(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump talked immigration, among other topics, during his joint address to Congress on Tuesday.
He declared his administration has launched the “most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history.”
“The media and our friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed new legislation to secure the border — but it turned out that all we really needed was a new president,” Trump told Congress.
Referencing the Laken Riley Act, the first bill he signed after his reelection, he introduced Riley’s mother and sister as guests of honor at the address. Riley was a Georgia nursing student killed by a Venezulean national in the country illegally.
When it came to the economy, Trump pledged to work “every day to reverse damage and make America affordable again.”
Trump said his predecessor Joe Biden let egg prices get “out of control,” and said his administration is working on getting the prices back down, without elaborating on exactly what they are doing.
“We inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare,” Trump said.
He also said the U.S. has more “liquid gold” than any other nation and that he is authorizing a team “to go and get it.”
“Frankly, we have never seen anything like it. That’s why, on my first day in office, I declared a national energy emergency. … Now, I fully authorize the most talented team ever assembled to go and get it. It’s called ‘drill, baby drill,’” Trump said.
Trump said he’ll also “take historic action” to expand the production of critical minerals and rare earths as soon as this week.
One action Trump touted was his creation of the Department of Government Efficiency.
He portrayed these cuts as crucial cost-saving measures, though the program was originally initiated by Republican predecessor George W. Bush.
At the beginning of Trump’s speech, Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green was escorted out of the House of Representatives chamber for standing up and saying “You don’t have a mandate” on Medicaid.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan gave the Democratic response to Trump’s address.
While she acknowledged the last election showed Americans want change, Slotkin said “there’s a responsible way to make change, and a reckless way.”
“And we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy,” Slotkin said.
“President (Donald) Trump is trying to deliver a giveaway” to his richest supporters, Sen. Elissa Slotkin said.
Slotkin said the tariffs now imposed on Canadian and Mexican goods will raise prices.
“If he is not careful, he could walk us right into a recession,” she said.
Slotkin touched upon foreign affairs, saying Trump believes in “cozying up to dictators” like Russian President Vladimir Putin and sees American leadership as a series of real estate transactions.
“As a Cold War kid, I’m thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s,” Slotkin said. “Trump would have lost us the Cold War.”
Reagan ‘rolling in grave’ after Trump-Zelenskyy meeting: Slotkin
Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said former President Ronald Reagan would not be happy with how President Donald Trump handled his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
“President Trump loves to say peace through strength,” Slotkin said. “That’s actually a line he stole from Ronald Reagan. But let me tell you, after the spectacle that just took place in the Oval Office last week, Reagan must be rolling in his grave.”
Trump, during a photo opportunity after his meeting with Zelenskyy, admonished his Ukrainian counterpart, at one point telling him, “You’re gambling with WWIII.”
Trump, Slotkin says, believes in “cozying up to dictators” like Russian President Vladimir Putin and sees American leadership as a series of real estate transactions.
“As a Cold War kid, I’m thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s,” Slotkin said. “Trump would have lost us the Cold War.”
Trump will lead America into recession, Slotkin says
“President (Donald) Trump is trying to deliver a giveaway” to his richest supporters, Sen. Elissa Slotkin said in her response to the president’s speech.
Slotkin said the tariffs now imposed on Canadian and Mexican goods will raise prices.
“If he is not careful, he could walk us right into a recession,” she said.
Slotkin says US doesn’t have to make change in ‘reckless’ way
Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, in her speech responding to the president’s address, points out she and Donald Trump both won her old congressional district in the November 2024 election.
“It might not seem like it, but plenty of places like this still exist across the United States,” Slotkin said. “Places where people believe if you work hard and play by the rules, you should do well, and your kids should do better.”
She said Americans made it clear they want change.
“But there’s a responsible way to make change, and a reckless way,” Slotkin said. “And we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy.”
Trump ends speech by saying this will be US’ ‘greatest era’
Trump ended his speech by saying this will be the United States’ “greatest era.”
