Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Special edition: Trump says ‘America is back’

Trump defended his agenda to a divided Congress. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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On Politics

Wed Mar 5 2025

 

Rebecca Morin Senior National News Reporter

@RebeccaMorin_

Good evening… or morning! It's Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at USA TODAY, here with a special edition. 

From tariffs to DEI, Trump defends divisive agenda in address to Congress

It was a House divided. Literally. On one side of the House chamber, President Donald Trump was met with elation – lawmakers and allies cheering on the commander-in-chief as he delivered the longest joint address in history where he said he's "just getting started" on his sweeping presidential actions. On the other side, one Democrat was kicked out while others protested with signs and heckled the president. 

So what did Trump talk about? The president defended his recent tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, even as Americans' economic concerns are still high. In fact, the president played the blame game on some high prices like eggs, saying it was former President Joe Biden 's fault that prices skyrocketed. The president also dug in on eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs, cracking down on immigration and touted anti-trans policies. A recap of Trump's speech.

See photos of Trump's address to a divided Congress
Trump's speech was a victory lap after his shock-and-awe blitz on DC
Trump says Americans should get ready for 'a little disturbance' from tariffs

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President Donald Trump leaves after addressing a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Win McNamee, Getty Images

As Trump spoke, Democrats protested

It wasn't all smiles for President Trump. Just minutes into his address, Rep. Al Green , D-Texas, stood up from his seat, pointed his cane at Trump and interrupted the speech. Green began saying "You don't have a mandate …" before being drowned out by jeers and chants of "USA." He later told reporters he was speaking up against cuts to Medicaid. Green was removed from the chamber. Throughout Trump's one hour and 39 minute speech, several Democrats walked out in protest. Read more.

It wasn't just Green. Democrats protest Trump's address with signs that said "This is not normal" and "Musk steals."
Democratic women wear pink to protest Trump
See how Trump's speech was interrupted by heckling and protests by Democrats

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Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, shouts as President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol on Tuesday.

Saul Loeb, AFP via Getty Images

A politics pit stop, Trump's speech edition

Trump heaps praise Elon Musk and DOGE for cutting government spending
After White House clash, Trump says Zelenskyy sent him a letter expressing gratitude
Which members of Trump's family showed up for his address to Congress?
AOC didn't attend Trump's speech
Meet the 'everyday Americans' who were in the crowd for Trump's address

Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025.

President Trump mocked foes and defended his 'America First' direction for the country amid rising anxiety about the economy, nation's direction

U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), rehearses the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of congress on March 4, 2025, in Wyandotte, Michighan.
 

Democrats target Elon Musk, Trump's 'reckless way' in rebuttal

The Democratic rebuttal to President Trump's joint address to Congress Tuesday focused on kitchen-table issues while taking aim at Elon Musk.

Students chanted and held signs during a rally to protect DEI in America Friday at the University of Louisville campus in Louisville, Kentucky Feb. 28, 2025
 

DEI and Trump: How the president is fueling the backlash

Donald Trump has driven DEI to the forefront in the nation's culture wars. But what does the president mean by DEI? We explain.

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC.
 

'One way or the other': Trump tells Congress he'll acquire Greenland

The president's designs on Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada have been an early theme of his presidency.

Democrats hold protest signs US President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025.
 

Democrats chant 'January 6' at Trump during Congressional speech

Congressional Democrats invoked the memory of the January 6 attack on the Capitol during Trump's address on Tuesday night.

President Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025.
 

After laying off thousands, Trump barely mentions federal workers

Firing federal employees has been a key to Trump's first month in office, but they barely came up in his speech to Congress.

 

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