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Donald Trump‘s first speech to a joint session of Congress will focus on the theme of the Renewal of The American Dream, a chance for him to assure the American public after a chaotic first six weeks in office.
Trump likely will present his speech as a kind of victory lap, while Democrats are hoping to make a mark in their opposition. He’s gutting the federal government, as Elon Musk’s DOGE takes a chainsaw to the government workforce; he’s launched a trade war against two key allies, Canada and Mexico, shaking financial markets; and he’s aligned with Russian talking points when it comes to the war with Ukraine. Asked earlier to predict what Trump’s speech will be like, one Democratic senator said, “Ugly.”
A number of CEOs, including those in Hollywood, have taken steps to get in the president’s good graces, even as Trump has attacked freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
Trump’s last speech to a joint session of Congress was his State of the Union address in 2020, when he used reality-show techniques to make sure that key moments went viral. That included presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Rush Limbaugh, among other things.
This time around, Trump will have as a guest Musk, expected to sit with First Lady Melania Trump.
In the chamber, many of the Democratic women lawmakers wore pink, while others, like Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, decided not to attend. Earlier, Democratic senators, led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), held a press conference in which the speakers were federal workers and other constituents who have been impacted by the DOGE cuts.
The speech is not an official State of the Union address, as it occurs at the start of a president’s term. But it has become a tradition.
