President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress on March 4; the first such speech of a presidency is not considered a “State of the Union” address, though it shares the same format and function. At an hour and 40 minutes, it surpassed President Bill Clinton’s record for the longest joint address in modern times. Trump delivered a firm and combative speech that highlighted a mix of past and recent accomplishments, campaign promises and forward-looking policy plans. He directly addressed Democratic lawmakers on several occasions, and Rep. Al Green (D-TX) was escorted from the House chamber shortly into the address after disrupting Trump’s remarks in protest.
Trump repeatedly touted his administration’s rapid rate of action and efforts to streamline the federal government since his inauguration, including via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He reiterated his focus on revitalizing the economy and cracking down on illegal immigration, echoing themes from his 2024 campaign.
Trump also doubled down on his plans to use tariffs to revitalize the industrial base, stating that his administration will not hesitate to issue retaliatory tariffs. He saved foreign policy discussion for the end of his speech, briefly restating his priority to end the war in Ukraine. Throughout the speech, Trump introduced invited guests with a nexus to his policy proposals on immigration, law enforcement and childhood cancer research, among other areas.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), a freshman who served three terms in the U.S. House, delivered the Democratic response to Trump’s address. Her 10-minute speech attempted to strike a more unifying note, but she also highlighted the anticipated increased costs associated with tariffs and the Trump administration’s reversal of many foreign policy norms.
Trump’s speech coincided with the imposition of previously paused tariffs on Mexico and Canada and the rollout of higher tariffs on China. It also comes amid the high-profile debate around budget reconciliation legislation; House and Senate Republican leadership are aiming to settle on a single, unified resolution to advance a variety of Republican policy priorities. Congress is also heading toward a potential government shutdown on March 14, and the Trump-endorsed continuing resolution (CR) will need Democratic votes to advance.
As is typical with presidential addresses to Congress, the policies outlined in the speech combine a mix of completed, achievable and idealistic goals. The key takeaways from the speech are detailed below. Please contact a member of the Brownstein policy team for additional information on any specific topic(s).
ECONOMY AND INVESTMENTS
- State of the Economy. Trump noted that his main priority is to provide economic relief to working families. He claimed that his administration inherited an economic catastrophe from former President Joe Biden and that it featured the worst inflation in 48 years. Trump explained that he is fighting to reduce the damage and fix the affordability crisis.
- Domestic Investments. Trump highlighted recent announcements of investment promises from technology companies in the United States. He touted the $500 billion investment made by SoftBank, OpenAI and Oracle. Trump further referenced Apple’s $500 billion investment and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) $165 billion investment to manufacture chips in the United States.
- CHIPS and Science Act. Trump criticized the CHIPS and Science Act and suggested that Congress should repeal the law and use leftover funds to reduce the national debt.
DOGE EFFORTS
- Reducing Government Spending. Trump mentioned the work of DOGE to reduce government waste, highlighting numerous programs across the federal government. He detailed that eliminating wasteful programs would reduce inflation and lead to lower mortgage rates, car payments and grocery prices. Trump emphasized that his administration aims to balance the federal budget and slash regulations.
- Fraud and Theft. Trump said the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has estimated annual federal government fraud to be over $500 billion, and DOGE is working to stop the fraud. He noted that the agency has found shocking levels of incompetence and fraud in Social Security programs.
HEALTHCARE
- Make America Healthy Again Commission. Trump highlighted his executive order (EO) establishing the president’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, which he said will focus on eliminating environmental toxins, removing harmful substances from the food supply and improving children’s health. He cited a 40% increase in childhood cancer rates since 1975 and stated that autism rates have risen from 1 in 1,000 children to 1 in 36. He said the commission, led by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will work to address the causes of these trends.
- Transgender Health Care Policy. Trump reaffirmed his administration’s stance that there are only two genders, highlighted his EO aimed at cutting off taxpayer funding for gender-affirming care for minors and called for legislation to permanently ban such procedures.
IMMIGRATION
- Illegal Immigration. President Trump explained that he declared a national emergency regarding the southern U.S. border and deployed the U.S. military to prevent illegal immigration, leading to a record low in monthly illegal border crossings. He said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to carry out deportation operations across the United States to remove illegal immigrants. Trump highlighted that he signed the Laken Riley Act (P.L. 119-1) into law, which requires DHS to detain undocumented immigrants charged or convicted of violent or theft-related crimes.
- Drug Trafficking. President Trump noted that fentanyl crossing into the United States from Mexico and Canada has caused a significant uptick in drug overdose-related deaths and injuries. He said that he signed an EO designating international cartels and related criminal groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).
