Donald Trump set out his vision for the USA’s future during his first speech to Congress as 47th president on Tuesday (March 4).
In a record-breakingly long speech, clocking in at 99 minutes, Donald Trump promised to ‘make America rich again’ while blaming Biden’s administration for the rocketing cost of eggs and energy.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who is in charge of the controversial, budget-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), received a double standing ovation, while, elsewhere, Congressman Al Green was removed from Congress after heckling the president that he ‘has no mandate’.
Here’s everything Trump covered during his controversial speech…
Highest US tariff levels in 85 years
Trump announced ‘reciprocal’ trading tariffs on goods from most of the US’ trading partners, hours after introducing tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China.
“Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we tax them,” he said.
Trump confirmed 25 percent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports, although he limited the levy to 10 percent on Canadian energy.
He doubled his 10 percent levies on Chinese imports, taking the US tariffs to the highest level since the 1940s.
The moves could see US consumers grapple with inflating prices, even as the president promises to bring them down.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier on Tuesday dismissed Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports as simply ‘a very dumb thing to do’.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she plans to announce retaliatory tariffs against the US on Sunday.
Reciprocal trading tariffs
He promised that from April 2, reciprocal tariffs will be imposed for most of the country’s trading partners. He claimed to have planned these tariffs for weeks but avoided making the changes on April 1, for the sake of April Fool’s Day.
Trump tried to ease concerns about the resulting price increases, saying: “Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. And it’s happening and it will happen rather quickly. There will be a little disturbance, but we’re ok with that.”
False social security claims
Elon Musk was given a special mention during Trump’s joint Congress speech (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Billionaire Musk, who was seated in the House gallery, received a pair of standing ovations from Republicans in the chamber, as the president shared false claims about alleged government abuse uncovered by the Tesla and SpaceX founder and his team.
Trump repeated false claims that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments, prompting some Democrats to shout, “Not true!” and “Those are lies!”
Egg prices
Vice President JD Vance, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Trump declared rescuing the economy and offering relief to working families was one of his ‘very highest priorities’.
He vowed to organize the federal government to lower costs on both eggs and energy, pointing the finger at Biden for the situation, while failing to offer details of his own plans.
Migration crackdown
Trump called for the extension of his first-term tax cuts and additional federal funding for his border crackdown, including for his promised efforts at ‘mass deportation’ of people in the US illegally.
He celebrated his crackdown on migration, saying: “It turns out all we really needed was a new president.”
Ukraine minerals deal
Trump made his appreciation for a letter written by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clear, which said Ukraine is ready to sign a minerals agreement ‘at any time’ after the deal broke down last week.
The US president also said he has had ‘strong signals’ from Russia that Moscow is ready for peace, adding: “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?”
Zelenskyy had earlier said it is ‘time to make things right’ with Trump an unruly meeting at Oval Office last week, which resulted in the US suspending military aid to Kyiv.
