The US president has begun a “big” speech in which he has promised to “tell it like it is”

US President Donald Trump speaks to a joint session of Congress in the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. ©  Mandel Ngan / Getty Images

President Donald Trump is addressing a special joint session of the two chambers of the US Congress for the first time since taking office in January.

He said earlier that his address would be “big” and promised to “tell it like it is.”

The president is expected to make the case for his second-term agenda, including restructuring the federal government at home and advancing ‘America First’ policies abroad.

On Tuesday, Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods and doubled tariffs he slapped last month on products from China.

Trump reportedly intends to use his address to Congress to announce a deal on Ukraine’s critical mineral deposits, which he sees as part of his efforts to broker a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The planned signing of the deal last Friday was abruptly cancelled after a heated argument between Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in the Oval Office.

On Monday, Trump reportedly instructed the Pentagon to halt all military aid to Ukraine, including the weapons shipments in transit in Poland.

05 March 2025

04:00 GMT

Trump has ended his speech.

03:59 GMT

“We will fight, fight, fight for a country our citizens believe in!”

03:58 GMT

The US will plant a flag on Mars and far beyond, Trump promises.

03:57 GMT

Trump calls for celebration of the American national spirit, hailing the US as a country of pioneers and survivors defying dangers, building up civilization and defeating adversaries.

“It is our turn to take America’s destiny into our hands,” he says. “This will be our greatest era.”

03:55 GMT

Trump commemorates Corey Comperatore, a man killed at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania where an assassin made an attempt on Trump’s life last year.

03:52 GMT

Trump highlights the benefits of his diplomatic engagement with Russia, citing the recent release of former US diplomatic worker Marc Fogel. He was held in Russian custody under drugs charges.

03:50 GMT

Trump quotes a message issued by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, in which he expressed a wish to achieve peace and offered to sign a minerals deal with the US as soon as possible. The Trump administration has characterized the proposed agreement as a way to recoup the money spent on the conflict and make the US more invested in the Ukrainian future.

03:48 GMT

Trump reiterates his intention to stop the Ukraine conflict, citing the high death toll suffered by both sides and what he perceives as unfair distribution of the financial burden of supporting Kiev between the US and its European allies.

03:46 GMT

Trump announces the capture of a terrorist leader allegedly responsible for the Abbey Gate bomb attack during the 2021 withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, in which 13 US military service members were killed.

03:43 GMT

Trump highlights his efforts to increase the US foothold on Denmark’s autonomous island of Greenland.

05 March 2025

03:42 GMT

Trump highlights his successful diplomatic push to increase US influence on the operation of the Panama Canal, which he described as an infrastructure project built by Americans for Americans. BlackRock has recently announced plans to buy port infrastructure in Panama from a Chinese company, which alignes with Trump’s agenda.

03:39 GMT

Trump announces a program to boost shipbuilding in the US, saying it is required to maintain national security.

03:35 GMT

Trump pledges that there will be no place for “woke activism” in the US armed forces. His administration has reversed a policy that allowed recruitment of transgender individuals into the military.

03:34 GMT

Trump expresses support for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his interest in autism in children. The issue is controversial, since Kennedy claimed that a reported increase of autism cases in the US may be linked with certain vaccines.

03:30 GMT

Trump announces his decision to make Devarjay Daniel, a teenager known for his fight against brain cancer, an honorary member of the US Secret Service. Daniel was previously made an honorary deputy chief at the Birmingham Police Department in Florida.

03:24 GMT

“Radical left lunatics” have hijacked the US justice system, Trump claims, adding that his administration is working to restore fair treatment of citizens under law.

03:20 GMT

Trump demonstrates his executive order to commemorate Jocelyn Nungaray, the victim of another recent high-profile murder allegedly involving illegal migrants.

03:17 GMT

Trump claims his administration’s actions have pushed illegal border crossings to a record low level, proving that it could be achieved without major legislative reforms. “We are achieving the great liberation of America,” the president declared.

03:15 GMT

Trump once again attacks Biden’s “open border policies” and what he described as a major influx of criminals caused across the border with Mexico.

He highlights last year’s high-profile murder of Laken Riley by an immigrant from Venezuela as an example of the crisis at the border. The victims’ family members are in the audience.