- Legal Immigration Pathways. President Trump mentioned that his administration is working to introduce a “Gold Card” allowing foreign-born potential immigrants a pathway to U.S. citizenship in exchange for $5 million.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
- Ukraine War. Trump explained that his administration is working on a ceasefire agreement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He added that the United States has provided significant security assistance to Ukraine without signs of a potential cessation to the conflict. He announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky notified him that Ukraine is willing to work with the United States on ceasefire negotiations and plans to sign an agreement on critical minerals and Ukrainian security previously offered by the Trump administration to Ukraine.
- International Agreements. Trump noted that he had frozen all foreign aid and withdrew the United States from several international bodies and agreements, including the Paris Climate Agreement, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
- National Security Initiatives. Trump said his administration is in the process of reclaiming U.S. control over the Panama Canal, which he noted was constructed by American workers. He said his administration would support incorporating Greenland into the United States, if Greenlanders support doing so He added that the United States views incorporating Greenland as a national security priority.
- Domestic Defense. Trump noted that short-term military recruitment rates reached an all-time high following his election. He said he would ask Congress to fund a “Golden Dome” missile defense system for the United States. He announced the creation of a new White House Office of Shipbuilding focused on strengthening the domestic U.S. shipbuilding industry and offering tax incentives to companies that build ships in the United States.
TRADE
- U.S. Trade Relations. Trump said many countries have used tariffs against the United States for decades, and it is time for the United States to begin them against other countries. He said on average, the European Union (EU), China, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and countless other countries charge the United States significantly higher tariffs than the United States charges them. He said China’s average tariffs on U.S. products are twice what the United States charges China.
- Reciprocal and Nonmonetary Tariffs. Trump noted that on April 2, reciprocal tariffs will kick in, and whatever countries charge the United States in tariffs, the United States will place similar tariffs on their goods in return. He added that if countries impose nonmonetary tariffs to keep the United States out of the market, the United States will impose nonmonetary barriers to keep them out of the U.S. market.
- Agriculture and Automobile Industries. Trump said that new trade policies support domestic farmers, who will now be selling more into the domestic market because other countries will be unable to compete. He also emphasized the growth of the automobile industry, with increased automobile plants opening in the United States because of proposed tariffs.
- America First Trade Policies. Trump emphasized that if companies do not make products in the United States, they will pay high tariffs. He also highlighted his announcement of a 25% tariff on foreign aluminum, copper, lumber and steel, emphasizing the importance of steel for military purposes. Trump also noted that there have been $1.7 trillion in new investments in the United States in the last few weeks, a fact he attributed to the America First Trade Policy.
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
- School Policies. Trump highlighted his recent EOs to remove critical race theory from schools and ban men from playing in women’s sports. Trump also stated wokeness will be removed from schools, and claimed that illegal immigrants are overwhelming school systems across the United States.
- Federal Workers and DEI. Trump highlighted the return-to-work policy for all federal workers and the federal hiring freeze. He also mentioned his efforts to end all federal government, private sector and military diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. He also noted all workers will be hired and promoted based on merit, skill and competence, not gender or race.
TAXATION
- Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Trump called for the swift passage of tax cuts and the permanent extension of the tax provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
- Campaign Tax Policy Proposals. Trump reiterated many of the tax policy proposals he discussed during his 2024 presidential campaign and called for their enactment, including ending federal taxation of tips, overtime and Social Security income. He also called to make interest payments on car loans tax-deductible for domestically manufactured vehicles.
- Manufacturing Tax Incentives. Trump called on Congress to cut taxes on domestic production and all manufacturing. He also urged Congress to provide full expensing for qualifying purchases and make the change retroactive to Jan. 20, 2025.
CLIMATE AND ENERGY
- Energy Costs. Trump argued that the Biden administration significantly reduced oil and gas leasing, slowed pipeline construction and closed more than 100 power plants across the United States. Trump explained that the United States has more oil reserves than any other country and that his administration will continue to extract the resource in order to reduce energy costs.
- Environmental Regulations. Trump noted that on his first day in office, he paused funding towards the "green new scam," withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord and ended burdensome environmental regulations issued by the Biden administration.
- Resource Extraction. Trump said the United States is working on a large natural pipeline in Alaska. He announced that he would soon take action to significantly expand domestic production of critical minerals and rare earth elements.
THIS DOCUMENT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE PRESIDENT'S JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS. THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT ARE NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT OR IF YOU NEED LEGAL ADVICE AS TO AN ISSUE, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEYS LISTED OR YOUR REGULAR BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP ATTORNEY. THIS COMMUNICATION MAY BE CONSIDERED ADVERTISING IN SOME JURISDICTIONS.