President Donald Trump addressed both chambers of Congress Tuesday evening in an expansive speech that lasted more than 90 minutes, as he took a victory lap for his accomplishments thus far and previewed his vision for the future.
The speech marked Trump’s first address before Congress since he reclaimed the Oval Office in January. Though similar to a State of the Union Speech, Trump’s address did not carry the same official title as he has not been in office a full year.
Fox News Digital compiled the top five moments from Trump’s address, including Democratic protests, chants of “USA, USA, USA” and Trump revealing that a top terrorist has been apprehended.
1. Trump sets speech record while declaring ‘America is back’
Trump spoke for about an hour and 40 minutes, notching the longest address a president has delivered before a joint session of Congress, according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The longest speech on record previously was held by former President Bill Clinton, when he spoke for one hour and 28 minutes during his State of the Union Address in 2000.
“To my fellow citizens, America is back,” Trump declared at the start of his Tuesday speech.
“Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the golden Age of America,” he said. “From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country. We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years. And we are just getting started.”
The audience broke out into chants of “USA, USA, USA” as Trump opened his speech by declaring “America is back,”
Trump rattled off a handful of accomplishments since taking office, notably the Department of Government Efficiency’s work to stamp out government overspending, fraud and mismanagement, as well as securing the border and previewing how his tariff plans will lead to an economic “boom” for Americans.
‘HE’S BACK’: TRUMP’S JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS TO BE BLANKETED WITH 6-FIGURE AD BUY TOUTING TAX PLAN
“Every single day, we will stand up and we will fight, fight, fight for the country our citizens believe in and for the country people deserve,” Trump said in his conclusion. “My fellow Americans, get ready for an Incredible future, because the golden age of America has only just begun. It will be like nothing that has ever been seen before. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.”
2. Sergeant-at-Arms escorts Rep. Al Green out, Democrats protest with signs
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson ordered the sergeant at arms to remove Democratic Texas Rep. Al Green after he repeatedly shouted during Trump’s opening remarks.
“Members are engaging in willful and continuing breach of decorum, and the chair is prepared to direct the sergeant at arms to restore order to the joint session,” Johnson warned as a handful of Democrats disrupted Trump.
“Mr. Green, take your seat,” he said, as Green continued shouting and shaking his cane at Trump.
Johnson ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Green from the chamber.
Green, one of Trump’s most vocal critics, already has filed impeachment articles against Trump over what he called “ethnic cleansing in Gaza.”
DEMOCRAT REMOVED FROM HOUSE CHAMBER AFTER DISRUPTING TRUMP’S SPEECH TO CONGRESS: ‘TAKE YOUR SEAT’
Some Democrats had warned their colleagues against protesting Trump ahead of the speech, with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, for example, saying they should let him “stew in his own juice.”
Democrats, however, protested nonetheless, including remaining seated as Trump celebrated his policies, and held up signs reading “false,” “lies,” “Musk steals” and “Save Medicaid.” Some female Democratic lawmakers wore pink suits in protest of policies they claim are anti-woman, while other Democrats were heard jeering Trump throughout the speech.
3. Trump honors young women killed by illegal immigrants
Trump honored the lives of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray — who both were brutally killed by illegal immigrants under the Biden administration — including naming an animal refuge after Nungaray.
“Alexis, I promised that we would always remember your daughter, your magnificent daughter,” Trump said while directing his attention to Jocelyn Nungaray’s mom, Alexis. “And earlier tonight I signed an order keeping my word to you. One thing I have learned about Jocelyn is that she loved animals so much. She loved nature. Across Galveston Bay, from where Jocelyn lived in Houston, you will find a magnificent National Wildlife Refuge. A pristine, peaceful, 34,000-acre sanctuary for all of God’s creatures on the edge of the Gulf of America.”
The 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was sexually assaulted and murdered by strangulation when two illegal immigrants in their 20s allegedly lured the young girl under a bridge before killing her in June 2024.
“Her precious Jocelyn walked to a nearby convenience store,” Trump said. “She was kidnaped, tied up, assaulted for two hours under a bridge and horrifically murdered. Arrested and charged with this heinous crime are two illegal alien monsters from Venezuela, released into America by the last administration through their ridiculous open border. The death of this beautiful 12-year-old girl, and the agony of her mother and family touched our entire nation greatly.”
