President Donald Trump declared that “America is back,” touting his administration’s sweeping changes while brushing off fierce opposition from Democrats.
According to The AFP, he made this known during his first address to Congress since returning to the White House
The speech, which lasted over an hour and 40 minutes, set a record for the longest presidential address to lawmakers, surpassing Bill Clinton’s 2000 State of the Union speech.
Trump praised billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk for his aggressive push to overhaul federal bureaucracy, calling it a “necessary revolution.” The SpaceX and Tesla CEO received two standing ovations from Republican lawmakers as Trump credited him with helping to dismantle what he called “the deep state.”
“The American Dream is unstoppable,” Trump declared to roaring applause from Republican members. “We are just getting started.”
Democrats wasted no time making their objections known. Within minutes, Representative Al Green was escorted out after persistently heckling the president over healthcare issues and waving his walking stick in protest. Others silently held up signs with messages like “False,” “Musk steals,” and “That’s a lie!”
At one point, Democratic lawmakers began chanting “January 6!”—a reference to the 2021 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters following his election defeat. However, the 78-year-old president remained unfazed, pushing forward with his policy agenda and campaign-style rhetoric.
One of the most striking moments of Trump’s speech came when he announced a potential breakthrough in the war between Russia and Ukraine. He claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had reached out with a willingness to negotiate peace.
“I received an important letter from President Zelensky of Ukraine,” Trump said. “He told me Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer.”
His foreign policy remarks also included renewed vows to take control of the Panama Canal and a controversial plan to acquire Greenland from Denmark, saying the U.S. would obtain it “one way or another.”
Trump defended his economic strategy, despite concerns that his trade war with Canada, China, and Mexico could destabilize global markets. He dismissed fears of economic disruption, acknowledging there might be “a little disturbance” but insisting that his tariffs were necessary to stop the U.S. from being “ripped off for decades.”
The president also doubled down on his hardline immigration stance, vowing to “wage war” on Mexican drug cartels and citing crimes committed by migrants as justification for stricter policies.
On domestic issues, Trump proclaimed an end to what he called “woke policies,” taking direct aim at diversity initiatives and transgender rights. “Our country will be woke no longer,” he declared to chants of “USA! USA!” from his supporters.
Trump celebrated his administration’s sweeping efforts to shrink the federal government, boasting about mass firings and agency closures. He credited Musk as a key figure in the effort, saying, “The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”
The restructuring has faced criticism, with Democrats warning that the rapid cuts could weaken government functions and harm American leadership abroad.
In the official Democratic rebuttal, Senator Elissa Slotkin accused Trump and Musk of “reckless” decision-making that she said was harming middle-class Americans while diminishing the nation’s global standing.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk are tearing down the very institutions that protect working families,” Slotkin said. “And now, on the world stage, he’s walking away from American leadership when our allies need us most.”
With Trump enjoying a Republican-controlled Congress and a loyal voter base, his policies are moving forward swiftly. However, early polling suggests that dissatisfaction over inflation and government cuts may be eroding his approval ratings.
