President Donald Trump is set to deliver Tuesday a speech before a joint session of Congress, outlining his vision for the country and the world, shaped by his "America First" agenda and a series of bold executive actions.
The speech, set for 9 p.m. (2 a.m. GMT Wednesday) at the U.S. Capitol, comes six weeks after his inauguration and four years after his supporters stormed the building following his 2020 election defeat.
Trump is expected to highlight the many executive orders issued in the first 43 days of his presidency and lay out his agenda for the next 1,419 days.
Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a staunch Trump ally, said on Instagram that he anticipated the president would "highlight his administration's wins so far and lay out a game plan for the next four years."
He added, "One thing is for sure: it will be a lot different than the clown show we had to sit through the last four years under President Biden."
Trump and his billionaire advisor, Elon Musk, have already clarified that they intend to pursue the "Make America Great Again" agenda. This could mean testing the constitutional limits of presidential authority or straining relations with U.S. allies.
Since his inauguration, Trump has moved aggressively to dismantle federal agencies, fired thousands of government workers and begun holding undocumented migrants at the U.S. military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
He has also raised eyebrows with comments about annexing Canada and using economic force while claiming the European Union was created to "screw" the United States.
Trump's heated clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday, during which he berated the leader, was the latest example of a significant U.S. policy shift.
Only a few members of Trump's Republican Party, which narrowly controls both chambers of Congress, have publicly criticized the president.
Legal challenges to Trump's and Musk’s overhaul efforts are ongoing, with the conservative-dominated Supreme Court expected to rule on key issues.
Members of the nine-member high court, three of whom were appointed by Trump during his first term, may attend his speech, as per tradition.
U.S. Speaker Mike Johnson, a strong Trump ally, invited the president in January to address Congress to share his "America First" vision for the nation's legislative future.
In his letter, Johnson invoked a phrase Trump used in his inaugural address: "America's Golden Age has begun."
Trump’s hold on the Republican Party has only strengthened since his 2024 comeback, with few willing to risk antagonizing him or his base. However, the party's narrow majority and internal divisions could make advancing his legislative agenda, particularly major tax cuts, difficult.
Meanwhile, Democrats are working to organize a united front against Trump's political and media influence. Michigan's new senator, Elissa Slotkin, will deliver the traditional opposition rebuttal to the president’s address.
Described by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as a "rising star," Slotkin expressed in a statement that she looked forward to speaking "directly to the American people" on issues ranging from economic security to national security. She did not mention Trump by name.
