President Donald Trump delivered the first State of the Union address of his second term to Congress on Wednesday (25 February), declaring that America’s “golden age” had begun and that the country was experiencing a “turnaround for the ages.”
“Our nation is back: bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump said at the outset of his speech, repeating a line he has used frequently on the campaign trail.
Marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States later this year, the president described his return to the White House as a historic transformation.
“After just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before,” he told lawmakers.
President Trump set a new record delivering the longest State of the Union address (or joint address to Congress) in U.S. history, speaking for more than 1 hour and 41 minutes.
Trump focused heavily on immigration, the economy and crime - themes central to his re-election campaign.
“Today, our border is secure, our spirit is restored. Inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast. The roaring economy is roaring like never before, and our enemies are scared,” he said.
The president praised what he described as the closure of the U.S. border to asylum seekers, while pledging to protect “legal” immigration. He did not reference his mass deportation campaign, which has proven politically contentious, nor his recent suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries.
On crime, Trump credited his administration with nationwide declines. However, experts have noted that crime surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and has generally trended downward since.
Recent opinion polls show Trump’s approval ratings have slipped, with voters expressing dissatisfaction over cost-of-living pressures, immigration policies and foreign affairs.
The speech was punctuated by visible partisan tensions. Democratic Representative Al Green was escorted from the chamber after holding a protest sign reading, “Black people are not apes.”
The sign referenced a racist video recently shared online by Trump depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes - an incident that sparked widespread condemnation.
Trump also criticised Democrats for opposing his sweeping tax and spending legislation, which he dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The measure, which included expanded funding for immigration enforcement, passed last year while Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress.
Cheers from Republican lawmakers were met with jeers from Democrats.
The president described a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States that struck down large portions of his global tariff regime as “very unfortunate.” He said his administration would rely on alternative legal authorities to maintain tariffs without additional congressional approval.
Trump has framed tariffs as correcting decades of imbalanced trade relationships. However, surveys suggest many Americans believe import duties have contributed to higher consumer prices.
Turning to affordability - an issue Democrats have pressed him on - Trump blamed high prices on his predecessor, Joe Biden, and Democratic policies.
“Their policies created the high prices. Our policies are rapidly ending them,” Trump said, urging Americans to “hold on a little while.”
He highlighted his TrumpRx website aimed at lowering prescription drug costs for uninsured Americans, an executive order limiting Wall Street firms from bulk-buying single-family homes, and an agreement with tech companies to manage energy demand tied to artificial intelligence (AI) data centres.
Trump said major technology firms building large AI facilities would be required to supply their own power, calling it a “pledge,” though he did not clarify whether the measure would be mandatory.
Trump used part of his address to spotlight a dramatic development tied to the United States’ recent actions in Venezuela. He hailed what he described as a “colossal victory for the security of the United States” following the U.S. military operation that ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and referred to it as opening a “bright new beginning for the people of Venezuela.”
Trump then introduced Enrique Márquez, an opposition figure and former presidential candidate who was freed from detention in Venezuela as part of a broader release of political prisoners after Maduro’s removal.
“Alejandra,” Trump said to a woman he identified as Marquez’s niece, “I’m pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here tonight. We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person.”
The president also awarded Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover - wounded during the U.S. operation in Venezuela - the Congressional Medal of Honour in recognition of his service.
In a notable foreign policy claim, Trump said the U.S. had “just received” more than 80 million barrels of oil from Venezuela following negotiations with interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
The president described Venezuela as a “new friend and partner,” amid broader U.S. efforts to reshape its energy strategy.
The address concluded with another appeal for expanded funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Trump asked lawmakers to stand if they supported his immigration enforcement drive, prompting Republicans to rise while Democrats remained seated.
“The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens,” he said.
Returning to domestic issues, Trump claimed crime in Washington, DC, had fallen dramatically under his watch.
“We have almost no crime anymore in Washington, DC. How did that happen?” he said. “Crime in Washington is now at the lowest level ever recorded, and murders in DC this January were down close to 100% from a year ago.”
