President Donald Trump drilled down on inflation, the southern border, anti-DEI efforts and more in his address to a joint session of Congress, Supreme Court justices and most importantly Americans from coast to coast.

“America is back,” Trump said, kicking off his speech to applause from his fellow Republicans and adding. “The American dream is surging bigger and better than ever before.”
Since starting his second term, the president has teed up tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada, fired thousands of federal workers as part of a campaign to cut government spending and berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.

They’re all moves and moments the president is set to address as he speaks directly to both chambers of Congress, Supreme Court justices, honored guests and other officials.
Trump is delivering his remarks in the House chamber, the same room where just four years ago, fearful lawmakers ducked for cover as a mob of his supporters rampaged through the Capitol to stop the certification of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Democrats walk out of Trump’s speech in protest

Several Democrats, including Reps. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas., and Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., have walked out of the House chamber during Trump’s speech.

Some wore black t-shirts with the word “RESIST” in white letters on the back.

“Through walking out, my message to Donald Trump is simple: stop the lies, stop the cheating, and stop the stealing – enough is enough. The American people deserve better,” she shared on X.

Blaming Biden

It’s been nearly six weeks since Joe Biden left office, but Trump is still eager to use his predecessor as a punching bag as the economy wobbles.

Trump blamed Biden Tuesday for the price of eggs and more.

“Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control — the egg price is out of control and we’re working hard to get it back down,” Trump said, saying he “inherited a total mess.”

The stock market dipped after Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico went into effect this week and the tariff on Chinese goods jumped from 10% to 20%. Inflation has creeped back up and consumer confidence is down.

For Trump, though, it’s Biden’s policies that are the problem.

“We inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare,” Trump said.

Trump also criticized illegal immigration levels under Biden, and slammed his administration’s energy policies.

Touting Elon Musk and DOGE

Elon Musk had a prime seat for Trump’s speech in the House gallery and his work with the Department of Government Efficiency was front and center in Trump’s remarks.

Musk has been the dominant player in Trump’s administration other than president himself, tearing through federal agencies as the driving force behind DOGE. It has moved with lightning speed to cut government, implementing mass layoffs and wreaking havoc at various federal agencies. The cuts have sparked a growing backlash.

Trump said Musk is “working very hard.”

“He didn’t need this. Thank you very much. We appreciate it,” Trump said. The president then listed off federal spending he described as “scams” that DOGE has targeted.

Musk stood up in the gallery, nodding his head in acknowledgement as Republicans applauded.

Trump said DOGE is “headed” by Musk but his administration, which is contrary to what the administration said in a recent court filing. The White House has said Amy Gleason is the acting administrator of DOGE.

Trump blames Biden for inflation under his watch

Trump blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for stubborn inflation, vowing he’s “fighting every day to reverse this damage and make America affordable again.”

“Joe Biden, especially, let the price of eggs get out of control.” Biden said, even though egg prices have soared amid bird flu outbreaks during the Trump presidency.

The consumer price index rose during Trump’s first month in office from where it was when Biden left the White House.

Trump touted his administration’s efforts to lower energy prices including expanding federal oil and gas leases.

Who is Al Green?

You may have seen Rep. Al Green demonstrate during Trump’s speech on Tuesday. But who is the lawmaker?

He represents Texas’ ninth congressional district, which covers the southern Houston metro area. He currently serves on the Financial Services Committee as well as the Committee on Homeland Security.

Green announced in February that he would file articles of impeachment against Trump over “injustice in Gaza” – an effort that will likely be fruitless under a Republican majority in both chambers.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. and injustice in Gaza is a threat to justice in the United States of America,” Green said in a floor speech.

The effort came after Trump had proposed turning the Gaza Strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

A vocal Trump critic, Green also filed multiple longshot impeachment bids against Trump during his first term.

Trump touts DEI cuts

Trump boasted that he’d “ended the tyranny” of diversity, equity and inclusion – DEI – policies in the federal government, including the U.S. military.

“And our country will be woke no longer,” Trump said.

Trump signed an executive order in January abolishing the DEI programs in the Department of Defense.

Trump also touted his declaration that the U.S. recognizes only two genders and his policies restricting transgender Americans. Payton McNabb, a former high school athlete from Murphy, N.C., who suffered a brain injury after a transgender female athlete spiked a ball at her in a volleyball match in 2022, was an honored guest at the speech.

Trump kicks off speech with southern border

Much like the 2024 campaign, Trump used Tuesday’s speech to talk about securing the U.S.-Mexico border and the executive orders he issued, including deploying military members to the area.

He also touted his focus on mass deportations and other crackdowns, telling lawmakers that migrants “heard my words. and they chose not to come much easier that way.”

Democratic lawmaker interrupts, is drowned out with chants of ‘USA’

Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, stood and interrupted Trump as he started speaking. “You don’t have a mandate,” Green began, before the GOP stood and drowned him out with jeers and a chant of “USA.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned him before calling for him to be removed.

When guards began removing him, House Republicans sang “hey, hey, hey, goodbye.”

Some Democrats yelled: “Take your hat off” to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who is wearing a Make America Great Again hat on the floor, which is against House rules.

Trump begins address by declaring ‘America is back’

Trump began his joint address to Congress by declaring “America is back,” prompting chants of “USA!” from Republican members of Congress in attendance.

Trump began his joint address to Congress by declaring “America is back,” prompting chants of “USA!” from Republican members of Congress in attendance.

“Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the golden age of America,” Trump said. “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.”

Trump said his administration has accomplished more in 43 days than most presidents have in eight years, adding: “And we are just getting started.”

Donald Trump enters chamber

Trump entered the House chambers at 9:13 p.m. ET and shook hands with Republican lawmakers eager to greet the president.

Trump is accompanied by Republican lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo. and House GOP Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

Most Democrats remain seated as President Donald Trump enters the chamber. The few standing are not applauding, while the Republican side is cheering and clapping. Republicans broke out in a chant of USA.