On Tuesday March 4, 2025, President Donald Trump delivered his first speech of his second term to a joint session of Congress. Invited by House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Trump addressed congress to share his “America First” vision. While the speech was not considered a State of the Union address, it served the same purpose. In what was the longest annual presidential address to Congress at one hour and 40 minutes, President Trump shared both his foreign and domestic policies for the upcoming term while highlighting his administration’s notable achievements thus far into his presidency.
As for foreign policy, President Trump announced that he had received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is ready for peace, in spite of their fiery exchange during a meeting in the Oval Office. The letter followed Trump’s suspension of all military assistance to Ukraine, which was spurred by the events of the meeting. Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for U.S. support in the letter, saying that they “value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” adding that he is “ready to sign [the minerals agreement] at any time that is convenient for you.”
Regarding Trump’s Ukraine policy, history teacher Dr. Apel comments, “It is hard to understand his true intentions when it comes to cutting off aid to Ukraine and whether or not he is trying to gain concessions.” Dr. Apel believes that Trump is either taking a pro-Putin stance or a realist, U.S. nationalist stance. Nonetheless, Dr. Apel warns, “This position will ultimately weaken Ukraine, and the consequences of abandoning Ukraine are dire.”
President Trump also asserted his intention of purchasing Greenland, currently a mineral-rich Danish territory. Trump has previously cited Greenland’s strategic importance between Europe, North America and the Arctic Zone. Melting ice from global warming would also open trade routes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, increasing economic opportunities in the region. Still, President Trump maintained respect for its sovereignty. “We strongly support your right to determine your own future,” he stated. “And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.”
Additionally, Trump reiterated his promise to reclaim control over the Panama Canal, a man-made waterway that connects the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean and reduces the journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific by several weeks. The canal was handed over to Panama in 1999 under the terms of a treaty signed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos in 1977. However, a Chinese state-owned company, CK Hutchison, currently operates crucial ports at both ends of the canal, leading to fears of Chinese influence over a major trade route. President Trump articulated that “The Panama Canal was built by Americans for Americans, not for others, though others could use it.”
On top of that, President Trump also revealed Muhammed Sharifulla, the top terrorist behind the Abbey Gate attack in Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal, which resulted in 13 American service members being killed, had been apprehended. Trump announced, “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.”
Turning to domestic policy, President Trump highlighted several key achievements of his first 43 days in office. A major success of his time in office so far has been the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk. Trump affirmed the accomplishments of this initiative which has “found hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud.” Trump went on to cite an extensive list of “waste, fraud, and abuse” that was uncovered by DOGE.
President Trump accentuated his victories on immigration, resulting from a declaration of national emergency on the southern border along with the deployment of U.S. military personnel to assist with apprehensions and deportations. He stated that “illegal border crossings last month were the lowest ever recorded.” Trump further emphasized his designation of cartels as foreign terrorist organization.
Building on these successes, he outlined new initiatives aimed at addressing pressing issues at home. Among his proposals was a plan to build a “golden dome” missile defense system for the United States, modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome. This aims to revive a Reagan-era initiative to establish a nationwide missile shield. Another proposal mentioned was Trump’s plans to create a “gold card” that could be purchased for $5 million which would allow “the most successful job creating people from all over the world to buy a path to U.S. citizenship.”
In addition to the blanket 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada along with the doubled tariff on Chinese imports to 20% from 10% taking effect earlier in the day of his speech, President Trump declared that reciprocal tariffs will be implemented on April 2, 2025. President Trump stated the reason being that other nations impose tariffs up to four times higher than those of the United States. Through this policy, the U.S. will match the tariffs set by other countries, ensuring fair and equal trade treatment.
Amid Trump’s address was a series of disruptions by multiple Democrats. Most notably was Rep. Al Green (D-TX) who stood up, shouted at the president over Medicaid, and waved his cane in his direction. In response, Speaker Johnson ordered the sergeant at arms to remove Green from the chamber. Junior Pierce Quigley feels that, “the many disturbances were disrespectful to the President,” He adds, “This behavior ultimately reflects poorly on the Democrats and is a step away from respectful discourse and discussions.”
Junior Luke Spalding also commented on the conduct of both parties, stating, “There was a lot of discourse between both parties, which is unacceptable.” Trump asserted the blame for many current issues on the previous Biden administration several times. Luke maintains that “There needs to be less childish behavior from both sides, less name-calling, and less finger-pointing between the President and his opposition.”
Moreover, in a wholesome moment, President Trump took the opportunity to ask his new U.S. Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to appoint a 13-year old with brain cancer as an honorary officer. Many Democrats reportedly withheld their applause, and their lack of response caught the attention of viewers on social media. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer wrote on X: “If the Ds can’t clap for a beautiful 13-year old boy who wants to become a cop, there’s something really wrong with them.”
Global politics teacher Dr. Jorgensen shared his analysis of the speech, saying, “As far as political speeches typically go, it was quite effective in promoting Trump’s agenda. I think the lack of bipartisan outreach made it stand out compared to other speeches of this type. There were very few specifics; instead, there were many broad statements. Everyone has their own style—Obama was eloquent, and Reagan was effective, but in terms of content, this speech followed the usual substance of what these speeches are.”
President Trump’s congressional speech ultimately provided a glimpse into his goals for the second term while calling attention to his achievements so far. As Trump continues his presidency, “America First” remains a cornerstone of his political vision.