24/7 LivePhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaNew JerseyDelaware
62°
Welcome, Mickey
mickey@disney.com
Manage MyDisney Account
Log Out

Trump speech to Congress: Trump airs familiar grievances in address before Congress

wpvi
Last updated: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 4:56AM GMT
Trump defends tariffs, government cuts in address to divided Congress

The president touted the moves his administration has made in his first weeks in office, touching on tariffs, the war in Ukraine and the border.

The president touted the moves his administration has made in his first weeks in office, touching on tariffs, the war in Ukraine and the border.

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.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Mar 05, 2025, 4:48 AM

Fact-checking Pres. Trump's speech to Congress

ABC News, along with PolitiFact, is live fact-checking Trump's speech statements that are exaggerated, need more context or are false.

READ MORE | Fact-checking Pres. Trump's speech to Congress

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
ByJulia Reinstein and John Parkinson, ABCNews
Mar 05, 2025, 1:07 AM GMT

Some Democrats to skip Trump's joint address to Congress

Several Democrats have said they do not plan to attend President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress on Tuesday.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has said he will be in attendance "to make clear to the nation that there is a strong opposition party ready, willing and able to serve as a check and balance on the excesses of the administration."

Here are the Democrats who have said they will skip Trump's remarks Tuesday night.

FILE -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. speak with other members of the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
FILE -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. speak with other members of the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.

  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
  • Sen. Chris Murphy
  • Sen. Ron Wyden
  • Sen. Patty Murray
  • Sen. Martin Heinrich
  • Rep. Gerry Connolly
  • Rep. Becca Balint
  • Rep. Don Beyer
  • Rep. Sean Casten
  • Rep. Diana DeGette

MORE | Some Democrats to skip Trump's joint address to Congress

ByLauren Peller and Lalee Ibssa, ABCNews
Mar 05, 2025, 12:47 AM GMT

House Freedom Caucus says Dems will be 'censured' if they disrupt Trump's speech

The House Freedom Caucus warned Tuesday they will move to censure any Democrats who disrupt or protest Trump's speech tonight.

"We expect the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police to take appropriate action against any Members of Congress or other persons violating House rule," the caucus said in an X post.

At President Joe Biden's 2022 State of the Union, Republicans including Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Colorado GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert repeatedly interrupted the speech. Neither were censured.

FILE - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., reacts as President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington.
FILE - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., reacts as President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington.
ByMax Zahn, ABCNews
Mar 05, 2025, 12:16 AM GMT

Stocks tumble after Trump tariffs take effect

U.S. stocks tumbled on Tuesday after the Trump administration's long-promised tariffs took effect.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 670 points, or 1.5%; while the S&P 500 fell 1.2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq ticked down 0.3%.

The policy taxes imports from Mexico, Canada and China -- the three largest trading partners of the United States -- meaning that it could raise prices for everything from gasoline to avocados to iPhones.

READ MORE | Stocks tumble after Trump tariffs take effect

The Trump administration's long-promised tariffs took hold on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 670 points, or 1.5%.
ByIsabella Murray, ABCNews
Mar 04, 2025, 11:51 PM GMT

Fired federal workers sound off before attending speech with Democrats

A group of recent federal employees will be attending the speech as guests of Democratic senators and spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon.

Alissa Ellman, a disabled Army Veteran who was recently fired from the Buffalo Department of Veterans Affairs, is a guest of Sen. Chuck Schumer and discussed her sudden dismissal.

"I worked until this last Tuesday, when my boss and myself were not even notified about my layoff. I was just locked out of my computer. I gave up my Social Security Disability payment to return to work for less than $500 a month. My story is not unique," she said.

Former Veterans Affairs Inspector General Michael Missal spoke about his concerns.

"By firing the inspectors general without proper notice, and without giving the detailed, case-specific reasons that the law requires, it's going to chill independent and non-partisan oversight, and I worry about the impact it's going to have on our government," he said.

Watch Live
ON NOW