President Donald Trump delivered his first major address of his second term to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.
The 78-year-old president used his roughly hour and forty minute speech to promote his MAGA agenda and tout what he considers victories from his first six weeks on office.
‘We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years, eight years, and we are just getting started,’ Trump claimed.
He declared that ‘America’s momentum is back’ and ‘the American Dream is surging bigger and better than ever before.’
It was the longest address of its kind ever delivered by a president before a joint session of Congress.
During his remarks, Trump took the time to slam his predecessor President Joe Biden by name several times including blaming him for persistent inflation.
He also name-checked his 2024 opponent Vice President Kamala Harris.
The president blasted illegal immigration, praised the work of billionaire Elon Musk and his DOGE team, leaned into culture war issues and highlighted the numerous executive orders he has signed since taking office.
However, as he spoke, the president made several demonstrably false claims during his address including that Americans were receiving Social Security checks for decades after turning 100 and that illegal border crossings under him are the lowest ‘ever recorded ever.’
President Donald Trump delivering his first address of his second term before a joint session of Congress on March 4
Throughout his speech, Republican lawmakers stood up and cheered while Democrats sat in silence and held up signs in protest. Several even shouted reports in response to the president’s remarks.
Republican and Democratic speechwriters and strategists shared their verdicts on the primetime address with DailyMail.com. Here’s how they would grade his remarks:
Jessica Anderson: ‘ushering in our golden age’
Grade: A+
Jessica Anderson, president of the conservative Sentinel Action Fund praised the president for keeping his promises.
‘Standing in front of a unified, Republican-led government, President Trump tonight marked a new era and direction for our country,’ Anderson said.
‘After a historic six weeks in office, it’s clear that this administration is prioritizing the safety, health, and prosperity of Americans and leaving behind the Biden-Democrat legacy of corruption and deceit,’ she continued.
Anderson said that Trump is ‘keeping his promises to restore trust in our government and return common sense to Washington D.C.’
She claimed his ‘swift actions to cut government waste through DOGE are saving Americans billions and sparking a movement to make government work for the people again,’
Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson give a standing ovation as Trump speaks
Billionaire and DOGE leader Elon Musk salutes Trump during his address on March 4
She also argued he has ‘removed violent illegal migrants from the country and stopped the invasion at our border. And, he’s put a stop to the Democrat culture war that had infiltrated schools, healthcare, women’s sports, and businesses.’
‘Across the country, we’re seeing an embrace of America-First values, led by President Trump, Vice President Vance, and our Republican majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives,’ Anderson told DailyMail.com.
‘Now, more than ever, is the time to harness the momentum of President Trump’s first 43 days and work together as a nation to continue ushering in our golden age,’ she argued.
Jonathan Bronitsky: ‘America is back’
Grade: A+
According to Dr. Jonathan Bronitsky, co-founder and CEO of ATHOS and formerly chief speechwriter at the Justice Department during Trump’s first administration, ‘America is back—and there isn’t a darn thing the left can do about it.’
‘From planting the flag on Mars to building a missile dome to appointing a young cancer survivor an honorary Secret Service agent, Trump revived America’s imagination—after four long, dreary years—inviting the nation to dream in technicolor once more,’ Bronitsky told DailyMail.com.
He said that Trump’s delivery was ‘hilarious, devastating, and inspiring’ and that it was was a performance ‘in the best sense—an emotional ride designed to remind Americans that they deserve better.’
Bronitsky agued that Biden’s ‘trademark word salad and dystopian despair’ were gone in an instant.
‘Trump laid out a crystal-clear, America-First agenda packed with real victories and exciting plans for the future,’ he said.
Trump smiles as he looks out at the crowd during his address to a joint session of Congress
‘With bombshell stats exposing government waste, fraud, and abuse, Trump reminded us that while the issues are serious, politics doesn’t have to be dull,’ Bronitsky said.
‘He made America laugh again,’ he added.
‘Can anyone recall a single moment of levity in four years of Biden’s doom-and-gloom monologues? Biden’s speeches were one long funeral procession. Trump’s address was a victory parade,’ Bronitsky claimed.
He said the fact that Democrats were ‘in meltdown mode’ over the speech ‘proves that Trump is a consequential figure’ and that Democrats ‘looked like kindergarteners sulking in time-out.’
Kevin Madden: ‘unapologetic’ but no lasting effect
Grade: B+
Republican strategist Kevin Madden said Trump remains focused on ‘extending the policies, themes and messages of his 2024 campaign into his first 100 days.’
‘He remains totally convinced he has a mandate to move on big initiatives like government efficiency reforms and border security,’ he added.
Madden noted that the president’s posture and rhetoric were ‘were unapologetic, which continues to have a tremendous rallying effect with his party allies in Congress.’
He said the president uses ‘made-for-TV moments to his advantage, and his most active critics still remain slow when it comes to countering his approach.’
Trump pointing into the crowd as he delivered his address to a joint session of Congress
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green wearing a MAGA themed hat in the House chamber as she listened to Trump’s address
But Madden noted that these speeches do not have much of a lasting effect.
‘Increasingly, the pageantry of these addresses are just fodder for partisans,’ he said.
‘Inflation concerns, the economic impact of trade wars, and global conflicts are all still very present threats that will shape the broader contours of public opinion and the electorate’s mood over the longer term,’ Madden continued.
Rusty Hills: ‘Classic Trump’
Grade: C-
According to University of Michigan professor Rusty Hills, the president’s address to a joint session of Congress was ‘classic Trump.’
‘The speech was a campaign rally held under the capitol dome. It was a two hour long ‘Greatest Hits’ tour, with all of Mr. Trump’s favorite lines from the ’24 campaign trail: “Drain the swamp,” “Drill, baby, drill,” and, of course, “Make America Great Again,”’ Hills told DailyMail.com
‘And, just as in his campaign rallies, there were repeated attacks against former President Joe Biden, his 2024 opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, and all of the Democrats,’ Hills pointed out.
He noted that Trump touched on his familiar themes including immigration, tariffs, tax cuts, ending wast, fraud and abuse in government, and eliminating all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
Trump holding up a copy of an executive order during his address
‘Mr. Trump played to his base and his supporters throughout the two hours,’ Hills said. ‘Emboldened by his win this past November, there was no bipartisanship, no outreach to the Democrats.’
Hills said as a campaign rally he would give it an ‘A’ but as a report to the American people and Congress, ‘it merits a “C-.”‘
Joel Payne: ‘Nothing’ for Americans on the economy
Grade: No letter – ‘Too much misinformation’
Democratic strategist Joel Payne was not impressed by the record-length speech.
‘Trump really had nothing for the American people on the economy,’ Payne told DailyMail.com after the speech wrapped up.
‘He decided to go heavy on blaming Biden and leaning in the culture wars,’ he added.
Payne called in an ‘audacious bet for the country that continues to say that they are concerned about the economy.’
Democrats holding up signs as Trump was speaking to a joint session of Congress
The Democratic strategist argued that Democratic members of Congress ‘appeared to have matched the opposition energy that their base has been demanding’ and that the shows of protest across the board were ‘what Democrats have been begging for.’
‘Not all of them will be good enough to satiate everybody’s concerns,’ Payne claimed, but he suggested it ‘somewhat marks a turning point.’