Key takeaways from Trump’s speech to US congress

Donald Trump, the president of the United States addressed a joint session of the US Congress for the first time since he returned to power in January, declaring: “The American Dream is unstoppable.”

Speaking to the House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday, Trump said his administration had “accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplish in four years or eight years”.

“And we are just getting started,” he said.

He outlined his vision for his second term, which drew loud cheers from supportive Republicans and protests from some Democrats.

Read also: Former President of Poland Lech Walesa wrote the following letter to Trump.

Here are the key takeaways from his speech:

Trump declares war on the federal workforce

Praising the work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trump rattled off a list of statistics purporting to show cases of government waste and fraud.

The tech mogul’s Department of Government Efficiency taskforce has moved to fire tens of thousands of federal workers, cut billions of dollars in foreign aid and slash programmes across the US government.

The Tesla boss, wearing a dark suit with a blue tie, stood and acknowledged the cheers from the crowd.

“Thank you, Elon,” the 78-year-old president said. “He’s working very hard. He didn’t need this.”

Trump went on to list some examples of wasteful spending he said had been eliminated by Musk’s cost-cutting initiative, drawing laughter from Republicans.

“Eight million dollars to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of,” Trump said.

Democratic lawmakers held up signs saying “Musk steals” and “false”.

Doge claims to have saved $105bn already but that figure can’t be independently verified. Receipts have been published for $18.6bn worth of savings but accounting errors have been reported by US media outlets that have analysed the figures.

Read also: US Stocks’ Post-Election gains wiped out after Trump tariffs take effect

Ukraine and Gaza

Trump promised to end a series of wars and conflicts around the world during his time on the campaign trail, and his first few weeks in office have seen him upend longstanding partnerships, injecting tension into ties with Europe, neighbours Canada and Mexico, and Ukraine.

On Israel and Gaza, Trump praised the Abraham Accords — a series of agreements where Arab countries normalised ties with Israel, often in return for generous concessions or aid packages from the US — and said he hoped to secure further agreements.

He said he had helped secure the release of US citizens held captive by Hamas in Gaza, but the suffering and futures of millions of Palestinians who have returned home to neighbourhoods.

Trump said he had received an “important letter” from Ukraine’s leader earlier in the day,

Ukraine’s president had said he was now ready to work under Trump’s “strong leadership” to end the war and “come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer”.

“I appreciate that he sent this letter,” Trump told lawmakers.

Zelensky offered the olive branch a day after Trump paused all military aid to the beleaguered US ally.

Trade war will cause ‘a little disturbance’

Following a second day of market turbulence, Trump played down the potential economic fallout from a trade war he ignited this week, including 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% on Chinese imports.

Read also: Donald Trump’s maddest quotes since he became president

But in contrast with the ovations that greeted his other policy objectives, many Republicans remained seated, a sign of how Trump’s import taxes have divided his party.

“Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again,” he said.

“And it’s happening. And it will happen rather quickly. There’ll be a little disturbance, but we’re okay with that. It won’t be much.”

Trump added that reciprocal tariffs tailored to US trading partners would “kick in” on 2 April.

Trump claims he is tackling inflation

Trump said one of his top priorities was to fix the economy and help working families. He promised to cut costs on eggs and energy by reorganising the federal government, blaming former President Joe Biden for the problem.

“Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control. The egg prices [are] out of control, and we’re working hard to get it back down,” Trump said.

Trump’s Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told The Wall Street Journal in late February that the administration was planning to invest $1bn in trying to control egg prices — using a combination of payouts to struggling farmers, increased egg imports, and no scientific research into avian flu to better tackle its effects.

Egg prices started soaring amid the mass culling of chickens in recent years because of avian flu. That practice has continued under Trump, and egg prices have continued to rise under the current administration.

In late February, eggs on average cost $4.95 a dozen — double what they cost a year ago under Biden, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics.

US has caught the person behind the 2021 Kabul airport bombing

Trump announced that the US had captured “the top terrorist responsible” for the suicide bombing that killed 13 soldiers during the 2021 withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan.

“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity,” Trump said during his address. “And he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice.”

The White House said the man, identified as Muhammed Sharifullah, was being brought to the US.

A child’s dream comes true

In one of the most viral moments of the night, Trump offered a surprise to a child diagnosed with brain cancer, whom the president said aspired to become a policeman.

The boy, 13-year-old DJ Daniel, was held up by his father as Republicans and attendees in the House gallery chanted “DJ.”

Trump announced that DJ would be sworn in by his new Secret Service director as a member of the force.

A stunned DJ then received a Secret Service badge from the agency’s director Sean Curran, one of the agents who rushed on to stage to protect Trump during the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.

More than a dozen Democrats joined Republicans in a standing ovation.