President Donald Trump addressed a raucous joint session of the US Congress for the first time since he returned to power.
In the longest presidential speech to lawmakers on record, President Trump outlined his vision for his second term, as Republicans applauded a high-octane six weeks that has reshaped domestic and foreign policy.
Donald Trump was heckled by Democrats and he goaded them in turn during the rowdy primetime address.
The Republican president has moved to slash the federal workforce and crack down on immigration, while imposing tariffs on America’s biggest trading partners and shaking up the transatlantic alliance over the war in Ukraine.
Following a second day of market turbulence, President 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.
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.”
President Trump added that reciprocal tariffs tailored to US trading partners would “kick in” on April 2.
Earlier in the day, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox Business that Donald Trump could announce a trade deal with Mexico and Canada as soon as March 5.
Donald Trump also said he had received an “important letter” from Ukraine’s leader earlier in the day, which appeared to match what Volodymyr Zelensky posted publicly on social media.
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,” President Trump told lawmakers.
President Zelensky offered the olive branch a day after President Trump paused all military aid to the beleaguered US ally.
It followed an acrimonious Oval Office meeting last week when the two leaders argued in front of TV cameras, before cancelling plans to sign a minerals deal that would allow the US to profit from an economic partnership involving Ukraine’s resources.
Donald Trump was reportedly hoping to announce during his speech to Congress that the deal had finally been sealed. But it did not materialize.