Trump called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, legislation that would impose new voter requirements, including mandatory voter ID and proof of citizenship.
“I’m asking you to approve the SAVE America Act. It’s very simple. All voters must show voter ID. All voters must show proof of citizenship. No more crooked mail-in ballots, except for illness, disability, military or travel,” he said.
The president claimed that “cheating is rampant in our elections,” a statement that contradicts years of findings, including research by the Heritage Foundation, which has documented only a negligible number of fraud cases over decades of U.S. elections.
Voting rights advocates have raised concerns that the proposed requirements could disenfranchise certain communities ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump paid tribute to slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose assassination in September shocked the country and galvanized right-wing supporters.
“Last year Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin, and martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs,” Trump said. He acknowledged Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who stood to applause in the chamber.
The president also highlighted guests he said exemplified the need for stricter crime and immigration policies.
He addressed the mother of Irina Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was fatally stabbed on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Trump also welcomed the family of Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard soldier deployed to Washington, DC, who was fatally shot by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national relocated to the United States following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump also congratulated the U.S. men’s hockey team on their Olympic gold medal, announcing he would award goaltender Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
The team was present in the chamber, while the women’s team cited prior commitments for their absence.
Turning to foreign policy, Trump described the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as a success, reiterating his claim that he had ended eight wars since returning to office.
“And of course, the war in Gaza, which proceeds at a very low level, it’s just about there,” he said, adding that all remaining Israeli captives had been released under the deal.
Trump also accused Iran of harbouring “sinister ambitions,” while reiterating his preference for diplomacy - provided Tehran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
“We haven’t heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon,’’ he said.
“Can’t let that happen,” he said, drawing applause moments after touting the success of “Midnight Hammer,” a military operation he credited with strengthening U.S. deterrence.
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Peace-making has a habit of creating new enemies - especially when it reduces someone else’s leverage. As Azerbaijan and Armenia move toward a settl...
President Donald Trump delivered the first State of the Union address of his second term to Congress on Wednesday (25 February), declaring that Americ...
Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was temporarily evacuated from The Lodge to safety on Tuesday night after an alleged bomb threat linked to upcoming performances in Australia by Shen Yun, a U.S.-based classical Chinese dance and music company banned in China.
Peace-making has a habit of creating new enemies - especially when it reduces someone else’s leverage. As Azerbaijan and Armenia move toward a settlement architecture that no longer depends on Moscow as the indispensable broker, pressure has not vanished; it has shifted shape.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is heading to Beijing on for his first official visit as chancellor, aiming to strengthen political and economic dialogue with China before tackling pressing international crises.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should block financial support to Russia rather than Ukraine, as Budapest opposes the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Moscow.
Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Times has reported. The agreement, signed in December in Moscow, will see Russia deliver 500 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.
A British national was among at least 19 people killed when a passenger bus plunged off a mountain highway into the Trishuli river in Nepal before dawn on Monday (23 February), authorities said. A New Zealander and a Chinese national were among those injured.
Seven people were killed after gunmen ambushed a police patrol in Kohat, a district in Pakistan’s north-west near the Afghan border, on Tuesday, in an attack that comes amid rising militant violence and heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the war is no longer defined by shock but by scale.
The Taliban in Kabul has rejected Russian claims that more than 23,000 militants from around 20 international terror groups are currently operating within Afghanistan.
Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was temporarily evacuated from The Lodge to safety on Tuesday night after an alleged bomb threat linked to upcoming performances in Australia by Shen Yun, a U.S.-based classical Chinese dance and music company banned in China.
The Foreign Intelligence Serrvixe of the Russian Federation (SVR) on Tuesday (25 February) accused the United Kingdom and France of actively working to provide Ukraine with nuclear weapons.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is heading to Beijing on for his first official visit as chancellor, aiming to strengthen political and economic dialogue with China before tackling pressing international crises.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should block financial support to Russia rather than Ukraine, as Budapest opposes the European Union’s 20th sanctions package against Moscow.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, describing the conflict as “a stain on our collective conscience”.
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