“With God’s help over the next four years, we are going to lead this nation even higher,” he said.
Trump talks about first assassination attempt against him
Trump, addressing the first attempt on his life during a Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally, said he believes he was saved by God to “make America great again.”
He honored Helen, Allyson and Kaylee Comperatore, the widow and daughters of Corey Comperatore, a fireman who was killed by the gunman who shot at Trump.
“Corey was taken from us much too soon, but his destiny was to leave us all with a shining example of the selfless devotion of a true American patriot,” Trump said.
Trump says they arrested man responsible for killing 13 Americans at Abbey Gate
President Donald Trump said the person responsible for killing 13 American service members and 170 Afghan civilians at the Abbey Gate during the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan has been arrested.
Trump said the man is now on his way to the US to “face the swift sword of American justice.”
When he was speaking to the families on the phone about the news, Trump said they “did nothing but cry with happiness.”
Trump: ‘One way or the other we’re gonna get’ Greenland
President Donald Trump believes Greenland should be welcomed into the United States, saying it’s needed for national and “international world security.”
“One way or the other, we’re gonna get it,” Trump said.
Several Democrats walked out as he said this.
Trump announces new office of shipbuilding
President Donald Trump says he is making a new office of shipbuilding in the White House that offers tax incentives “to bring this industry home to America, where it belongs.”
“We used to make so many ships. We don’t make them anymore very much. But we’re going to make them very fast, very soon,” he said.
Trump calls for new crime bills
President Donald Trump says he wants Congress to pass a law making an executive order he signed mandating the attorney general seek the death penalty for anyone convicted of killing a police officer permanent.
“I’m also asking for a new crime bill getting tough on repeat offenders while enhancing protections for America’s police officers so they can do their jobs without fear of their lives being totally destroyed,” Trump said. “They don’t want to be killed. We’re not going to let them be killed.”
Stephanie Diller, the widow of Jonathan Diller, a New York Police Department officer who was shot to death during a traffic stop, was one of Trump’s guests.
“We’re going to get these cold-blooded killers and repeat offenders off our streets,” Trump said after introducing her.
Trump signs order naming wildlife refuge in Jocelyn Nungaray’s honor
President Trump signed an executive order renaming the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge after Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old Texas girl killed by two people in the country illegally.
Alexis Nungaray, Jocelyn’s mother, was one of Trump’s guests at his address to Congress. She said, “Thank you,” as Trump acknowledged her daughter.
Trump mentions Laken Riley, her family
President Donald Trump touted the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student killed during a morning jog by a man in the country illegally.
Allyson and Lauren Phillips, Riley’s mother and sister, were the president’s guests at his address to Congress.
“Last year, I told Laken’s grieving parents that we would ensure their daughter would not have died in vain,” Trump said. “That’s why the very first bill I signed into law as your 47th president mandates the detention of all dangerous criminal aliens that threaten public safety.”
Republicans and quite a few Democrats applauded for the Riley family.
Trump introduces other guests for joint address
Jeff Denard, a steel plant worker from Decatur, Alabama, is President Donald Trump’s second guest for his joint address to Congress.
“His good-paying, middle-class job at the steel plant has allowed Jeff to serve as volunteer firefighter, provide a loving home to dozens of foster children and organize his fellow steelworkers to respond to natural disasters, including Hurricane Helene,” Trump said during his speech.
Another guest, Elliston Berry from Aledo, was acknowledged. Berry is a 15-year-old who was the victim of computer-generated deepfakes created by a bully at her school, according to the White House.
Trump bashes Biden’s CHIPS act
President Donald Trump said lawmakers should get rid of former President Joe Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed in 2022. It is a sweeping $280 billion law that sought to boost domestic chip manufacturing.
“Your CHIPS act is a horrible, horrible thing,” he said.
Some but not all Republicans stood up when Trump talked about ending the CHIPS act.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump hits Biden administration on border
President Trump mentioned former President Joe Biden by name three times so far, saying his administration had an “open border and insane policies.”
