← Clock It with Symone & Eugene
Clock It with Symone & Eugene
Trump’s Address to Congress
02:02:40
Listen to MSNBC’s Special Coverage of President Trump’s address to Congress on March 4th, 2025.
Loading summary
Transcript48 lines
- [00:01]
Rachel Maddow
Subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. New episodes of all your favorite MSNBC shows Now, ad free + ad free listening to all of Rachel Maddow's original series, Ultra Bagman and Deja News and all MSNBC original podcasts are available ad free and with bonus content including why is this Happening? Felshey Band Book Club and more. Subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.
- [00:38]
Lawrence O'Donnell
And here he is, President Trump at the podium. Here we go with his presidential address to a joint session of Congress.
- [01:22]
Donald Trump
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. It's a great honor. Thank you very much. Speaker Johnson, Vice President Vance, the First lady of the United States. Members of the United States Congress, thank you very much. And to my fellow citizens. America is back. Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the golden age of America. 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. I return to this chamber tonight to report that America's momentum is back. Our spirit is back, our pride is back, our confidence is back. And the American dream is surging bigger and better than ever before. The American dream is unstoppable. And our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed and perhaps will never witness again. There's never been anything like it. The presidential election of November 5 was a mandate like has not been seen in many decades. We won all seven swing states, giving us an electoral college victory of 312 votes. We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country. And what counties in our country country. 2,700 to 525. But a map that reads almost completely red for Republican. Now, for the first time in modern history, more Americans believe that our country is headed in the right direction than the wrong direction. In fact, it's an astonishing record 27 point swing, the most ever. Likewise, small business optimism saw its single largest one month gain ever recorded, a 41 point jump. Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions. That's your warning. 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. Mr. Green, take your seat. Take your seat, sir. Take your seat. Finding the Members continue to engage in willful and concerted disruption of proper decorum. The chair now directs the Sergeant at Arms to restore order. Remove this gentleman from the chamber. Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House. Mr. President, you continue. Thank you. Over the past six weeks, I have signed nearly 100 executive orders and taken more than 400 executive actions. A record to restore common sense, safety, optimism, and wealth all across our wonderful land. The people elected me to do the job, and I'm doing it. In fact, it is been stated by many that the first month of our presidency. It's. Our presidency. Is the most successful in the history of our nation, by many. And what makes it even more impressive is that. Do you know who number two is? George Washington. How about that?
- [09:37]
Nicole Wallace
How about that?
- [09:38]
Donald Trump
I don't know about that list, but we'll take it. Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border, and I deployed the U.S. military and Border patrol to repel the invasion of our country. And what a job they've done as a result. Illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded. Ever. They heard my words, and they chose not to come. Much easier that way. In comparison. Under Joe Biden, the worst president in American history, there were hundreds of thousands of illegal crossings a month. And virtually all of them, including murderers, drug dealers, gang members, and people from mental institutions and insane asylums, were released into our country. Who would want to do that? This is my fifth such speech to Congress. And once again, I look at the Democrats in front of me and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud. Nothing I can do. I could find a cure to the most devastating disease, a disease that would wipe out entire nations or announce the answers to the greatest economy in history or the stoppage of crime to the lowest levels ever recorded. And these people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand, and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements. They won't do it, no matter what. Five. Five times I've been up here. It's very sad, and it just shouldn't be this. So Democrats sitting before me for just this one night. Why not join us in celebrating so many incredible wins for America, for the good of our nation. Work together, and let's truly make America great again. Every day, my administration is fighting to deliver the change America needs to. To bring a future that America deserves. And we're doing it. This is a time for big dreams and bold Action. Upon taking office, I imposed an immediate freeze on all federal hiring, a freeze on all new federal regulations and a freeze on all foreign aid. I terminated the ridiculous green news scam. I withdrew from the unfair Paris climate accord which was costing us trillions of dollars that other countries were not paying. I withdrew from the corrupt World Health Organization and I also withdrew from the anti American UN Human Rights Counsel. We ended all of Biden's environmental restrictions that were making our country far less safe and totally unaffordable. And importantly, we ended the last administration's insane electric vehicle mandate, saving our autoworkers and companies from economic destruction to unshackle our economy. I have directed that for every one new regulation, 10 old regulations must be eliminated. Just like I did in my very successful first term. And in that first term we set records on ending unnecessary rules and regulations like no other president had done before. We ordered all federal workers to return to the office. They will either show up for work in person or be removed from their job. And we have ended weaponized government where as an example, a sitting president president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent like me. How did that work out? Not too good. And I have stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America. It's back. And two days ago I signed an order making English the official language of the United States of America. I renamed the the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of America. And likewise, I renamed for a great president, William McKinley, Mount McKinley. Again, beautiful Alaska. We love Alaska. We've ended the tyranny of so called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and indeed the private sector and our military and our country will be woke no longer. We believe that whether you are a D doctor, an accountant, a lawyer or an air traffic controller, you should be hired and promoted based on skill and competence, not race or gender. Very important, you should be hired based on merit. And the Supreme Court in a brave and very powerful decision has allowed us to do so. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools. And I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female. I also signed an executive order to ban men from playing in women's sports. Three years ago, Peyton McNabb camp was an all star high school athlete, one of the best preparing for a future in college sports. But when her girls volleyball match was invaded by a male, he smashed the ball so hard in Peyton's face, causing traumatic brain Injury partially paralyzing her right side and ending her athletic career. It was a shot like she's never seen before. She's never seen anything like it. Peyton is here tonight in the gallery. And Peyton, from now on, schools will kick the men off the girls team or they will lose all federal funding. And if you really want to see numbers, just take a look at what happened in the women's boxing, weightlifting, track and field, swimming, or cycling, where a male recently finished a long distance race five hours and 14 minutes ahead of a woman for a new record by five hours. Broke the record by five hours. It's demeaning for women and it's very bad for our country. We're not going to put up with it any longer. What I have just described is only a small fraction of the common sense revolution that is now because of us sweeping the entire world. Common sense has become a common theme and we will never go back. Never, never going to let that happen. Among my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families. As you know, we inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare. Their policies drove up energy prices, pushed up grocery costs, and drove the necessities of life out of reach for millions and millions of Americans. They've never had anything like it. We suffered the worst inflation in 48 years, but perhaps even in the history of our country, they're not sure. As president, I'm fighting every day to reverse this damage and make America affordable again. Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control. The egg price is out of control and we're working hard to get it back down. Secretary, do a good job on that. You inherited a total mess from the previous administration. Do a good job. A major focus of our fight to defeat inflation is rapidly reducing the cost of of energy. The previous administration cut the number of new oil and gas leases by 95%, slowed pipeline construction to a halt, and closed more than 100 power plants. We are opening up many of those power plants right now, and frankly, we have never seen anything like it. That's why on my first day in office, I declared a national energy emergency. As you've heard me say many times, we have more liquid gold under our feet than any nation on earth and by far. And now I fully authorize the most talented team ever assembled to go and get it. It's called drill, baby, drill. My administration is also working on a gigantic natural gas pipeline in Alaska, among the largest in the world, where Japan, South Korea and Other nations want to be our partner with with investments of trillions of dollars each. There's never been anything like that one. It will be truly spectacular. It's all set to go. The permitting is gotten. And later this week I will also take historic action to dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths here in the US to further combat inflation. We will not only be reducing the cost of energy, but will be ending the flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars. And to that end, I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency. Goj perhaps you've heard of it. PERH which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight. Thank you, Elon. He's working very hard. He didn't need this. He didn't need this. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it. I believe they just don't want to admit that. Just listen to some of the appalling waste we have already identified. $22 billion from HHS to provide free housing and cars for illegal aliens. $45 million for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships in Burma. $40 million to improve the social and economic inclusion of sedentary migrants. Nobody knows what that is. $8 million to promote LGBTQI plus in the African nation of of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of. $60 million for indigenous peoples and Afro Colombian empowerment in Central America. $60 million. $8 million for making mice transgender. This is real. $32 million for a left wing propaganda operation in Moldova. $10 million for male circumcision in Mozambique. $20 million for the Arab Sesame street in the Middle east. It's a program. $20 million for a program. $1.9 billion to recently created Decarbonization of Homes committee headed up and we know she's involved. Just at the last moment. The money was passed over by a woman named Stacey Abrams. Have you ever heard of her? A $3.5 million consulting contract for lavish fish monitoring. $1.5 billion for voter confidence in Liberia. $14 million for social cohesion in Mali. $59 million for illegal alien hotel rooms in New York City. He's a real estate developer. He's done very well. $250,000 to increase vegan local climate action innovation in Zambia. $42 million for social and behavior change in Uganda. $14 million for improving public procurement in Serbia. $47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia. Asia is doing very well with learning. We know what we're doing, should use it ourselves. And $101 million for DEI contracts at the Department of Education, the most ever paid. Nothing even like it under the Trump administration. All of these scams, and they're far worse. But I didn't think it was appropriate to talk about them. They're so bad. Many more have been found out and exposed and swiftly terminated by a group of very intelligent, mostly young people headed up by Elon. And we appreciate it. We found hundreds of billions of dollars and we've taken back the money and reduced our debt to fight inflation and other things, taking back a lot of that money. We got it just in time. This is just the beginning. The Government Accountability Office, a federal government office, has estimated annual fraud of over 500 billion doll dollars in our nation. And we are working very hard to stop it. We're going to. We're also identifying shocking levels of incompetence and probable fraud in the Social Security program for our seniors and that our seniors and people that we love rely on. Believe it or not, government databases list 4.7 million Social Security members from people aged 100 to 109 years old. It lists 3.6 million people from ages 110 to 119. I don't know any of them. I know some people that are rather elderly, but not quite that elderly. 3.47 million people from ages 120 to 129. 3.9 million people from ages 130 to 139. 3.5 million people from ages 140 to 149. And money is being paid to many of them. And we're searching right now, in fact. Pam, good luck. Good luck. You're going to find it. But a lot of money is paid out to people because it just keeps getting paid and paid and nobody does. And it really hurts Social Security and hurts our country. 1.3 million people from ages 150 to 159. And over 130,000 people, according to the Social Security databases, are age over 160 years old. We have a healthier country than I thought, Bobby, including to finish 1039 people between the ages of 220 and 229. One person between the age of 240 and 249 and one person is listed at 360 years of age, more than 100 years, more than 100 years older than our country. But we're going to find out where that money is going, and it's not going to be pretty. By slashing all of the fraud, waste and theft we can find. We will Defeat inflation, bring down mortgage rates, lower car payments and grocery prices, protect our seniors and put more money in the pockets of American families. And today, interest rates took a beautiful drop. Big, beautiful drop. It's about time. And in the near future, I want to do what has not been done in 24, balance the federal budget. We're going to balance that. With that goal in mind, we have developed in great detail what we are calling the Gold Card, which goes on sale very, very soon. For $5 million, we will allow the most successful job creating people from all over the world to buy a path to US Citizenship. It's like the Green Card, but better and more sophisticated. And these people will have to pay tax in our country. They won't have to pay tax from where they came, the money that they've made. You wouldn't want to do that. But they have to pay tax, create jobs. They'll also be taking people out of colleges and paying for them so that we can keep them in our country instead of having them be being forced out, number one at the top school as an example, being forced out and not being allowed to stay and create tremendous numbers of jobs and great success for a company out there. So while we take out the criminals, killers, traffickers and child predators who are allowed to enter our country under the open border policy of these people, the Democrats, the Biden administration, the open border insane policies that you've allowed to destroy our country, we will now bring in brilliant, hardworking job creating people. They're going to pay a lot of money and we're going to reduce our debt with that money. Americans have given us a mandate for bold and profound change. For nearly 100 years, the federal bureaucracy has grown until it has crushed our freedoms, ballooned our deficits, and held back America's potential in every possible way. The nation founded by pioneers and risk takers now drowns under millions and millions of pages of regulations and debt approvals that should take 10 days to get. Instead, take 10 years, 15 years, and even 20 years before you reject it. Meanwhile, we have hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have not been showing up to work. My administration will reclaim power from this unaccountable bureaucracy and we will restore true democracy to America again. And any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office immediately because we are draining the swamp. It's very simple. And the days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over. And the next phase of our plan to deliver the greatest economy in history is for this Congress to pass tax cuts for Everybody, they're in there, they're waiting for you to vote. And I'm sure that the people on my right, I don't mean the Republican right, but my right right here, I'm sure you're going to vote for those tax cuts because otherwise I don't believe the people will ever vote you into office. So I'm doing a big favor by telling you that. But I know this group is going to be voting for the tactics. Thank you. It's a very, very big part of our plan. We had tremendous success in our first term with it. A very big part of our plan. We're seeking permanent income tax cuts all across the board. And to get urgently needed relief to Americans hit especially hard by inflation, I'm calling for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security benefits for our great seniors. And I also want to make interest payments on car loans tax deductible, but only if the car is made in America. And by the way, we're going to have growth in the auto industry like nobody's ever seen. Plants are opening up all over the place. Deals are being made. Never seen. That's a combination of the election win and tariffs. It's a beautiful word, isn't it? That, along with our other policies will allow our auto industry to absolutely boom. It's going to boom. Spoke to the majors today, all three, the top people, and they're so excited. In fact, already numerous car companies have announced that they will be building massive automobile plants in America, with Honda just announcing a new plant in Indiana, one of the largest anywhere in the world. And this has taken place since our great victory on November 5, a date which will hopefully go down as one of the most important in the history of our country. In addition, as part of our tax cuts, we want to cut taxes on domestic production and oil manufacturing. And just as we did before, we will provide 100% expensing. It will be retroactive to January 20, 2025. And it was one of the main reasons why our tax cuts were so successful in our first term, giving us the most successful economy in the history of our country. Country first turn. We had a great first turn. If you don't make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff, and in some cases a rather large one. Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada, have you heard of them? And countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. It's very unfair. India charges US auto tariffs higher than 100%. China's average tariff on our products is twice what we charge them. And South Korea's average tariff is four times higher. Think of that. Four times higher. And we give so much help militarily and in so many other ways to South Korea. But that's what happens. This is happening by friend and foe. This system is not fair to the United States and never was. And so on April 2, I wanted to make it April 1, but I didn't want to be accused of April Fool's Day. That's what that's not just one day cost us a lot of money, but we're going to do it in April. I'm a very superstitious person. April 2, reciprocal tariffs kick in and whatever they tariff us other countries, we will tariff them. That's reciprocal back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them. If they do non monetary tariffs to keep us out of their market, then we will do non monetary barriers to keep them out of our market. There's a lot of that too. They don't even allow us in their market. We will take in trillions and trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before. I did it with China and I did it with others and the Biden administration couldn't do anything about it because there was so much money. They couldn't do anything about it. About it. We have been ripped off for decades by nearly every country on earth and we will not let that happen any longer. Much has been said over the last three months about Mexico and Canada, but we have very large deficits with both of them. But even more importantly, they've allowed Fentanyl to come into our country at levels never seen before, killing hundreds of thousands of our citizens and many very young beautiful people destroying families. Nobody has ever seen anything like it. They are in effect receiving subsidies of hundreds of billions of dollars. We pay subsidies to Canada and to Mexico of hundreds of billions of dollars. And the United States will not be doing that any longer. We're not going to do it any thanks to our America first policies we're putting into place. We have had $1.7 trillion of new investment in America in just the past few weeks. The combination of the election and our economic policies that people of SoftBank, one of the most brilliant anywhere in the world, announced a $200 billion investment. OpenAI and Oracle Michael Larry Ellison announced $500 billion investment which they Wouldn't have done if Kamala had won. Apple announced $500 billion investment. Tim Cook called me. He said, I cannot spend it fast enough. It's going to be much higher than that. I believe they'll be building their plants here instead of in Chinese China. And just yesterday, Taiwan Semiconductor, the biggest in the world, most powerful in the world, has a tremendous amount, 97% of the market, announced a $165 billion investment to build the most powerful chips on earth right here in the US and we're not giving them any money. Your chips act is a horrible, horrible thing. We give hundreds of billions of dollars and it doesn't mean a thing. They take our money and they don't spend it. All that meant to them, we're giving them no money. All that was important to them was they didn't want to pay the tariffs. So they came and they're building and many other companies are coming. We don't have to give them money. We just want to protect our businesses and our people. And they will come because they won't have to pay tariffs if they build in America. So it's very amazing. You should get rid of the CHIP act and whatever's left over, Mr. Speaker. You should use it to reduce debt or any other reason you want to. Our new trade policy will also be great for the American farmer. I love the farmer who will now be selling into our home market, the usa, because nobody is going to be able to compete with you because there's goods that come in from other countries and companies. They're really, really in a, a bad position in so many different ways. They're uninspected. They may be very dirty and disgusting, and they come in and they pour in and they hurt our American farmers. The tariffs will go on. Agricultural product coming into America and our farmers, starting on April 2. It may be a little bit of an adjustment period. We had that before when I made the deal with China, $50 billion of purchases and I said, just bear with me and. And they did. They did. Probably have to bear with me again and this will be even better. That was great. The problem with it was that Biden didn't enforce it. He didn't enforce it. $50 billion of purchases and we were doing great, but Biden did not enforce it and it hurt our farmers. But our farmers are going to have a field day right now. So to our farmers, have a lot of fun. I love you too, too. I love you too. It's all going to happen. And I have also imposed a 25% tariff on foreign aluminum, copper, lumber, and steel. Because if we don't have, as an example, steel and lots of other things, we don't have a military and frankly won't have. We just won't have a country very, very long. Here today is a proud American steelworker. Fantastic person from Decatur, Alabama. Jeff Denard has been working at the same steel plant for 27 years in a job that has allowed him to serve as the captain of his local volunteer fire department. Raised seven children with his beautiful wife, Nicole Coal, and over the years, provide a loving home for more than 40 foster children. So great job. Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Jeff. Stories like Jeff's remind us that tariff tariffs are not just about protecting American jobs. They're about protecting the soul of our country. Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. And it's happening. And it will happen rather quickly. There'll be a little disturbance, but we're okay with that. It won't be much. No, you're not. Oh, and look. And look where Biden took us. Very low. The lowest we've ever been. Jeff, I want to thank you very much. And I also want to recognize another person who has devoted herself to foster care community. She worked so hard on it. A very loving person, our magnificent first lady of the United States. Melania's work has yielded incredible results, helping prepare our nation's future leaders as they enter the workforce. Our first lady is joined by two impressive young women. Very impressive. Haley Ferguson, who benefited from the First Lady's Fostering the Future initiative and is poised to complete her education, become a teacher. And Elliston Berry, who became a victim of an illicit deepfake image produced by a peer. With Elliston's help, the Senate just passed the Take it Down Act. And this is so important. Thank you very much, John. John Thune. Thank you. Stand up, John. Thank you, John. Thank you all. Very thank you. And thank you to John Thune and the Senate. Great job. To criminalize the publication of such images online is a terrible, terrible thing. And once it passes the House, I look forward to signing that bill into law. Thank you. And I'm going to use that bill for myself too, if you don't mind, because nobody gets treated worse than I do online. Nobody. That's great. Thank you very much to the Senate. Thank you. But if we truly care about protecting Americans children, no step is more crucial than securing America's borders. Over the past four years, 21 million people poured into the United States. Many of them were murderers, human traffickers gang members and other criminals from the streets of dangerous cities all throughout the world. Because of Joe Biden's insane and very dangerous open border policies. They are now strongly embedded in our country, but we are getting them out and getting them out fast. And I want to thank Tom Holman and Christy, I want to thank you. And Paul of Border Patrol, I want to thank you. What a job they've all done. Everybody, Border Patrol, ice, law enforcement in general is incredible. We have to take care of our law enforcement. Have to. Last year, a brilliant 22 year year old nursing student named Lakin Riley, the best in her class, admired by everybody, went out for a jog on the campus of the University of Georgia. That morning, Lakin was viciously attacked, assaulted, beaten, brutalized and horrifically murdered. Lakin was stolen from us by a savage illegal alien gang member who was arrested while trespassing across Biden's open southern border and then set loose into the United States under the heartless policies of that failed administration. It was indeed a failed administration. He had then been arrested and released in a Democrat run sanctuary city, a disaster. Before ending the life of this beautiful young angel. Angel. With us this evening are Lakin's beloved mother, Allison, and her sister Lauren. Last year I told Lakin's grieving parents that we would ensure their daughter would not have died in vain. That's why the very first bill I signed into law as your 47th president mandates the detention of all dangerous criminal aliens who threaten public safety. It's a very strong, powerful act. It's called the Lakin Riley Act. So, Allison and Lauren, America will never, ever forget our beautiful Lakin Hope rally. Thank you very much. Since taking office, my administration has launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history. And we quickly achieved the lowest numbers of illegal border crosses ever recorded. Thank you. The media and our friends in the Democrat party kept saying we needed new legislation, we must have legislation to secure the border. But it turned out that all we really needed was a new president. Thank you. Joe Biden didn't just open our borders. He flew illegal aliens over them to overwhelm our schools, hospitals and communities throughout the country. Entire towns like Aurora, Colorado and Springfield, Ohio, buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like nobody's ever seen before. Beautiful towns destroyed. Now, just as I promised in my inaugural address, we are achieving the great liberation of America. But there's still, there is much work to be done. Here tonight is a woman I have gotten to know, Alexis Nungare from Houston. Wonderful woman. Last June, Alexis's 12 year old daughter, her precious Jocelyn, walked to a nearby convenience store. She was kidnapped, 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. Alexis, I promised that we would always remember your daughter. Your magnificent daughter. Order. 