US President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term before a joint session of Congress, focusing on his “Making America Great Again” agenda. The televised speech came just over a year into his second term and a month ahead of the midterm elections.
In his address, Trump said his first year back in office focused on economic revival, stricter border enforcement and projecting the US more assertively as a global superpower. He also invited the US ice hockey team that recently won gold at the Winter Olympics.
Key takeaways:
Trump said he inherited a nation with a stagnant economy, open borders and poor recruitment in the police and military.
He claimed the economy is booming, the borders are secure and the police are “stacked like never before.”
In the last nine months, zero “illegal immigrants” have entered the United States, he said, adding that legal immigration will continue.
“Our nation is back bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump stated.
Referring to July 4th celebrations, he said the US will mark “two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph” in “the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of earth.”
He said the murder rate saw the biggest decline in history.
Core inflation is at its lowest level in five years and stood at 1.75 per cent in the last three months of 2025.
Gas prices have fallen to $1.85 a gallon.
The annual cost of a typical mortgage is down by $5,000 in one year.
The stock market has set 53 all-time record highs in a single year.
In 12 months, $18 trillion in global investment commitments were secured in the US.
The US received more than $80 million worth of oil from Venezuela, and Trump reiterated his “Drill Baby Drill” promise.
More Americans are working than ever before, with job creation driven by the private sector.
Trump declared the State of the Union “strong.”
“Our country is winning so much, I don't know what to do about it,” he said.
He claimed Los Angeles will be made safe like Washington D.C., calling it the safest city in the country, and noted LA will host the 2028 Olympics.
Trump honoured American heroes for acts of bravery.
He said tax cuts were delivered through the “Big Beautiful Bill,” including no tax on tips and overtime.
American children will have $100,000 in “Trump Accounts” by age 18, he said.
“I used tariffs to bring in hundreds of billion of dollars,” Trump stated.
He claimed other countries are happy with the tariffs despite the Supreme Court ruling that scrapped earlier levies.
Trump said other countries will continue working on already charted trade deals but added that no new trade deals will be made.
He announced a new healthcare plan to scrap insurance and give money directly to people.
He declared an end to the “wildly inflated cost of prescriptions.”
Americans will now pay the lowest prices for medicines globally, he claimed, adding that medicines at lower cost are available on donaldtrumprx.com.
Companies will be allowed to build their own electric plants and grids to reduce prices
Social Security and Medicare will be protected for retired Americans, he said.
