‘America is back,’ Trump says during address to joint session of Congress

Democratic Texas congressman Al Green is removed from the House chamber. He was removed for booing Trump.

During his address, Trump said that six weeks ago, he stood beneath the dome of the Capitol and proclaimed “the dawn of the golden age of America”. 

“We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started,” he said. 

Donald Trump said that ‘America is back’ as he started his address to a joint session of Congress. 

When he entered the chamber, he received a huge round of applause from Republicans, who have started chanting “USA! USA!”

Trump will tell Congress that the American dream is “unstoppable” and the United States is regaining its confidence as he begins a second term, according to excerpts released by the White House.

“The American Dream is surging — bigger and better than ever before. The American Dream is UNSTOPPABLE, and our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed, and perhaps will never witness again,” Trump will say in the most highly anticipated speech since his inauguration six weeks ago. 

Elon Musk will be sitting in the White House guest box for Trump’s address to Congress, reports said, citing a person familiar with the arrangement. 

Trump is now departing the White House for his address to a joint session of Congress at Capitol Hill. First lady Melania Trump accompanied the president in his motorcade.

US President Donald Trump and the First Lady departs the White House for his address before a joint session of Congress#DonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/Z3m9lHrWl9

— WION (@WIONews) March 5, 2025

A report by the news agency Reuters noted that Trump hopes to announce a minerals deal with Ukraine in his address to Congress tonight. 

Sources told the news agency that Trump has told his advisers he wants to announce the agreement in tonight’s address. 

They cautioned that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

Just one in three Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s handling of the cost of living in the U.S., a sign of unease as he enacts steep tariffs on imports that are stoking inflation worries, a Reuters/Ipsos survey has found.

“The main takeaway from this polling is that the American people continue to actually be focused primarily on cost of living issues, and that is potentially Donald Trump’s biggest Achilles heel at the moment,” said Chris Jackson, Head of Public Polling at Ipsos, in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday (March 4). 

The White House said the theme of the speech at 9:00 pm (0200 GMT Wednesday) would be “the renewal of the American dream,” in social media posts linking to a story on Fox News, the administration’s preferred outlet. 

Fox said Trump would cover four areas: his second term’s achievements so far at home and abroad, the economy, a push for Congress to pass border funding and Trump’s plans for “peace around the globe.” 

“President Trump is the greatest orator we’ve ever had in the Oval Office. Every time he’s done one of these addresses, Americans have been overwhelmingly blown away,” his Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told reporters on Monday. 

“It’s an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking unprecedented achievements and accomplishments that have made this the most successful opening to any presidency.” 

Trump’s latest action on tariffs has sparked trade wars that could slam economic growth and lift prices for Americans. 

Trump has imposed new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that took effect on Tuesday (March 4), along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%. 

The tariff actions, which look set to upend nearly $2.2 trillion in annual U.S. trade with its top three trading partners, went live at 12:01 a.m. (0501 GMT) in the absence of any last-minute deal. 

Director of US think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) economics program, Philip Luck, said he expects Trump’s tariffs “to be massively impactful to the economies that border Mexico and Canada”.

“This will massively disrupt supply chains. A lot of people will be laid off. This will increase prices, and this will be detrimental to the US economy,” said Luck. 

“Estimates suggest that the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will increase prices for Americans by about $1,200 per household,” he added. 

Start: 05 Mar 2025 01:25 GMT

End: 05 Mar 2025 03:00 GMT

What’s the schedule?

TBD – Donald Trump departs from the White House en route to the US Capitol to address a joint session of Congress. 

0135 GMT – US House Speaker Mike Johnson calls the House to order

0135 GMT – Sergeant at Arms announces U.S. Vice President JD Vance

0140 GMT – Joint Chiefs enter House Chamber

0145 GMT – Second Lady Usha Vance is escorted into the Executive Gallery

0155 GMT – First Lady Melania Trump is escorted into the Executive Gallery

0210 GMT – US President Donald Trump begins his speech

The closing bell rings at the New York Stock Exchange as stocks tumble after the United States proceeded with new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, exacerbating worries that higher inflation will prompt a recession.

Donald Trump’s address to Congress will begin at 9 pm ET on Tuesday, 4 March in Washington DC. 

He will deliver remarks from the chamber of the House of Representatives. 

In the US, major news networks are likely to broadcast the address live.

Trump could announce a compromise tariff arrangement with Canada and Mexico, his commerce secretary said in an interview. This came shortly after sweeping 25-percent levies went into effect.

“I think he’s going to work something out with them,” Howard Lutnick told Fox Business on Tuesday. “Somewhere in the middle will likely be the outcome, the president moving with the Canadians and Mexicans, but not all the way.”