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 acres acre sanctuary for all of God's creatures on the edge of the Gulf of America. Alexis, moments ago I formally renamed that refuge in loving memory of your beautiful daughter, Jocelyn. So, Mr. Vice President, if you would. May I have the order? Thank you very much. All three savages charged with Jocelyn and Lakins murders were members of the Venezuelan prison gang. The toughest gang they say in the world. Known as trendy Aragua. 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. Countless thousands of these terrorists were welcomed into the US by the Biden administration. But now every last one will be rounded up and forcibly removed from our country. Country. Or if they're too dangerous, put in jails, standing trial in this country. Because we don't want them to come back. Ever. With us this evening is a warrior on the front lines of that battle. Border Patrol agent Roberto Ortiz. Great guy. In January, Roberto and another agent were patrolling by the Rio Grande near an area known as Cartel Island. Doesn't sound too nice to me. When heavily armed gunmen started shooting at them. Roberto saw that his partner was totally exposed at great danger. And he leapt into action, returning fire and providing crucial seconds for his fellow agent to seek safety. Just. And just barely. I have some of the prints of that event. And it was not good. Agent Ortiz, we salute you for your great courage and for your line of fire that you took and for the bravery that you showed. We honor you and we will always honor you. Thank you, Roberto, very much. Thank you, Roberta. And I actually got to know him on my many calls to the border. He's a great, great gentleman. The territory to the immediate south of our border is now dominated entirely by criminal cartels that murder, rape, torture and exercise total control. They have total control over a whole nation, posing a grave threat to our national security. The cartels are waging war on America. And it's time for America to wage war on the cartels which we are. Five nights ago, Mexican authorities, because of our tariff policies being imposed on them. Think of this. Handed over to us 29 of the biggest cartel leaders in this, their country. That has never happened before. They want to make us happy, first time ever. But we need Mexico and Canada to do much more than they've done. And they have to stop the fentanyl and drugs pouring into the usa. They're going to stop it. I have sent Congress a detailed funding request laying out exactly how we will eliminate these threats to protect our homeland and complete the largest deportation operation in American history. Larger even than current record holder president Dwight D. Eisenhower. A moderate man, but someone who believed very strongly in borders. Americans expect Congress to send me this funding without delay so I can sign it into law. So, Mr. Speaker, John Thune, both of you, I. I hope you're going to be able to do that. Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Leader. Thank you. Thank you very much. And let's get it to me. I'll sign it so fast you won't even believe it. And as we reclaim our sovereignty, we must also bring back law and order to our cities and towns. In recent years, our justice system has been turned upside down by radical left lunatics. Many jurisdictions virtually seized. Enforcing the law against dangerous repeat offenders while weaponizing law enforcement against political opponents like me. My administration has acted swiftly and decisively to restore fair, equal and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law, starting at the FBI and the doj. Pam. Good luck, Cash, wherever you may be. Good luck. Good luck. Pam Bond. Good luck. So important. Going to do a great job, Cash. Thank you. Thank you, Cash. They've already started very strong. They're going to do a fantastic job. You're going to be very proud of them. We're also once again giving our police officers the support, protection and respect they so dearly deserve. They have to get it. They have such a hard, dangerous job, but we're going to make it less dangerous. The problem is the bad guys don't respect the law. But they're starting to respect it. And they soon will respect it. This also includes our great fire departments throughout the country. Our firemen and women are unbelievable people and I will never forget them. And besides that, they voted for me in record numbers. So I have no choice. One year ago this month, 31 year old new York police officer, Officer Jonathan Diller, unbelievably wonderful person and a great officer, was gunned down at a traffic stop on Long Island. I went to his funeral. The vicious criminal charged with his murder had 21 prior arrests. And they were rough arrests too. He was a real bad one. The thug in the seat next to him had 14 prior arrests and went by the name of killer. He was killer. He killed other people, they say a lot of them. I attended Officer Diller's service and when I met his wife and one year old son, Ryan, it was very inspirational. Actually, his widow's name is Stephanie and she is here tonight. Stephanie. Thank you very much, Stephanie. Thank you very much, Stephanie. We're going to make sure that Ryan knows his dad was a true hero. New York's finest. And we're going to get these cold blooded killers and repeat offenders off our streets and we're going to do it fast. Got to stop it. They get out with 28 arrests. They push people into subway trains, they hit people over the head, back of the head with baseball bats. We got to get them out of here. I've already signed an executive order requiring a mandatory death penalty for anyone who murders a police officer. And tonight I'm asking Congress to pass that policy into permanent law. I'm also asking for a new crime bill, getting tough on repeat offenders while enhancing protections for America's police officers so they can do their jobs without fear of their lives being totally destroyed. They don't want to be killed. We're not going to let them be killed. Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young, young man who truly loves our police. His name is DJ Daniel. He 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. Since that time, D.J. and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true. And DJ has been sworn in as an honorary law enforcement officer. Actually, a number of times. Peace. The police love him. The police departments love him. And tonight, dj, we're going to do you the biggest honor of them all. I am asking our new Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service. It's. Thank you, DJ. DJs doctors believe his cancer likely came from a chemical he was exposed to when he was younger. Since 1975, rates of child cancer have increased by more than 40%. Reversing this trend is one of the top priorities for our new Presidential commission to make America Healthy Again, chaired by our new Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. With the name Kennedy. You would have thought everybody over here would have been cheering. How quickly they forget. Our goal is to get toxins out of our environment, poisons out of our food supply, and keep our children healthy and strong. As an example, not long ago, and you can't even believe these numbers, one in 10,000 children had autism. One in 10,000. And now it's one in 36. There's something wrong. One in 36. Think of that. So we're going to find out what it is. And there's nobody better than Bobby and all of the people that are working with you. You have the best to figure out what is going on. Okay, Bobby, good luck. It's a very important job. Thank you. Thank you. My administration is also working to protect our children from toxic ideologies in our schools. A few years ago, January, little John and her husband discovered that their daughter's school had secretly, socially transitioned their 13 year old little girl. Teachers and administrators conspired to deceive January and her husband while encouraging her daughter to use a new name and pronouns. They, them, pronoun, actually, all without telling January, who is here tonight and is now a courageous advocate against this form of child abuse. January. