Trump airs familiar grievances, charts MAGA plan in address before bitterly divided Congress

Sen. Elissa Slotkin delivered the Democratic response to Trump's address.

Last Updated: March 5, 2025, 12:09 AM EST

President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, six weeks into his historic return to the White House.

During the speech, Trump said "America is back" and defended the tariffs on key U.S. trading partners. He touched on immigration and the mineral deal with Ukraine, but neglected to go into detail on his economic plan. The speech was also met with protests and disruptions from Democrats.

Mar 04, 2025, 4:24 PM EST

'This is theater!': CBC members say Trump's policies 'screw' Black Americans

Just hours ahead of Trump's joint address to Congress, Congressional Black Caucus lawmakers held a fiery media briefing discussing their deep concerns for Black Americans during Trump's second term.

"This is theater tonight," former CBC Chairman Rep. Steven Horsford, a Democrat, told reporters. "He wants to distract us like he's done, so that he can do one thing, and that's to screw America. And Black America is at the top of his list."

Rep. Horsford and most CBC members said they would be attending Trump's joint address to Congress, but they decried his cuts to programs that they said directly impact Black families in America.

With American Federation of Government Employees members in attendance, the CBC described this as an "unprecedented moment" in America that is harmful to Black people and Black federal workers.

- ABC News' Arthur Jones II

Mar 04, 2025, 4:20 PM EST

Theme for Trump's speech is 'Renewal of the American Dream'

A White House official told ABC News Senior Politics Correspondent Rachel Scott that Trump's remarks will focus on four parts: the president's record so far, the economy, border security and plans for "peace around the globe."

The president will push Congress to pass more border security funding for deportations and the border wall, the official said.

A protestor waves an upside-down American flag, a sign of dire distress according to the United States Flag Code, outside the Capitol in Washington, Mar. 4 2025.
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

On foreign policy, the president is expected to touch on his efforts to help broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. He is also expected to focus on his administration's efforts to bring home hostages amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

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