Verifying the Facts in Trump’s Congressional Address

Contrarily, he took a firmer stance against Canada, Mexico, and China after enacting tariffs that sent shockwaves through global markets and drew criticism from the leaders of those nations. The president’s remarks on Tuesday offered no indication that a lengthy trade dispute was likely to be resolved.

“Whatever tariffs they impose on us, we will respond in kind,” he declared. “Whatever taxes they lay on us, we will reciprocate. If they create non-monetary tariffs to exclude us from their markets, we will implement similar barriers to keep them out of ours.”

These comments highlighted the tumultuous beginning of Mr. Trump’s second term, filled with his grievances about Democratic opposition and inflated claims regarding his achievements. The speech followed a whirlwind six weeks of initiatives since his inauguration, during which he dismissed federal employees, suspended foreign aid, disrupted international relations, pardoned those involved in the Capitol riot, and signed a multitude of executive orders.

“Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America,” Mr. Trump stated, often straying from his scripted remarks. “Since that moment, we have seen an unprecedented wave of action to usher in the most prosperous and successful era in our nation’s history.”

From the onset of his address, he encountered heckling from Democratic members as he claimed to have secured a mandate from voters, asserting that “America is back.” While Democrats remained largely silent, Republicans cheered enthusiastically. When Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, shouted “you have no mandate to cut Medicaid” and refused to take his seat, it revealed the stark divisions within Congress and the nation.

“Mr. Green, take your seat,” ordered Speaker Mike Johnson.

When he did not comply, he was removed from the chamber.

“The individuals sitting right here will not applaud, will not stand, and will certainly not cheer for these remarkable achievements,” Mr. Trump asserted, expressing a sense of self-pity for not receiving acceptance from the Democrats present. “They won’t do it no matter what.”

Outbursts have occurred during presidential addresses in recent years, including interruptions by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican from Georgia, during the Biden administration, and Representative Joe Wilson, Republican from South Carolina, during the Obama presidency. Both were allowed to remain in the chamber after their disruptions.

Days after his threats to abandon an ally at war and initiate a trade dispute, Mr. Trump offered no new policy initiatives, once again disparaging former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and ridiculing Democrats for their inability to obstruct his agenda.

The president avoided extensive discussion of foreign affairs, although he once again threatened to claim the Panama Canal, stating, “my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we’ve already begun the process.”

He proposed the creation of a “golden dome” to shield the U.S. from missile attacks, set forth plans for a new shipbuilding office, and even suggested enticing Greenland to separate from Denmark and join the United States. He also announced the apprehension of a terrorist responsible for the bombing at Abbey Gate during the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Much of his address focused on personal stories of Americans he invited to the gallery, including victims of violent immigrants and a young boy with cancer who aspired to be a police officer.

Throughout his address, he often fixated on his political adversaries. At one point, he gestured toward Democrats, claiming the nation’s justice system had been overtaken by “radical left lunatics.” In response, progressive members of the party displayed signs reading “False” and “That’s a lie.”

Several Democrats engaged in a subtle protest by standing and turning their backs to Trump, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “resist.” Quietly leaving the House floor, they avoided the risk of removal by the sergeant-at-arms.

Other Democrats opted to walk out, including Representative Maxwell Frost, Democrat from Florida, who wore a shirt stating “No Kings Live Here.”

“I could not, in good conscience, remain seated during this speech and lend an audience to someone who operates with blatant disregard for Congress and the people of this nation,” stated Representative Ayanna Pressley, Democrat from Massachusetts.

Mr. Trump accused Democrats of neglecting the “common-sense revolution” that his administration had initiated. He addressed his opponents with disdain, boasting about his electoral victory, ridiculing them for his evasion of legal repercussions, and labeling Mr. Biden the worst president in U.S. history.

At one point, the president compared his treatment on social media to the experiences of revenge porn victims, stating, “nobody gets treated worse than I do online.”

Mr. Trump falsely claimed that he had inherited an “economic catastrophe” from Mr. Biden, despite the fact that the U.S. economy was the strongest in the world at the time of his takeover, though it has begun to show signs of distress in recent weeks due to federal funding cuts and tariffs.

The president emphasized alleged federal fraud revealed by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. For several minutes, he recounted foreign aid and diversity programs that his administration had terminated, ridiculing them as unnecessary.

“Eight million to promote L.G.B.T.Q.I.+ in the African nation of Lesotho, a place that almost nobody knows about,” the president commented.

House Republican leaders have advised their members to avoid in-person town halls amid a surge of large-scale protests against some of the budget cuts Mr. Musk oversees. Nevertheless, many Republican lawmakers stood up and cheered when Mr. Trump mentioned Musk, who was sitting in the gallery.

As he has in previous speeches, Mr. Trump reiterated various false and exaggerated claims, drawing reactions from the Democrats present.

“That’s not true,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat from California, remarked quietly, shaking her head as Mr. Trump cited debunked claims regarding the improbable ages of Social Security recipients. Republicans, on the other hand, found it humorous, with one shouting “Joe Biden” when Trump claimed that someone on Social Security was over 300 years old.

While Mr. Trump’s address to Congress may have resembled a State of the Union speech and had the tone of one, it was not officially classified as such. Following the tradition established by Ronald Reagan, every president delivers an address to Congress shortly after their inauguration and then annually thereafter, but only those speeches after the first year of office qualify as State of the Union addresses.

This tradition, initiated by George Washington, was put on hold by the third president, Thomas Jefferson, who chose to deliver a written report instead. The speech was reinstated by Woodrow Wilson in 1913.

Before the address commenced, Senator John Thune, Republican from South Dakota and the majority leader, expressed hope that some of Mr. Trump’s more extreme actions were only temporary.

“It’s a pause, not a stop; I believe it’s part of a negotiation,” Mr. Thune remarked regarding the suspension of aid to Ukraine. Concerning the new tariffs, he added: “I hope these tariffs are temporary.”

Conversely, House Republicans were noticeably more exuberant.

Speaker Mike Johnson conveyed before the speech: “I’d like to present it in gilded gold.”