Trump defended tariffs and deportations, announced a possible deal with Volodymyr Zelensky, praised Elon Musk, blamed Joe Biden for the economy, made major policy announcements and mocked Democrats in attendance.
President Donald Trump leaned into his base during a speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, portraying the administration’s actions — from renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America to removing the “poison of critical race theory from public schools” — as part of a “common sense revolution” that is “sweeping the world.”
The nearly 90-minute speech was a marked departure from attempts at unity in previous joint addresses to Congress, but it was not unexpected, according to Northeastern University political science experts.
Pablo Calderon-Martinez, associate professor of international relations, likened the speech more to a Trump political rally than an aspirational speech about coming together.
“He’s trying to reinforce his message and really reinforce his vision of America to what he sees as his main constituents and the people that voted for him and the Republican Party in particular,” Calderon-Martinez said.
Nick Beauchamp, associate professor of political science, said the speech was more akin to Trump’s 2017 “American carnage” inaugural address than in the style of a State of the Union.
“Overall, I’d say this was about what you would expect if you based your expectations on campaign speeches and not previous joint addresses,” Beauchamp said.
Democrats — who protested both silently and, in one case, so vociferously that the congressman responsible was removed from the chamber — were taunted by the president, who warned them that not supporting his tax cut proposal would mean they would “never get elected again.”
The president even promoted some proposals that have not been universally popular — for example, tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, or the work of Elon Musk — who was seated in the House gallery — and the Department of Governmental Efficiency.
Sign up for NGN’s daily newsletter for news, discovery and analysis from around the world.
Here are five takeaways from the speech:
The biggest news of Trump’s speech came toward the end when he said he had received a letter from Volodymyr Zelensky indicating that the Ukrainian president is ready to sign a minerals deal — just days after an Oval Office confrontation and Trump’s freeze of aid to the country.
“The letter reads, Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,” Trump said.
“I appreciate that he sent this letter, I just got it a little while ago,” he added.
Aside from U.S. Rep. Al Green of Texas who was removed from the chamber, Democrats protested Trump mostly through signs, messages on T-shirts, and whiteboards and walkouts.
The varied strategy suggests the party remains at a loss on how to react to Trump, Calderon-Martinez said.
“They haven’t changed at all,” he said.
Beauchamp concurred.
“Democrats tried to be disruptive, but were largely unsuccessful,” he said. “Al Green did manage to do something new in being escorted out by the sergeant at arms, but the rest of it — the shouting, the signs, the gradual departures — had little effect.”
Trump described the Middle East as a “rough neighborhood,” but he did not elaborate on his idea to “take over” Gaza and redevelop it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” — an idea which has resulted in significant pushback from Middle Eastern allies as well as from aid organizations.
It stood in contrast to his statements toward Greenland — about which he said, “we’re eventually going to get it” — and his repeated belief that the longstanding Panama Canal deal was unfair and that the canal should be under American control.
“For (the Middle East conflict), it’s clearly difficult for them to figure out what to tout,” Beauchamp said.
From rising egg prices to hints of a slowing economy, Trump placed any blame squarely on his predecessor Joe Biden repeatedly, calling the prior administration a disaster and referring to the withdrawal from Afghanistan as the lowest moment in American history.
Beauchamp noted that in mentioning his “weaker issues,” Trump “dodged and caveated.”
On inflation and prices, he cast blame then “quickly pivoted” and barely mentioned how he would bring inflation down despite it being a main campaign topic, Beauchamp said.
And while Trump discussed tariffs at length, he also said “there may be a little bit of adjustment,” “there will be a little disturbance,” and “just bear with me.”
Similarly, Beauchamp said Trump basically admitted that he couldn’t do anything about mass deportations until Congress passes funding for it. There was almost no mention of the upcoming budget fight, shutdown and debt ceiling.
Trump referenced his assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania — pointing out the family of the man who was killed in the shooting as his guests — and said that he believes he was saved to “make America great again.”