03:06 GMT

Trump takes credit for a $500 billion AI project announced by leading US tech companies in the first weeks of his presidency and other investments into domestic manufacturing.

He says that the administration’s policy will greatly benefit American farmers and the steel industry who will be protected from foreign competition.

05 March 2025

03:03 GMT

Trump defends his decision to impose tariffs against major trade partners, including Canada, Mexico, and China, calling them a way to rebalance trade and protect American producers from unfair competition. “We have been ripped off for decades by nearly every country on earth, and we will not allow it any longer,” the president says.

02:57 GMT

Trump urges Democrats to vote for his proposal to cut taxes, claiming that if they don’t, they would risk losing voter support and their seats in Congress.

02:56 GMT

The president repeats his long-standing promise to “drain the swamp” and fight bureaucracy. “The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over,” he says.

02:55 GMT

Trump promotes his “golden card” immigration program aimed at allowing wealthy foreigners to buy residency permits, contrasting it with the Biden-era policies, which he claims allowed illegal migrants to undermine the US.

02:52 GMT

Fighting fraud and theft in government spending will bring down inflation and make Americans more prosperous, Trump says. He believes this could eventually allow the US to balance the federal budget.

02:50 GMT

Trump claims DOGE has found possible fraud worth billions of dollars, including in the US social security system. His criticisms of the popular program elicit angry shouts from some people in the audience.

02:48 GMT

Trump claims that the previous government had approved “$8 million for making mice transgender.” The remark prompts laughter from the audience. “This is real,” the president says. 

 

02:45 GMT

Trump hails the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its controversial head, billionaire Elon Musk, tasked with reducing waste of taxpayer money. He lists examples of projects that he believes do not deserve American funding, most of them in foreign nations.

02:43 GMT

Trump intends to take action and boost the production of critical rare earth minerals on US soil.

02:42 GMT

Support of the energy sector, including oil extraction, is a significant part of the plan to reduce inflation, Trump says. “It’s called ‘drill, baby, drill’.”

05 March 2025

02:41 GMT

Trump moves on to the economy, saying he is fighting to “make America affordable again” following a period of high inflation under former President Joe Biden.

02:40 GMT

The anti-DEI policies are part of a “common sense revolution,” Trump explains. He adds that schools allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports will not receive federal funding.

02:39 GMT

Trump hails his administration’s dismantling of the “tyranny” of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the US, including his ban of biological women in women’s sports. “Our country will be woke no longer,” he says.

02:33 GMT

Trump goes on to describe his executive actions in the first weeks of the presidency, including his decision to disengage from the World Health Organization. Many of them are reversing the policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden, which Trump claims were harmful to the US.

02:31 GMT

Trump invites Democrats to join Republicans in celebrating the improvements that his administration brings to the US.

02:29 GMT

The speaker restores order by having Congressman Al Green of Texas removed from the chamber. Trump continues his speech, describing his signature policy of cracking down on illegal immigration.

02:24 GMT

Trump describes his electoral success as giving him a decisive mandate to his agenda. Opponents interrupt his speech by booing, but supporters start chanting ‘USA!’ again. House Speaker Mike Johnson warns people present against any disruptions.

02:22 GMT

Trump claims his administration has made swift progress in delivering a new golden age for the US, as he promised on the campaign trail. “The American dream is surging bigger and better than ever before,” he says.

02:20 GMT

Trump begins his speech, declaring: “America is back.”

02:18 GMT

Trump has entered the chamber for his address and is being greeted by officials present. His supporters are chanting ‘USA!’ and clapping.

05 March 2025

02:05 GMT

According to Axios, some Democrats have been considering walkouts should Trump say something “objectionable.” Others reportedly discussed bringing protest signs, red cards, hand clappers, as well as eggs or empty egg cartons to highlight how inflation is leading to the increase in the price of eggs.

02:02 GMT

Trump’s televised remarks should not be confused with the annual State of the Union address outlined in the US Constitution. 

The presidents use the State of the Union to list their accomplishments during a previous year in office. Some presidents, including Ronald Reagan, delivered special addresses shortly after taking office to highlight their vision and future policies.