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by Lawrence Wilson, Joseph Lord,
Travis Gillmore, Sam Dorman
March 05, 2025
from
TheEpochTimes Website
Also
published
HERE...
President Donald
Trump
addresses a joint
session of Congress
in the House
Chamber on Capitol Hill
in Washington on
March 4, 2025.
Madalina Vasiliu/The
Epoch Times
President Donald Trump
capped off
his first six weeks in office
with a
100-minute speech
to a joint
session of Congress...
President
Donald Trump capped off his
first six weeks in office with a 100-minute speech to a joint
session of Congress.
The March 4 address followed a blitz of more than 100 executive
actions that impacted nearly every aspect of government and U.S.
relationships with other nations.
Here are the highlights of the speech, which began with the
statement "America is back" and ended with a call to,
"renew the
unlimited promise of the American dream."
1. Tax Cuts
Promised for All Americans
Trump pledged across-the-board tax cuts, including personal income,
corporate, and industry cuts.
After Republicans' 2017 tax bill failed to make personal income tax
cuts permanent, Trump says he is pushing lawmakers to ensure that
this Congress does so.
Trump reiterated his campaign proposals to end taxes on tips,
overtime pay, and Social Security benefits, and proposed zero
interest on loans for American-made vehicles.
Trump encouraged Democrats to join Republicans in backing the
legislation, suggesting they would face political consequences
otherwise.
"I'm sure you're going to vote for those tax
cuts because, otherwise, I don't believe the people will ever
vote you into office," he said.
Trump added that these tax cuts - which would
total $4.5 trillion over a decade under the current House GOP plan -
would be retroactive to Jan. 20, 2025.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
(R-La.)
delivers
remarks after the House passed
the
Republican's budget resolution on the spending bill
at the
U.S. Capitol on Feb. 25, 2025.
Kayla
Bartkowski/Getty Images
2. Border
Closed, Deportations Underway
Trump touted his administration's efforts to secure the border,
having signed 10 executive orders related to halting the flow of
illegal immigrants and initiating mass deportation efforts
nationwide to remove violent criminals from the country.
"Within hours of taking the oath of office, I
declared a national emergency on our southern border, and I
deployed the U.S. military and border patrol to repel the
invasion of our country, and what a job they've done," Trump
said.
"As a result, illegal border crossings last
month were by far the lowest ever recorded."
Trump said his rhetoric also helped encourage
would-be illegal immigrants to reconsider their plans.
"They heard my words, and they chose not to
come," he said.
The president also highlighted his order
designating cartels and transnational gangs as foreign terrorist
organizations.
President Donald Trump
holds a copy of
an executive order
honoring
Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl
who was
killed by illegal immigrants,
as he addresses
a joint session of Congress
at the U.S.
Capitol on March 4, 2025.
Win
McNamee/Getty Images
3. Trump Touts
'Common Sense Revolution'
Trump also announced a "common sense revolution," including
primarily through rooting out "woke" ideas from the government and
federally-funded programs.
He referenced an executive order signed early in his second term
declaring that the federal government recognizes only two sexes,
based on biological sex at conception and not "gender ideology."
Trump highlighted his executive order stripping federal funding for
schools that allow males to compete in female sports.
One order declared that it is the official policy
of the United States that Title IX applies to women and not men who
identify as transgender females.
The first gallery guest introduced by Trump was Payton McNabb, a
female athlete who suffered injuries while playing volleyball
against a male player.
Trump also referenced merit-based hiring - rather than hiring to
meet diversity quotas - as part of his "common sense revolution"
agenda.
Payton McNabb (C), former high
school athlete
who was injured
by a volleyball spike
from an
opposing male player who identified as
a transgender
woman,
is recognized
by President Donald Trump
as he speaks
during an address
to a joint
session of Congress at the
U.S. Capitol on
March 4, 2025.