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Stories like this are why, shortly after, after taking office, I signed an executive order banning public schools from indoctrinating our children with transgender ideology. I also signed an order to cut off all taxpayer funding to any institution that engages in the sexual mutilation of our youth. And now I want Congress to pass a bill permanently banning and criminalizing sex changes on children and forever ending the lie that any child is trapped in the wrong body. This is a big lie. And our message to every child in America is that you are perfect exactly the way God made you. Because we're getting Wokeness out of our schools and out of our military. And it's already out and it's out of our society. We don't want it. Wokeness is trouble. Wokeness is bad. It's gone. It's gone. And we feel so much better for it. Don't we? Don't we feel better? Our service members won't be activists and ideologues. They will be fighters and warriors. They will fight for our country. And Pete, congratulations, Secretary of Defense, congratulations. And he's not big into The WOKE movement. I can tell you, I know him well. I am pleased to report that In January the US army had its single best recruiting month in 15 years. And that all armed services are having among the best recruiting results ever in the history of our services. What a difference. And you know, it was just a few months ago where the results were exactly the opposite. We couldn't recruit anywhere. We couldn't recruit. Now. We're having the best results just about that we've ever had. What a tremendous turnaround. It's really a beautiful thing to see people love our country again and it's very simple. They love our country and they love being in our military again. So it's a great thing. And thank you very much. Great job. We're joined tonight by a young man, Jason Hartley, who knows the weight of that call of duty. Jason's father, grandfather and great grand grandfather all wore the uniform. Jason tragically lost his dad, who was also a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy when he was just a boy. And now he wants to carry on the family legacy of service. Jason is a senior in high school, a six letter varsity athlete, a really good athlete they say, a brilliant student with a 4.46. That's good GPA. And his greatest dream is to attend the US Military Academy at West Point. And Jason, that's a very big deal. Getting in, that's a hard one to get into. But I'm pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted. You will soon be joining the corps of cadets. Thank you, Jason. You're going to be on the long gray line, Jason. As commander in chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future. As a first step, I'm asking Congress to fund a state of the art golden dome missile defense shield to protect our homeland. All made in the usa. And Ronald Reagan wanted to do it long ago, but the technology just wasn't there, not even close. But now we have the technology. It's a incredible actually. And other places they have it, Israel has it, other places have it. And the United States should have it too. Right Tim? Right. They should have it too. So I want to thank you, but it's a very, very important. This is a very dangerous world. We should have it. We want to be protected and we're going to protect our citizens like never before. To boost our defense industrial base, we are also going to resurrect the American shipbuilding industry, including commercial shipbuilding and military shipbuilding. And for that purpose, I am announcing tonight that we will create a new office of shipbuilding in the White House and offer special tax incentives to bring this industry home to America. America where it belongs. We used to make so many ships. We don't make them anymore very much, but we're going to make them very fast. Very soon it will have a huge impact. To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal and we've already started doing it. Just today, a large American company announced they are buying both ports around the Panama Canal and lots of other things having to do with the Panama Canal and a couple of other canals. The Panama Canal was built by Americans for Americans, not for others, but others could use it. But it was built at tremendous cost of American blood and treasure. 38,000 workers died building the panel Panama Canal. They died of malaria, they died of snake bites and mosquitoes. Not a nice place to work. They paid them very highly to go there, knowing there was a 25% chance that they would die. The most expensive project also that was ever built in our country's history. If you bring it up to modern day costs, it was given away by the Carter administration for $1. But that agreement has been violated very severely. We didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama and we're taking it back. And we have Marco Rubio in charge. Good luck, Marco. Now we know who to blame if anything goes wrong. Marco has been amazing and he's going to do a great job. Think of it, he got 100 votes. You know, he was approved with actually 99. But the 100th was this gentleman and I feel very certain. So let's assume he got 100 votes. And I'm either very, very happy about that or I'm very concerned. Concerned about it. But he's already proven, I mean, he's a great gentleman, he's respected by everybody. And we appreciate you voting for Marco. He's going to do a fantastic job. Thank you. Thank you. He's doing a great job. Great job. And I also have a message tonight for the incredible, incredible people of Greenland. We strongly support your right to determine your own future. And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America. We need Greenland for national security and even international security. And we're working with everybody involved to try and get it. But we need it really for international world security. And I think we're going to get it. One way or the other, we're going to get it. We will keep you safe, we will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible. Before it's a very small population, but very, very large piece of land and very, very important for military security. America is once again standing strong against the force forces of radical Islamic terrorism. Three and a half years ago, ISIS terrorists killed 13American service members and countless others in the Abbey Gate bombing during the disastrous and incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan. Not that they were withdrawing, it was the way they withdrew. Perhaps the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country. Tonight I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity. And he is right now on his way here to face the swift sword of American justice. And I want to thank especially the government of Pakistan for helping arrest this monster. This was a very momentous day for those 13 families who I actually got to know very well, most of them whose children were murdered and the many people that were so badly. Over 42 people so badly injured on that fateful day in Afghanistan. What a horror. Horrible day. Such incompetence was shown that when Putin saw what happened, I guess he said, wow, maybe this is my chance. That's how bad it was. Should have never happened. Grossly incompetent people. I spoke to many of the parents and loved ones and they were all in our hearts tonight. Just spoke to them on the phone. We had a big, 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. In the Middle East. We're bringing back our hostages from Gaza. In my first term, we achieved one of the most groundbreaking peace agreements in generations, the Abraham Accords. And now we're going to build on that, that foundation to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for the entire region. A lot of things are happening in the Middle East. People have been talking about that so much lately with everything going on with Ukraine and Russia, but a lot of things are happening in the Middle East. It's a rough neighborhood, actually. I'm also working tirelessly to end the savage conflict in Ukraine. Millions of Ukrainians and Russians have been needless to killed or wounded in this horrific and brutal conflict with no end in sight. The United States has sent hundreds of billions of dollars to support Ukraine's defense. With no security, with no. You want to keep it going for another five years? Yeah. Yeah, you would say. Pocahontas says yes. 2,000 people are being killed every single week. More than that, they're Russian young people. They're Ukrainian young people. They're not Americans. But I want it to stop. Meanwhile, Europe has sadly spent more money buying Russian oil and gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine. By far. Think of that. They've spent more buying Russian oil and gas than they have defending. And we've spent perhaps $350 billion. Like taking candy from a baby. That's. That's what happened. And they've spent $100 billion. What a difference that is. And we have a notion separating us, and they don't. But we're getting along very well with them and lots of good things are happening. Biden has authorized more money in this fight than Europe has spent by billions and billions of dollars. It's hard to believe that they wouldn't have stopped it and said at some point, come on, let's equalize. You got to be equal to us. But that didn't happen. Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelensky of Ukraine. The letter reads, ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians, he said. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. Regarding the agreement on minerals and security, Ukraine is ready to sign it at any time that is convenient for you. I appreciate that. He sent this letter. Just got it a little while ago. Simultaneously, we've had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn't that be beautiful? Wouldn't that be beautiful? Wouldn't that be beautiful? It's time to stop this madness. It's time to halt the killing. It's time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides. Nearly four years ago, amid rising tensions, a history teacher named Mark Fogel was detained in Russia and sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony. Rough stuff. The previous administration. Administration barely lifted a finger to help him. They knew he was innocent, but they had no idea where to begin. But last summer, I promised his 95 year old mother, Malfean, that we would bring her boy safely back home. After 22 days in office, I did just that. And they are here tonight. It to Mark and his great mom. We are delighted to have you safe and sound and with us. As fate would have it, Mark Fogle was born in a small rural town in Butler, Pennsylvania. Have you heard of it where his mother has lived for the past 78 years. I just happened to go there last July 13th for a rally that was not pleasant. And that is where I met his beautiful mom right before I walked onto that stage. And I told her I would not forget what she said about her son. And I never did, did I Never forgot. Less than 10 minutes later, at that same rally, gunfire rang out, and a sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets from his sniper's perch into a crowd of many thousands of people. My life was saved by a fraction of an inch. But some were not so lucky. Cory Comperator was a firefighter, a veteran, a Christian, a husband, a devoted father, and above all, a protector. When the sound of gunshots pierced the air, it was a horrible sound. Cory knew instantly what it was and what to do. He threw himself on top of his wife and daughters and shielded them from the bullets with his own body. Cory was hit really hard. You know the story. From there, he sacrificed his life to save theirs. Two others, very fine people, were also seriously hit. But thankfully, with the help of two great country doctors, we thought they were gone and they were saved. So those doctors had great talent. We're joined by Cory's wife, Helen, who was his high school sweetheart, and their two beloved daughters, Allison and. And Kaylee. Thank you to Helen, Allison and Kaylee. Cory is looking down on his three beautiful ladies right now, and he is cheering you on. He loves you. He is cheering you on. Cory was taken from us much too soon. But his destiny was to leave us all with a shining example of the selfless devotion of a true American, American patriot. It was love like Cory's that built our country. And it's love like Cory's that is going to make our country more majestic than ever before. I believe that my life was saved that day in Butler for a very good reason. I was saved by God to make America great again. I believe that. Thank you very much. From the patriots of Lexington and Concord, to the heroes of Gettysburg and Normandy, from the warriors who crossed the Delaware to the trailblazers who climbed the Rockies, and from the legends who soared at Kitty Hawk to the astronauts who touched the moon, Americans have always been the people who defied all arts, transcended all dangers, made the most extraordinary sacrifices, and did whatever it took to defend our children, our country and our freedom. And as we have seen in this chamber tonight, that same strength, faith, love and spirit is still alive and thriving in the hearts of the American people. Despite the best efforts of those who would try to censor us, silence us, break us, destroy us. Americans are today a proud, free, sovereign and independent nation that will always be free and we will fight for it till death. We will never let anything happen to our beloved country. Country. Because we are a country of doers, dreamers, fighters and survivors. Our ancestors crossed a vast ocean, strode into the unknown wilderness and carved their fortunes from the rock and soil of a perilous and very dangerous frontier. They chased our destiny across a boundless continent. They built the railroads, laid the highways and graced the world with America marvels like the Empire State Building, the mighty Hoover Dam and the towering Golden Gate Bridge. They lit the world with electricity, broke free of the force of gravity, fired up the engines of American industry, vanquished the communists, fascists and Marxists all over the world and gave us countless modern wonders sculptured out of ironed glass and steel. We stand on the shoulders of these pioneers who won and built the modern age. These workers who poured their sweat into the skylines of our cities. These warriors who shed their blood on fields of battle and gave everything they had for our rights and for our freedom. Now it is our time to take up the righteous cause of American liberty. And it is our turn to take America's democracy destiny into our own hands and begin the most thrilling days in the history of our country. This will be our greatest era. With God's help, over the next four years, we are going to lead this nation even higher. And we are going to forge the freest, most advanced, most dynamic and most dominant civilization ever to exist on the face face of this earth. We are going to create the highest quality of life, build the safest and wealthiest and healthiest and most vital communities anywhere in the world. We are going to conquer the vast frontiers of science and we are going to lead humanity into space and plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond. And through it all, we are going to rediscover the unstoppable power of the American spirit. And we are going to renew unlimited promise of the American dream. Every single day. We will, will stand up and we will fight, fight, fight for the country our citizens believe in and for the country our people. Des. 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.
- [101:39]
Lawrence O'Donnell
That was the longest State of the Union address in American history. Donald Trump addressing Congress for the fifth time in a setting like this. Just looking to see if he's actually going to start speaking again. Started off on very contentious terms. Congressman Al Green interrupting at the outset and the president claims a historic mandate from his victory in the 2024 election. Congressman Green repeatedly interjecting and then removed by the orders of the sergeant at arms, while Republican members of Congress jeered and made gestures toward him, celebrating him being ejected, did over the course of the president's remarks see how many empty seats you can see behind him just there? That's because Democrats as a group filed out quickly when he was done. But a number of Democrats left well before he was done. In the middle of his remarks. They included Jasmine Crockett from Texas, Maxwell Frost walked out. Maxine Dexter from Maryland, Andrea Salinas from Oregon, Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal. We believe that's only a partial list number of Democrats left during the remarks. The president in his what we believe was ad libbing we did not have prepared remarks from the President, which is unusual. White Houses usually distribute prepared remarks. So we don't know what was digression from those remarks and what was ad libbed. But the president did repeatedly seem to be outliving when he was remarking on the expected impact of the economic decisions he's already made six weeks in saying that the American people would have to bear with him, that there would be a little disturbance, that there would be an adjustment period. And again he said a little disturbance, essentially suggesting that the roiling that we saw in the markets is something that he knows he caused, but he hopes people will not mind.
- [103:44]
Rachel Maddow
MSNBC presents Main justice each week on their podcast, veteran lawyers and Andrew Weissman and Mary McCord break down the latest developments inside the Trump administration's Department of Justice.
- [103:56]
Donald Trump
The administration doesn't necessarily want to be.
- [103:58]
Luke Pekra
Questioned on any of its policy. I think what we are seeing is Project 2025 in action. This is it coming to fruition.
- [104:07]
Rachel Maddow
Main justice subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple podcasts for ad free listening and bonus content.
- [104:14]
Luke Pekra
In the early 14th century, a mighty emperor is given a holy task to seek forgiveness for his terrible crime. He has to make a journey like no other. Join me Luke Pekra As I tell you the story of Mansa Musa, the richest man who ever lived and his adventure that would change the world. Hear his incredible untold story over six action packed episodes on this Is History presents Empire of Gold. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
- [104:45]
Rachel Maddow
The first 100 days bills are passed, executive orders are signed and presidents. And for Donald Trump's first 100 days Rachel Maddow is on MSNBC five nights a week.
- [104:58]
Lawrence O'Donnell
Now is the time, so we're gonna do it.
- [105:00]
Rachel Maddow
Providing her unique insight and analysis during this critical time.
- [105:03]
Lawrence O'Donnell
How do we strategically align ourselves to this moment of information, this moment of transition in our country?
- [105:09]
Rachel Maddow
The Rachel Maddow show, weeknights at 9pm Eastern on MSNBC.
