President Trump is set to deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening. This will be his first address since returning to the White House six weeks ago. The speech comes at a time when the administration is working to make significant changes to the federal government, particularly focusing on issues such as illegal immigration and redefining the United States’ role in international affairs.
The address is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET and will be accompanied by NPR’s live special coverage, including analysis of the president’s speech and the Democratic response. You can tune in to the coverage on various public radio stations, the NPR app, and watch live video coverage on NPR.org.
During the speech, President Trump is expected to highlight his administration’s efforts to restructure the government, including the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. This initiative, led by billionaire Elon Musk, aims to streamline government operations by reducing the number of federal workers and closing certain agencies.
Additionally, Trump is likely to discuss his plans to address illegal immigration, focusing on measures such as suspending the asylum process at the southern border and ending birthright citizenship for children born to parents without legal status. The administration’s hard-line immigration policies have been met with both support and criticism.
Tariffs are also expected to be a key topic of the speech, with Trump already imposing tariffs on Chinese goods and planning to implement tariffs on Mexico and Canada. The president argues that these tariffs are necessary to reduce illegal border crossings and combat the smuggling of fentanyl into the U.S.
On the foreign policy front, attention will be on Trump’s remarks regarding ongoing conflicts, including those between Israel and Hamas, as well as Russia and Ukraine. The U.S.’s role in brokering peace deals in these regions will be closely watched.
While this speech is not a State of the Union address, it serves as an opportunity for President Trump to outline his agenda to Congress and the American people. The Democratic response will be delivered by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who will provide remarks following the president’s address. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., will deliver the Spanish language response, and Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., will offer a progressive response.
Overall, Trump’s address is expected to cover a wide range of domestic and international issues, providing insight into the administration’s priorities and initiatives moving forward.