Trump also celebrated the life of Laken Riley, who was 22 years old when she was discovered beaten to death by an illegal immigrant in 2024 after going for a run on the University of Georgia’s campus.
TRUMP HONORS LIVES OF LAKEN RILEY, JOCELYN NUNGARAY WHILE CELEBRATING STRIDES ON SECURING BORDER
“Laken was viciously attacked, assaulted, beaten, brutalized, and horrifically murdered,” Trump said during his speech. “Laken was stolen from us by a savage illegal alien.”
Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law upon taking office for a second time in January, saying that the U.S. will never forget Riley through the law that directs Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes, or those accused of assaulting a police officer.
Trump declared during his speech that the U.S. “will never, ever forget our beautiful Laken Riley” through legislation he singed into law.
“All three savages charged with Jocelyn and Laken’s murders were members of the Venezuelan prison gang, the toughest gang, they say, in the world known as Tren De Aragua,” Trump said. “Two weeks ago, I officially designated this gang, along with MS-13 and the bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartels, as foreign terrorist organizations.”
“They are now officially in the same category as ISIS, and that’s not good for them,” he said. “Countless thousands of these terrorists were welcomed into the U.S by the Biden administration. But now, every last one will be rounded up and forcibly removed from our country. Or, if they’re too dangerous, put in jail, standing trial in this country, because we don’t want them to come back ever.”
4. Trump reveals top terrorist behind Abbey Gate attack apprehended
Trump revealed during his speech that the top terrorist suspect behind the 2021 Abbey Gate attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members has been apprehended and headed towards the “swift sword of American justice.”
“Tonight, I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity,” Trump revealed during his speech before a joint Congress. “And he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice.”
TRUMP REVEALS TOP TERRORIST BEHIND ABBEY GATE ATTACK APPREHENDED, FACING ‘SWIFT SWORD OF AMERICAN JUSTICE’
The suspect was identified as Muhammed Sharifullah, Fox News confirmed.
“And I want to thank, especially, the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster,” he said. “This was a very momentous day for those 13 families, who I actually got to know very well.”
The Biden administration’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members — eleven Marines, one Navy corpsman and one sailor — defending the Kabul airport, while hundreds of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies were left in the country under Taliban rule. At least 170 Afghan civilians were injured in the attack, according to the U.S. military’s investigation of it.
The families who lost loved ones during the botched withdrawal had previously and repeatedly slammed former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over their deaths, including the families saying the “administration killed my son” and that they “have not seen any support from you or your administration.”
Trump revealed he held a phone call with the families of those who were killed in Afghanistan, filling them in on the latest development, which he said brought them tears of joy.
“I spoke to many of the parents and loved ones, and they’re all in our hearts tonight,” Trump said. “I spoke to them on the phone. We had a big call. Every one of them called. And everybody was on the line and they did nothing but cry with happiness. They were very happy. As happy as you can be under those circumstances. Their child, brother, sister, son, daughter was killed for no reason whatsoever,” he said.
5. 13-year-old cancer survivor earns standing ovation as he becomes Secret Service agent
DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old boy who survived cancer, stole the show Tuesday evening when the president introduced him to the audience and officially swore him in as a member of the Secret Service.
“Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police,” Trump told the crowd. “His name is DJ Daniel is 13 years old, and he has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. But in 2018, D.J. was diagnosed with brain cancer. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago.”
13-YEAR-OLD CANCER SURVIVOR EARNS STANDING OVATION AS HE BECOMES SECRET SERVICE AGENT DURING TRUMP SPEECH
Daniel received a standing ovation from a majority of the crowd, although some Democrats were seen sitting at various times while Trump was speaking about the 13-year-old.
Trump told the audience that Daniel and his dad, who was in attendance and held the young boy up to the cheering lawmakers, that they were on a “quest” to make his dream of becoming a police officer come true.
“Tonight, DJ, we’re going to do you the biggest honor of them all,” Trump said. “I am asking our new Secret Service Director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States.”
The Secret Service chief walked over to Daniel and presented him with a customized Secret Service badge, as the audience cheered.
“Thank you, DJ,” Trump said after the crowd started chanting the young boy’s name.
Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
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