Donald Trump leaves after addressing a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on Tuesday
Donald Trump leaves after addressing a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on Tuesday
President Donald Trump vowed not to lift tariffs on America’s biggest trading partners in his first address to Congress on Tuesday, but appeared ready to reduce tensions with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine just days after an Oval Office blow-up in which he threatened to abandon a key ally fighting an invasion.
During the 100-minute speech — the longest presidential address to Congress in modern history — Trump read aloud a message of gratitude that Zelensky had posted on social media earlier in the day. Trump said he appreciated the message, and had received “strong signals” from Russia that the country was eager for peace.
“Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” Trump said.
He was less conciliatory towards Canada, Mexico and China after imposing tariffs earlier in the day that roiled global markets and drew rebukes from the countries’ leaders. The President said nothing in his speech on Tuesday night to suggest that an extended trade war might yet be averted.
“Whatever they tariff us, other countries, we will tariff them,” he said. “Whatever they tax us, we will tax them. If they do non-monetary tariffs to keep us out of their market, then we do non-monetary barriers to keep them out of our market.”
Together, the President’s remarks underscored the chaotic, whiplash nature of the opening weeks of Trump’s second term. Much of the lengthy speech was filled with grievances about his treatment by Democrats and exaggerations about his accomplishments. It capped a six-week blitz of actions since Trump took office, a period in which he has fired government workers, frozen foreign aid, upended international alliances, pardoned rioters and issued a flood of executive orders.
“Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America,” Trump said, repeatedly appearing to veer from his prepared remarks. “From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country.”
From the first moments of his address, Trump faced heckling from Democrats as he said that “America is back”. Democrats barely applauded, while Republicans enthusiastically cheered. “The people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements,” Trump said, striking a note of self-pity that he had not gained acceptance from Democrats in the chamber. “They won’t do it no matter what.”
There have been other outbursts during presidential speeches in recent years, including by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, during the Biden administration and Representative Joe Wilson, Republican of South Carolina, during the Obama administration. Both remained in the chamber after interrupting the President.
Just days after threatening to abandon a European ally at war and kicking off a trade war, Trump offered no new policy proposals, repeatedly denigrated former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and mocked Democrats in the audience for their inability
to stand in the way of his agenda.
The President did not dwell on foreign policy, though he again threatened to annex the Panama Canal, saying that “my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we’ve already started doing it”.
He said he wanted to construct a “golden dome” to protect the US from missile strikes and create a new shipbuilding office, and he tried to entice Greenland to leave Denmark and join the US. He also announced that the US had apprehended a terrorist who organised the bombing of the Abbey Gate during the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
Trump spent much of his time telling the stories of Americans he invited to watch his address in the gallery, including the victims of violent immigrants and a boy with cancer who dreamed of becoming a police officer.
Throughout, he appeared to obsess over his political rivals. At one point, he motioned to Democrats, saying the system of justice in the country had been taken over by “radical Left lunatics”.
In response, progressive members of the party held up panels that said “False” and “That’s a lie”.
A number of Democrats staged a small protest, standing up and turning their backs towards Trump with T-shirts that said “resist” on the back. Instead of risking being removed by the sergeant-at-arms, the group quietly walked off the House floor.