Jim Watson/AFP
via Getty Images
4. Tariffs
Explained, 'A Little Disturbance'
Trump said his trade policies will remain centered around tariffs
that are designed to boost foreign investment in the United States
and balance multi-billion-dollar trade deficits.
The goal is to bring trillions of dollars into
the president's new "external revenue service."
"If you don't make your product in America,"
Trump said, "you will pay a tariff, and in some cases, a rather
large one."
A series of tariffs - including 25 percent fees
on goods from Canada and Mexico and 20 percent in addition to those
already imposed on China - took effect on March 4, and
across-the-board reciprocal tariffs are set to take effect on April
2.
"Other countries have used tariffs against us
for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them against
those other countries," Trump said.
While critics have suggested the tariffs could
cause inflation, the president rejected the notion and said any
impact would be temporary.
"There'll be a little disturbance, like we're
okay with that," Trump said.
"It won't be much."
5. DOGE
Findings Highlighted
Trump praised the work of Elon Musk in leading the Department of
Government Efficiency, which has announced savings of over $105
billion through contract cancellations, staff reductions, and
identifying fraud and waste.
Trump listed a number of multi-million dollar projects related to
diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that had been terminated, and
a $22 billion plan to provide housing and automobiles for illegal
immigrants.
"We found hundreds of billions of dollars of
fraud," Trump said, noting that the Government Accounting Office
has estimated that up to $500 billion in fraudulent payments are
made annually.
"By slashing all of the fraud, waste, and theft we can find, we
will defeat inflation, bring down mortgage rates, lower car
payments and grocery prices, protect our seniors, and put more
money in the pockets of American families," Trump said.
White House senior advisor
to the
president Elon Musk
attends
President Donald Trump's address to a
joint session
of Congress at the U.S. Capitol
on March 4,
2025.
Madalina
Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
6. Promises Balanced Budget
Trump also formalized plans to balance the federal budget during his
second term.
"I want to do what has not been done in
almost 24 years: Balance the budget," Trump said. "We are going
to balance the federal budget."
A balanced federal budget is a longtime goal of
many Republicans but it is not an issue Trump has historically
addressed directly.
On Feb. 7, he first indicated interest in such a plan, writing
"Balanced budget!" in all caps in a post on Truth Social.
Balancing the budget would require either substantial spending cuts
or substantial increases in government revenues, whether from
internal or external sources.
He said part of achieving this would be a "gold card" program under
which foreigners or their employers could pay $5 million for a path
to citizenship.
7. Victims
Spotlighted
Trump also recognized several victims of illegal immigrant crime
during his address.
The first was Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at
the University of Georgia who was murdered by a
Tren de Aragua gang member in February 2024.
Describing Riley as "brilliant" and "the best in her class," Trump
touted his signing of the Laken Riley Act - the first signature of
his second term - which requires federal detention of illegal
immigrants accused of certain crimes.
Trump then announced that a 34,000-acre national wildlife refuge
near Houston will be renamed after 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray,
also allegedly killed by Tren de Aragua gang members.
"The death of this beautiful 12-year-old girl
and the agony of her mother and family touched our entire nation
greatly," Trump said.
Family members of both victims were in attendance
at the speech.
Allyson and Lauren Phillips,
the mother and
sister of Laken Riley,
listen as
President Donald Trump addresses
a joint session
of Congress at the
U.S. Capitol on
March 4, 2025.
Kayla
Bartkowski/Getty Images
8. Direct
Appeal to Greenlanders
Trump directly appealed to the people of Greenland to join the
United States, which he said would benefit them and improve the
security of the United States and the world.
"We strongly support your right to determine
your own future," Trump said.
"And if you choose, we welcome you into the
United States of America."
Trump previously offered to buy Greenland
from Denmark, which oversees it as an autonomous territory.
The offer was snubbed by the Danes.
"We will keep you safe, we will make you
rich, and together, we will take Greenland to heights," Trump
said.
The president said the island is important to
national security.