Trump touts DOGE cuts
Trump discussed cuts made through the Department of Government Efficiency and efforts he says he’s made to “stop fraud.”
“Upon taking office, I imposed an immediate freeze on all federal hiring, a freeze on all new federal regulations and freeze on all foreign aid,” Trump said during his speech.
DOGE claims it has saved the federal government billions of dollars, but there have been numerous reporting errors made on a website recounting them. In addition, experts have questioned whether cuts were made based on actual waste or because of Trump’s ideological views.
Green says getting ejected from speech was ‘worth it’
According to a White House pool report, Rep. Al Green spoke to reporters after getting escorted out of the House of Representatives chambers for protesting President Donald Trump’s speech.
“It’s worth it to let people know that there are some people who are going to stand up” to Trump, Green said.
Trump blames Biden for egg prices
President Donald Trump said his predecessor Joe Biden let egg prices get “out of control,” and said his administration is working on getting it back down, without elaborating on what they are doing.
Some Democrats leave Trump’s joint address
A handful of Democrats, wearing RESIST t-shirts, turned their backs on President Donald Trump during his speech.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-NM and a few others left the room.
Trump introduces first guest for joint address
President Donald Trump introduced his first guest for his address, Payton McNabb.
McNabb is a former high school volleyball player who said she sustained a concussion after a transgender athlete spiked a ball that hit her head, NewsNation partner The Hill reported.
Trump gets standing ovation when mentioning DOJ investigations
President Donald Trump talked about past Department of Justice cases investigating him under his predecessor, Joe Biden.
“How did that work out? Not too good,” Trump said to applause from Republicans, who stood up for that remark.
Democrats stayed sitting and held up signs that said “false.”
‘Nothing I can say’ will make Democrats happy: Trump
Trump talked about the Democrats holding placards in protest of him.
“This is my fifth such speech to Congress, and once again, I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud,” he said.
He went on: “I could find a cure to the most devastating disease, a disease that would wipe out entire nations, or announce the answers to the greatest economy in history, or the stoppage of crime to the lowest levels ever recorded, and these people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements.”
Democratic representative escorted out of chamber
Rep. Al Green, during President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress, stood up and told him, “You don’t have a mandate.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, directed the sergeant at arms to escort Green out of the House Chamber.
Rep. Al Green to Trump: ‘You don’t have a mandate’
Rep. Al Green, during President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress, stood up and told him, “You don’t have a mandate.”
He went on to say, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
He was drowned out by people chanting “USA” and booing.
Trump in opening sentence: ‘America is back’
President Donald Trump, to start his joint address to Congress, thanked lawmakers and said, “America is back.”
Republican lawmakers cheered and chanted “USA.” Rep. Nancy Mace did a move now known as the “Trump dance.”
Democrats hold up signs in protest of Trump
Democrats in the House of Representatives are raising placards in the area saying, “(Elon) Musk steals,” “Save Medicaid” and “Protect Veterans.”
Sergeant at arms announces president’s arrival
President Donald Trump has arrived at the House Chamber for his first joint address to Congress since his reelection.
Mixed reactions as Melania Trump enters room
First lady Melania Trump was given a standing ovation as she entered the House Chamber for President Donald Trump’s speech.
However, no Democrats clapped.
Meanwhile, Cabinet members like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth entered as well and are greeting lawmakers.
Supreme Court justices welcomed to chamber
Supreme Court justices were applauded as they entered the House Chamber to watch President Donald Trump’s speech.
Elon Musk arrives in House Chamber for Trump speech
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has arrived in the House Chamber to see President Donald Trump’s speech.
Trump arrives at Capitol for joint address to Congress
President Donald Trump is now at the Capitol for his speech to Congress.
Many of the Democratic women in the House Chamber are wearing pink.
According to White House pool reports, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., said at a news conference that they are doing this because pink is the “color of power and protest.”