On the Democratic side of the chamber, several seats were empty, with some lawmakers attending anti-government rallies outside the Capitol.
A record-breaking speech
According to Reuters, Trump appeared more disciplined than usual and largely adhered to his prepared script. Even so, he showed his combative instincts when addressing immigration, engaging in brief heated exchanges with Democratic lawmakers.
There was also a strong element of theatre. Trump celebrated what he described as the victories of his administration and introduced members of the US men’s hockey team, who entered the chamber wearing gold medals from the Winter Olympics. He announced that goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom and presented a total of six awards during the evening.
At 79, the president spoke for approximately one hour and 47 minutes, surpassing his own record from last year to deliver the longest presidential address to Congress.
Inflation, the economy and uncertainty
Trump insisted that inflation is falling sharply. Yet prices for food, housing, insurance and energy remain significantly higher than they were a few years ago. Data released on Friday showed that economic growth slowed more than expected in the last quarter, while inflation rose again.
A Reuters Ipsos poll found that only 36 per cent of Americans approve of the president’s handling of the economy.
Democrats are aiming to regain control of both chambers of Congress in November. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and roughly one third of the 100 Senate seats are at stake.
The official Democratic response was delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, whose strong victory in November was seen as a warning sign for Republicans. She accused Trump of abandoning Americans struggling financially.
‘Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family?’ she asked. ‘We all know the answer. No.’
Limited focus on Ukraine and foreign policy
Although Trump had sharply criticised Supreme Court judges following Friday’s ruling that overturned most of his import tariffs, he avoided direct attacks during Tuesday’s address. He even shook hands with four of the judges as he entered the chamber.
He described the court’s decision to declare the tariffs illegal as unfortunate, but insisted it would have only a limited effect on his broader trade agenda.
Artificial intelligence, which has fuelled stock market gains but also raised fears about job security, received almost no attention. Foreign policy was similarly addressed only briefly, despite having been a prominent feature of his presidency.
‘I prefer to solve this problem through diplomacy,' he said in reference to Iran. 'But one thing is certain. I will never allow the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism to obtain a nuclear weapon.'
Trump repeated his claim that he had ended eight wars, an assertion critics dispute. He made only passing reference to Ukraine, even though Tuesday marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion. China, Washington’s main economic rival, was not mentioned, nor was Greenland, which he has previously suggested annexing.
The immigration dispute
Turning to immigration, one of his central political themes, Trump reiterated rhetoric familiar from his 2024 campaign. He argued that illegal immigration has contributed to rising violent crime.
He accused Democrats of withholding funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless enforcement measures were softened.
However, recent polling suggests that many Americans believe the immigration crackdown has gone too far. Tensions escalated following two fatal encounters in Minneapolis involving US citizens who were participating in anti-ICE activism and confronted masked federal agents during enforcement operations.
When Trump praised his immigration policy, Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, who represents part of Minneapolis, shouted, ‘You killed Americans.’
He also repeated allegations of widespread election fraud and criticised Democrats for opposing voter identification requirements. ‘They want to cheat,’ he said. Democrats argue that the proposed legislation would impose unnecessary obstacles and restrict turnout.
The Epstein scandal
Democratic congressman Al Green was removed from the chamber for the second consecutive year after waving a banner reading ‘Black people are not monkeys’.
The slogan referred to a video shared on social media in which former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were depicted as monkeys. The White House later removed the clip, saying it had been posted by a staff member.
Other Democrats opted for quieter forms of protest. Representative Jill Tokuda of Hawaii wore a white jacket bearing the words ‘accessibility’ and ‘health care’.
Several Democratic congresswomen wore badges reading ‘release the files’, referring to the scandal involving convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Around a dozen of his victims attended the rally at the Democrats’ invitation.
(reuters, mja)
