Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, remained seated throughout President Donald Trump’s address to a Joint Session of Congress at the Capitol on Tuesday night.
While Republicans frequently stood to applaud, the left-wing lawmakers largely kept a straight face and held up signs reading “False,” “Protect Veterans,” “Musk Steals,” and “Save Medicaid.”
The contrast was stark as Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, cabinet members, and Republican lawmakers repeatedly rose to give standing ovations during the 100-minute speech—the longest by a U.S. president in modern history, surpassing Bill Clinton’s record.
Tensions and early drama
Early in the speech, Texas Representative Al Green was removed from the chamber after shouting at the President. “I followed the will of conscience,” he later told ABC News.
Trump opened his speech with “America is back,” listing his administration’s accomplishments since returning to office in January. He declared that more had been achieved in six weeks than in “four years or eight years” under his predecessors.
Border security and immigration crackdown
Touting his immigration policies, Trump announced “We quickly achieved the lowest illegal border crossings ever recorded. We are achieving the great liberation of America.” He criticized the Biden administration’s open-border policy, calling it “insane and very dangerous.” He praised Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for recent nationwide raids and assured, “We are getting them out fast.”
Gender policies and school reforms
The President also addressed gender and sports policies, defending his decision to ban men from competing in women’s sports. He recognized a female athlete in the chamber who was severely injured by a transgender competitor. “It was unfair,” he stated.
Trump also criticized schools for “indoctrinating children with gender change” and declared his administration’s commitment to “getting wokeness out of our schools, our military, and our society.”
Crime and national security
On national security, Trump emphasized his “war on gangs and cartels,” citing the recent extradition of 29 wanted cartel leaders from Mexico. The Department of Justice confirmed the fugitives include figures from the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and other criminal organizations.
Trump also announced that MS-13, Tren de Aragua, and Mexican cartels were now designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, stating, “They are now in the same category as ISIS, and that’s not good for them.”
Further, he vowed to “get cold-blooded killers and repeat offenders off the streets” and referenced a new order mandating the death penalty for anyone who murders a police officer.
Foreign policy and economic plans
Trump revealed that the mastermind behind a deadly attack on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan had been arrested, thanking Pakistan’s government for assisting in his capture. The suspect is now being extradited for prosecution.
He also praised the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for uncovering “fraud, waste, and theft,” warning, “Any federal bureaucrat who resists change will be removed immediately.”
The speech also covered economic issues, including inflation, investments, federal funding pauses, tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico, as well as the U.S.’s “reclaim of the Panama Canal” and Greenland’s “decision to join the U.S.”
A call for transformation
As he neared the conclusion, Trump stated, “I was saved by God to make America great again,” and assured Americans that the next four years “would be our greatest era.”
“My fellow Americans, get ready for an incredible future because the golden age of America has only just begun. It will be like nothing that has ever been seen before,” he declared.
