated an explosive vest on the Hamid Karzai Worldwide Airport in Kabul.
U.S. officers have recognized the senior member of the ISIS terror group primarily based in Afghanistan as Muhammad Sharifullah.
Sharifullah was turned over to U.S. authorities by Pakistan and was being delivered to america for prosecution, Trump mentioned.
12. Democrats Reply
Congressional Democrats criticized Trump from each inside and out of doors of the Home chamber the place he spoke. Rep. Al Inexperienced (D-Texas) was escorted out of the chamber after standing up and yelling throughout Trump’s speech. He later mentioned that he was “making it clear to the president that he had no mandate to chop Medicaid.” Trump has mentioned he gained’t contact Medicaid.
Different Democrats protested with indicators that learn “Save Medicaid” and “Musk Steals.” Some congresswomen wore pink jackets as an announcement concerning the purportedly dangerous affect of Trump’s insurance policies on ladies.
Following Trump’s speech, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) gave a speech from her house state criticizing the president’s actions. “President Trump is attempting to ship an unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire pals,” she mentioned.