President Donald Trump delivered his first joint address to Congress since returning to power, breaking the record for the longest State of the Union speech, Euronews reports.
On Tuesday night, he touted the accomplishments of his administration, highlighting what he believes has been unprecedented success in a remarkably short period of time.
“America’s momentum, spirit, pride, and confidence are back,” Trump declared. “The American dream is surging bigger and better than ever before. It is unstoppable, and our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed.”
The president also spoke about the speed and scope of his accomplishments, saying his administration has accomplished more in just 43 days than most past administrations have in four or even eight years.
“This has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action,” Trump said, emphasising his commitment to delivering results for the American people.
Trump’s speech covered a wide range of issues, from international relations to domestic policy. His comments ranged from discussing peace talks in Ukraine to new tariff proposals and his vision for the US economy.
Ukraine: A resumption of peace talks?
One of the most significant moments in Trump’s speech was a letter he received on Tuesday from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to Trump, Zelensky expressed his desire to return to the negotiating table after a previous contentious meeting in the Oval Office that led to the breakdown of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump shared the contents of the letter, saying that Zelensky mentioned that “we had serious discussions with Russia and received strong signals that they were ready for peace.”
Following this, Trump added: “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?,” expressing optimism that a peace deal could be reached and emphasising that the two sides may be closer than ever to resolving the conflict, despite the failure of previous talks.
Tariffs: Sharp criticism of global trade practices
Shifting to domestic politics, Trump sharply criticised several countries for what he called “unfair” trade practices against the US.
In particular, he pointed to the European Union, India, Mexico and Brazil, noting that these countries – and “many others” – have imposed trade policies that infringe on American interests.
He said, “This is happening by both friends and foes,” referring to both allies and adversaries who impose high tariffs on US goods.
Trump announced that from April 2, the US will impose “retaliatory tariffs,” meaning that the US will impose the same tariffs on countries that levy taxes on American goods.
“Whatever they tax us, we will tax them,” he said, explaining how the new tariff system will work.
Trump said the US has historically imposed lower tariffs than many of its trading partners, and now is the time to reverse that trend.
This week, the Trump administration imposed significant tariffs on Mexico and Canada. In response, both countries announced retaliatory tariffs, raising fears that this could lead to a full-blown trade war.
Economists have warned that such a conflict could lead to higher consumer prices, but Trump has remained steadfast in his stance that the US has been treating foreign trading partners unfairly for years.
“We will take in trillions and trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before,” Trump said confidently, signalling that his administration’s tough stance on tariffs would significantly boost the US economy and manufacturing sector.
In particular, he pointed to the US auto industry, which he said is “absolutely thriving” thanks to a combination of tariffs and his 2016 election victory. He acknowledged that the tariffs would create some “turmoil” but assured that the country would “get through it.”
Trump praised Mexico for its recent efforts to extradite cartel leaders to the US, but called for more action, particularly on the fentanyl trade.
“But we need more from Mexico and Canada to stop fentanyl from crossing the border,” he said, urging Congress to pass a bill that would strengthen border security and reduce drug trafficking.
In addition, Trump reiterated his stance on immigration, saying his administration has already sent Congress a detailed funding request aimed at “the largest deportation operation in US history.”
Economy: “Bailout” and relief for working families
Trump also addressed the state of the US economy, saying that one of his top priorities is “saving our economy” and providing “relief” to American families.
He blamed the previous administration for the economic problems he inherited, calling it an “economic disaster and an inflationary nightmare.”
Trump made it clear that he believes the current economic problems are a direct result of policies implemented under President Joe Biden.
“I’m fighting every day to make America affordable again,” Trump said, promising to reverse the recession and lower costs for working-class families. He criticised Biden for soaring prices of goods such as eggs, calling it an example of inflation “out of control.” He pledged to address those problems in an effort to make life more affordable for American families struggling with rising costs.
Greenland: “I think we’re going to get it”
Trump revisited his controversial interest in acquiring Greenland, a proposal that first attracted attention during his first term.
Although Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Trump suggested that the US would “take over” the island for national security reasons.
“I think we’re going to get it,” Trump said of Greenland, indicating that he believes the US will eventually gain control of the territory “one way or another.”
Acquiring Greenland, home to a major US military base, has been a longstanding goal of Trump’s. He saw it as an opportunity to strengthen US national security while bringing economic prosperity to the country.
“It will make them rich and it will make us safe,” Trump added.
Trump also expressed a desire to “reclaim” the Panama Canal – a remark that seemed to be both an ambitious foreign policy goal and a veiled jab at his Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been criticised for the way he conducts US foreign policy.
Law & Order: Aggressive policing
In his speech, Trump also addressed issues related to law enforcement and public safety, continuing his campaign rhetoric related to “law and order.”
He called for a return to stronger law enforcement in US cities, saying that “our justice system has been turned upside down by radical leftist lunatics.”
Trump painted a picture of Democrat-led cities as overrun with crime, despite data showing an overall decline in violent crime since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his remarks, Trump advocated for more aggressive policing, arguing that “one hour of work” by law enforcement would be enough to put an end to retail thefts and other crimes. He also pushed for stronger protections for police officers, including “immunity from prosecution’ for those involved in law enforcement.
