Takeaways from Trump’s address to Congress

President Donald Trump’s first address to Congress since returning to power is both a victory lap following a consequential first 43 days in office and an attempt to justify what he’s done to an American public that may still be digesting his rapid-pace changes.

President Donald Trump’s first address to Congress since returning to power is both a victory lap following a consequential first 43 days in office and an attempt to justify what he’s done to an American public that may still be digesting his rapid-pace changes. On tariffs, government cuts and foreign affairs, Trump has taken dramatic steps that have left Democrats fuming and even some Republicans skeptical, while foreign capitals have scrambled to respond. His task Tuesday was to say why. Trump’s speeches almost always fall into two categories: the raucous rally remarks that can’t be contained on a teleprompter and more staid policy addresses that usually lack the energy of his wilder events. This time, the dramatics began in the audience, when Democratic Rep. Al Green interrupted the president repeatedly before House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered the House sergeant-at-arms to eject the Texas congressman. Trump was prepared to parry with Democratic hecklers during his speech, but the address was carefully scripted to make his case to one of his largest television audiences of the year. Even his criticism of Democrats for not applauding him was written into his speech. That made Tuesday’s address one of the most partisan in memory, with Democrats almost uniformly resistant to his agenda and Trump lashing out at his opponents with open contempt.