"We're working with everybody involved to try
and get it, but we need it really for international world
security," Trump said.
"And I think we're going to get it one way or
the other."
9. Letter From
Zelenskyy
The president described a letter he received from Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day, suggesting
the note could indicate the nations are closer to reaching a mineral
deal.
Zelenskyy's letter said that,
"Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating
table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer,"
according to Trump.
The U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal fell apart after a
tense exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on
Feb. 28.
Trump also paused all U.S. aid to Ukraine on
March 3.
President Donald Trump
greets
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
at the White
House in Washington on Feb. 28, 2025.
Madalina
Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
The note informed U.S. leaders that Ukraine is prepared to agree to
a minerals deal that would see 50 percent of some natural resource
revenues go to repay America for the approximately $175 billion
appropriated to support Ukrainian defense efforts.
Trump has repeatedly called for an end to the
conflict between
Ukraine and Russia.
"I appreciate that he sent this letter,"
Trump said.
"Simultaneously, we've had serious
discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that
they are ready for peace.
Wouldn't that be beautiful?"
10. New Shipbuilding Office
Trump said a new White House Office of Shipbuilding is meant to
counter China's strides in the shipbuilding sector.
"We used to make so many ships. We don't make
them anymore very much, but we're going to make them very fast,
very soon," Trump said.
"It will have a huge impact."
Historically a leader in the shipbuilding
industry, the United States has seen its dominance wane in recent
years, and
China now accounts for more than 50 percent of global
orders, according to U.N. Conference on Trade and Development data.
The president said tax incentives will help "resurrect" the industry
and are meant to revitalize commercial and military ship production
and bolster national security efforts.
11. Arrest of
Top Terrorist Responsible for Abbey Gate
Trump made a surprise announcement that the top terrorist
responsible for killing 13 U.S. service members during the
bombing
at Abbey Gate during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021
is now in custody.
A sign with photos and names
of the 13
service members
killed in a
terrorist attack at Abbey Gate
is displayed
during a news conference
at the U.S.
Capitol on Sept. 9, 2024.
Kent
Nishimura/Getty Images
"America is once again standing strong against the forces of
radical Islamic terrorism," Trump said.
"Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we
have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that
atrocity, and he is, right now, on his way here to face the
swift sword of American justice."
The Abbey Gate bombing was allegedly
carried out by a suicide bomber, affiliated with ISIS, who detonated
an explosive vest at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in
Kabul.
U.S. officials have identified the senior member of the ISIS terror
group based in Afghanistan as Muhammad Sharifullah.
Sharifullah was turned over to U.S. authorities by Pakistan and was
being brought to the United States for prosecution, Trump said.
12. Democrats
Respond
Congressional Democrats criticized Trump from both within and
outside of the House chamber where he spoke.
Rep.
Al Green (D-Texas) was escorted out
of the chamber after standing up and yelling during Trump's speech.
Green rose to speak and shook his cane toward the president about
four minutes into the speech, but his words were quickly drowned out
by chants of "USA! USA!" from Republican lawmakers.
He later said that he was,
"making it clear to the president that he had
no mandate to cut Medicaid."
Trump has said he won't touch Medicaid.
Other Democrats protested with signs that read,
"Save Medicaid" and "Musk Steals."
Some congresswomen wore pink jackets as a
statement about the purportedly harmful impact of Trump's policies
on women.
Following Trump's speech, Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) gave
a speech from her home state criticizing the president's actions.
"President Trump is trying to deliver an
unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire friends," she said.
Rep. Herb Conaway (D-N.J.) on NTD, The
Epoch Times' sister media outlet, pushed back on the idea of a
golden age for America, stating that inflation has increased
alongside the price of eggs and coffee.
He also took aim at Trump's tariffs, which he
called,
"nothing but a tax on the American people."
A woman looks at eggs
at a store
in New York City on
Feb. 17, 2025.
Samira Bouaou/The
Epoch Times
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