- [105:18]
Lawrence O'Donnell
For the record, the worst inflation in this country was in 1980. For the record, the economy that he was left by President Biden was not a catastrophe. It was literally the best economy in the world and was described by the Economist magazine as the envy of the world. That was the economy that was left to Donald Trump by Joe Biden. For the record, Social Security is not paying benefits in large numbers to 300 year old people or 250 year old people, or 200 year old people, or 150-year-old people. In fact, the idea of Social Security as a bastion of massive fraud and overpayment is completely false. For the record, US auto company CEOs are not psyched and delighted and so excited about President Trump's economic policies, including his tariffs. Take for example the CEO of Ford, Jim Farley, who said that Trump's tariff policies would, quote, blow a hole in the US Auto industry. That, quote, we've never seen. The President flat out lied about US versus European spending to support what used to be our allies in Ukraine. U.S. has committed about $125 billion to Ukraine's defense. Europe has committed about $259 billion. The president radically, radically misstating the character and quantity of our relative support for what used to be our ally now appears to be only Europe's ally and no longer ours. For the record, Joe Biden did not close over 100 power plants. There were more utilities sized power plants up and running in the United States when Joe Biden left office than when he achieved office. For the record, there is no EV mandate. For the record, oil and gas production in the United States hit all time records under President Joe Biden. For the record, even Doge has never claimed that they have saved hundreds of billions, billions of dollars in savings. The largest items they have claimed to achieve as savings in the US Budget have been debunked and they've been taken down. But even they don't falsely claim hundreds of billions of dollars worth of savings. For the record, and this is disgusting, the President made a spectacle out of praising a young man who thus far survived pediatric cancer as if the President had something to do with that. This was in the midst of him praising Doge. Doge cuts, among other things, have cut off funding for ongoing research into pediatric cancer. For the record, I will note that Donald Trump did admit in his remarks today explicitly that Elon Musk is the head of doge. And while that comes as no surprise, anybody who's been following the facts of this matter, that will end up in court, because that is directly contrary to what the administration has overtly sworn to a federal judge about the leadership of doce. I should also note, and this doesn't have to be for the record, I'll just note it for our own experience tonight, that at that point in the speech when the president, President talked about how we will no longer be ruled by unelected bureaucrats, Democrats in the chamber pointed and laughed at Elon Musk, elected bureaucrat Nicole Wallace. I'm sorry to dump a lot of fact checks there. And that's not even scratching the surface of the things that need to be fact checked there. That's literally what was off the top of my head.
- [109:04]
Nicole Wallace
Yeah.
- [109:04]
Lawrence O'Donnell
So there's more to say along those lines.
- [109:06]
Nicole Wallace
You should know that. I mean, this was, was not, not a, you know, 7,000 people doing this. This was what you sort of caught from your own reporting in the Trump administration. I mean, the facts are probably few and far between. But I think that that's the point. Right. Like those of us covering this, we come on the air to do our shows. And the point is there's so much. So let's just stick with dj. I mean, I think that if there was a moment where your whole body could relax and you could celebrate someone, it was the 13 year old cancer survivor who would like to be a police officer. It was a genuinely beautiful moment in the, in the moment that probably was most familiar to the State of the Union addresses we were both a part of. Problem is in the beauty of that child is the tragedy of the Trump presidency because he's. We don't know how he survived pediatric cancer, but, but it is likely he benefited from some sort of cancer research. And it is a fact that Trump has slashed cancer research. It's a fact. By eliminating NIH and by all the cuts, pediatric cancer trials are halted and, you know, God willing, he won't need any more treatment. But if he does, I hope that NIH wasn't responsible for anything that let him live this long. He also talked about wanting anyone who murdered a cop to receive the death penalty. But Donald Trump's first action was to pardon all the January 6th insurrectionists who assaulted and violently beat cops who were convicted of it. Correct. So I think there is a shallowness, and I think that, I mean, I know you and I know you probably could have gone on for another 30 minutes, and it's vital, and we have to do it. But I think this was a lesson in finding one thing that you let yourself feel, and I let myself feel joy about D.J. and I hope he's alive for another, you know, 95 years.
- [111:10]
Donald Trump
Right.
- [111:10]
Nicole Wallace
And I hope he lives the life he wants to live. He wants to be a cop. He knows what he wants to do. And maybe when you have childhood cancer crystallizes for you. And I hope he has a long life as a law enforcement officer, but I hope he never has to defend the United States Capitol against Donald Trump's supporters. And if he does, I hope he isn't one of the six who loses his life to suicide. And I hope he isn't one who has to testify against the people who carried out acts of seditious conspiracy and then live to see Donald Trump pardon those people.
- [111:41]
Lawrence O'Donnell
Lawrence, we're about three minutes out from what we're expecting to be the Democratic response from Senator Alyssa Slot. Ken, let me get your initial response to what you just heard. Well, let's remember it's hard to do this in the Trump era, that if.
- [111:51]
Donald Trump
Any previous president had stood up there.
- [111:54]
Lawrence O'Donnell
And said, we need Greenland, the two.
- [111:57]
Donald Trump
People behind him, the vice president and.
- [112:00]
Lawrence O'Donnell
The speaker, would have quickly conferred and.
- [112:02]
Donald Trump
Rushed that president to the hospital.
- [112:05]
Lawrence O'Donnell
Ended the speech right there, right there with an overt burst of madness by the president at the microphone. It would have to be an intervention, but not now. What's interesting about the lies tonight is one of his favorites wasn't there, and that is after really intense 48 hours.
- [112:24]
Donald Trump
Of coverage of tariffs, he did not.
- [112:27]
Lawrence O'Donnell
Tell the American people the lie tonight that foreign countries pay the tariffs. CNBC and other outlets have been really educating the voters intensely, you know, over.
- [112:40]
Donald Trump
The last couple of days about who pays the tariffs. We had Prime Minister Trudeau say to the American people today, your government chose to do this to you.
- [112:50]
Lawrence O'Donnell
And so the mystery or the question of who pays the tariffs is over.
- [112:54]
Donald Trump
And people, people now know it.
- [112:56]
Lawrence O'Donnell
He didn't try to get away with that one. And the tariffs was the shortest section of the speech. It is the news of the day and the world.
- [113:07]
Donald Trump
And Donald Trump was afraid to talk about his. He did tell a lie about it. Can you indulge me on this?
- [113:14]
Lawrence O'Donnell
You got 1 minute and 10 seconds. Okay. This has to do with Doge Doge's report card Elon Musk would say is treasury rates going down. And Donald Trump tonight said rates went down today. They didn't go down because Doge is reducing the deficit. Rates went down today because of tariffs. Right.
- [113:33]
Donald Trump
Because the stock market tanked. Right. You know what people do?
- [113:37]
Lawrence O'Donnell
They rush to buy Treasuries. And when you buy Treasuries, the price goes up and the yield goes down. So yes, Doge got their wish. The Doge report card. When 10 year treasury yields go down, we're winning. Uh, Doge didn't reduce the deficit and the stock market lost.
- [113:54]
Rachel Maddow
Fact Check MSNBC Presents Main justice each week on their podcast, veteran lawyers Andrew White Weissman and Mary McCord break down the latest developments inside the Trump administration's Department of Justice.
- [114:08]
Donald Trump
The administration doesn't necessarily want to be.
- [114:10]
Luke Pekra
Questioned on any of its policy. I think what we are seeing is Project 2025 in action. This is it coming to fruition.
- [114:19]
Rachel Maddow
Main justice subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad free listening and bonus content. Get all of Rachel Maddow's original chart topping podcast series and One Place with Rachel Maddow Presents, Binge, the Entire Bagman Series, seasons one and two of Ultra, and every episode of Deja News, along with all of Rachel Maddow's new podcasts to come. These are untold stories of our country's past that could help us understand the state of our country today. Search for Rachel Maddow Presents and follow to listen now. For ad free listening, subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. Stay up to date on the biggest issues of the day with the MSNBC Daily Newsletter Each morning you' analysis by experts you trust, video highlights from your favorite shows.
