President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening for a speech that White House officials say will focus on the theme of the “Renewal of the American Dream.”
Trump’s speech, his fifth such address ever, comes after a four-year hiatus during which now former President Joe Biden was in office and is expected to be broken into four major parts. In the first and opening part, he is expected to detail successes his new administration has already had in his second term. The second part is expected to be focused on actions he has taken and will take to fix the economic damage Biden did to America, including Trump’s push to extend his 2017 tax cuts and add new ones like no taxes on Social Security income, tips, or overtime wages. In the third part, Trump is expected to ask Congress for more money for deportations and immigration enforcement measures, including a border wall, and in the fourth part Trump is expected to lay out his broad vision for world peace.
Trump’s charisma and masterful oratory skills are regularly on display in moments like these, and the speech is sure to be full of powerful imagery and stories that help him win even more public support for his agenda. But perhaps more importantly here, the fact that Trump has gone through so, so, so very much since the last time he delivered such a speech in early 2020 makes this speech that much more historic. Trump survived the coronavirus pandemic, a second impeachment after the January 6 protest, weaponization of the law enforcement system by his political opponents, efforts by globalists and even top supposedly conservative voices like many at the Fox News Channel and other major places to turn on him in favor of other Republicans in the 2024 primary, and even two attempts on his life during the 2024 general election including getting shot in Pennsylvania last summer. He’s been through so much, more than any other politician in modern history, enough so that it is easy to argue that’s Trump’s political comeback was the greatest political comeback in the history of mankind.
And what a comeback it has been. Trump has wasted no time since retaking the Oval Office, sprinting to reshape American government and public life, reorient the U.S. position and standing on the world stage, and implement a rapid-fire set of actions so far at breakneck speed such that even professionals who follow this stuff for a living have difficulty keeping up with the president’s pace. He’s also surrounded himself with a mostly new cast of characters, including a new Vice President in JD Vance and a new Speaker of the House in Mike Johnson. Vance and Johnson will of course be seated behind Trump, which is customary for such addresses to Congress. But beyond those two, Trump’s cabinet is filled this time with difference-makers and change-seekers – people like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Even former Democrats like Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are in Trump’s cabinet, and young, interesting, outsider voices fill many key roles throughout his White House and administration.
While Trump and Republicans are set for a celebratory and postive, forward-looking event on Tuesday evening, Democrats are completely in disarray after disappointing losses in November and no clear leader for their party from here. Democrats are reportedly discussing using props to criticize Trump if they do attend the speech, or boycotting the speech altogether as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) announced. Their newly-elected Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) will give the Democrat response to Trump’s address later, so seeing if Slotkin can help guide a lost party back to civilization from the wilderness will be an undertone of a story to watch as the evening’s events unfold.
Follow along here on Breitbart News for live breaking news and analysis throughout the evening when the president takes the biggest stage yet again.
UPDATE 9:05 p.m. ET:
The president’s cabinet is entering the chamber now. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is at the front of the group. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are right behind him.
UPDATE 9:03 p.m. ET:
Several of the Democrats are wearing pink clothing items.
First Lady Melania Trump is entering the chamber now to find her seat in the box. She shakes hands with Second Lady Usha Vance as she finds her seat.
UPDATE 8:58 p.m. ET:
Democrats are clearly not serious people. Case in point:
UPDATE 8:57 p.m. ET:
The Supreme Court Justices are coming in now.
UPDATE 8:55 p.m. ET:
The dean of the Diplomatic Corps is coming into the chamber now.
UPDATE 8:54 p.m. ET:
Johnson and Vance are reading off the names of the senators and House members who will escort the president and his Cabinet into the chamber.
UPDATE 8:52 p.m. ET:
Johnson has gaveled the joint session of Congress formally into session.
UPDATE 8:51 p.m. ET:
It’s rare that this many House and Senate members are all together at something–basically once a year–so as they all enter the chamber there is lots of catching up and exchanging of pleasantries among many of the members. This is among other things a major moment for them to all socialize with each other.
Side note: Elon Musk is wearing a suit and tie, which is one of if not the only times in recent months he has been seen dressed up like this.
Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson are at the top of the dais at their seats, and now we are awaiting the entrance of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices and the president’s Cabinet. Kash Patel, the just-confirmed FBI director, was just shown on camera. Donald Trump Jr. is also in the room for the speech as well as Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Ivanka Trump alongside Jared Kushner.
UPDATE 8:45 p.m. ET:
Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is in the First Lady’s box as a special guest for the speech. Television cameras just showed Musk, who Democrats have been flipping out about, shaking hands of those around him as he reaches his seat.
UPDATE 8:44 p.m. ET:
Here’s video of Trump departing the White House from the wonderful Margo Martin, one of Trump’s closest aides and an all-around incredible person:
UPDATE 8:42 p.m. ET:
Vance, along with top senators, is walking into the House chamber and talking photos and shaking hands with several of the House members waiting for him on the aisle. Vance is seeking speaking with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) as Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) walks with him up the aisle.
UPDATE 8:40 p.m. ET:
The presidential limo carrying President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump has arrived at the U.S. Capitol and the president will be entering soon.
UPDATE 8:38 p.m. ET:
Vice President Vance was seen walking into the House chamber through Statuary Hall with several of the GOP senators.
UPDATE 8:37 p.m. ET:
President Trump has departed the White House and is en route to the U.S. Capitol.