- [115:06]
Lawrence O'Donnell
I do think it's worth being very clear eyed, very realistic about what's going on here.
- [115:12]
Rachel Maddow
Previews of our podcasts and documentaries, plus written perspectives from the newsmakers themselves, all sent directly to your inbox each morning. Get the best of MSNBC all in one place. Sign up for MSNBC Daily at msnbc.com.
- [115:28]
Lawrence O'Donnell
All right, we are getting ready to go to Michigan where freshman Senator Alyssa Slotkin is set to give the Democratic response. Now, no matter who you are associated with in politics, how you lean, left or right or whatever, you should always say a prayer for the person who is giving the other party's response to the State of the Union because it is a really hard thing to do. Alyssa Slatkin is a very talented Democratic politician. She's speaking in Michigan tonight from a town that voted for her, but also For Trump, the President.
- [115:58]
Luke Pekra
I'm honored to have the opportunity to speak tonight. It's late, so I promise to be a lot shorter than what you just watched. I won't take it personally if you've never heard of me. I'm the new senator from the great state of Michigan, where I grew up. I've been in public service my entire life because I happened to be in New York City on 911 when the twin Towers came down. Before the smoke cleared, I knew I wanted to make a life in national security. I was recruited by the CIA and did not three tours in Iraq alongside the military. In between, I worked at the White House under President Bush and President Obama, two very different leaders who both believed that America is exceptional. You can find that same sense of patriotism here in Wyandotte, Michigan, where I'm speaking from tonight. It's a working class town just south of Detroit. President Trump and I both won here in November. It might not seem like it, but plenty of places like this still exist across the United States. Places where people believe that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should do well and your kids should do better. It reminds me of how I grew up. My dad was a lifelong Republican, my mom a lifelong Democrat. But it was never a big deal because we had shared values that were bigger than any one party. We just went through another fraught election season. Americans made it clear that prices are too high and that the government needs to be more responsive to their needs. America wants change, but there's a responsible way to make change and a reckless way. And we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a democracy. So that's what I'm going to lay out tonight, because whether you're from Wyandotte or Wichita, most Americans share three core beliefs. That the middle class is the engine of our country, that strong national security protects us from harm, and that our democracy, no matter how messy, is unparalleled and worth fighting for. Let's start with the economy. Michigan literally invented the middle class. The revolutionary idea that you could work at an auto plant and afford the car you are building. That's the American dream. And in order to expand and protect the middle class, we have to do a few basic things. We need to bring down the price of things. We spend the most money on groceries, housing, health care. We need to make more things in America with good paying union jobs and bring our supply chains back home from places like China. We need to give American businesses the certainty they need to Invest and create the jobs of the future. And we need a tax system that's fair for people who don't happen to make a billion dollars. Look, the President talked a big game on the economy, but it's always important to read the fine print. So do his plans actually help Americans get ahead? Not even close. President Trump is trying to deliver an unprecedented giveaway to his billionaire friends. He's on the hunt to find trillions of dollars to pass along to the wealthiest in America. And to do that, he's going to make you pay in every every part of your life. Grocery and home prices are going up, not down, and he hasn't laid out a credible plan to deal with either of those. His tariffs on allies like Canada will raise prices on energy, lumber, and cars and start a trade war that will hurt manufacturing and farmers. Your premiums and prescriptions will cost more because the math on his proposals doesn't work without going after your health care. Meanwhile, for those keeping score, the national debt is going up, not down. And if he's not careful, he could walk us right into a recession. And one more thing. In order to pay for his plan, he could very well come after your retirement. The Social Security, Medicare, and VA benefits you worked your whole life to earn. The President claims he won't, but Elon Musk just called Social Security the biggest Ponzi scheme scheme of all time. While we're on the subject of Elon Musk, is there anyone in America who is comfortable with him and his gang of 20 year olds using their own computer servers to poke through your tax returns, your health information, and your bank accounts. No oversight, no protections against cyber attack, no guardrails on what they do with your private data. We need a more efficient government. You want to cut waste? I'll help you do it. But change doesn't need to be chaotic or make us less safe. The mindless firing of people who work to protect our nuclear weapons, keep our planes from crashing, and conduct the research that finds the cure for cancer, only to rehire them two days later. No CEO in America could do that without being summarily fired. Okay, so we've talked about economic security. How about now Security? Let's start with the border. As someone who spent my whole career protecting our homeland, every country deserves to know who and what is coming across its border. Period. Democrats and Republicans should all be for that. But securing the border without actually fixing our broken immigration system is dealing with the symptom and not the disease. America is a nation of immigrants. We need a functional system. Keyed the needs of our economy that allows vetted people to come and work here legally. So I look forward to the president's plan on that, because here's the thing. Today's world is deeply interconnected. Migration, cyber threats, AI, environmental destruction, terrorism. One nation cannot face these issues alone. We need friends in all corners, and our safety depends on it. President Trump loves to see peace through strength. That's actually a line he stole from Ronald Reagan. But let me tell you, after the spectacle that just took place in the Oval Office last week, Reagan must be rolling in his grave. We all want an end to the war in Ukraine, but Reagan understood that true strength required America to combine our military and economic might with moral clarity. And that scene in the Oval Office wasn't just a bad episode of reality tv. It summed up Trump's whole approach to the world. He believes in cozying up to dictators like Vladimir Putin and kicking our friends like the Canadians in the teeth. He sees American leadership as merely a series of real estate transactions. As a Cold War kid, I'm thankful it was Reagan and not Trump in office in the 1980s. Trump would have lost us the Cold War. Donald Trump's actions suggest that in his heart, he doesn't believe we're an exceptional nation. He clearly doesn't think we should lead the world. Look, America is not perfect. But I stand with the majority of Americans who believe we are still exceptional, unparalleled. And I would rather have American leadership over Chinese or Russian leadership any day of the week. Because for generations, America has offered something better. Our security and our prosperity. Yes, but our democracy, our very system of government has been the aspiration of the world. And right now, it's at risk. It's at risk when the President decides you can pick and choose what rules you want to follow, when he ignores court orders and the Constitution itself, or when elected leaders stand by and just let it happen. But it's also at risk when the President pits Americans against each other, when he demonizes those who are different and. And tells certain people they shouldn't be included. Because America is not just a patch of land between two oceans. We are more than that. Generations have fought and died to secure the fundamental rights that define us. Those rights and the fight for them make us who we are. We're a nation of strivers, risk takers, innovators. And we are never satisfied. That is America, America's superpower. And look, I've lived and worked in many countries. I've seen democracies flicker out. I've Seen what life is like when a government is rigged. You can't open a business without paying off a corrupt official. You can't criticize the guys in charge without getting a knock at the door in the middle of the night. So as much as we need to make our government more responsive to our lives today, don't for one moment fool yourself that democracy, democracy isn't precious and worth saving. But how do we actually do that? I know a lot of you have been asking that question. First, don't tune out. It's easy to be exhausted. But America needs you now more than ever. If previous generations had not fought for this democracy, where would we be today? Second, hold your elected officials, including me, accountable. Watch how they're voting. Go to town halls and demand they take action. That's as American as apple pie. Third, organize. Pick just one issue you're passionate about and engage and doom scrolling doesn't count. Join a group that cares about your issue and act. And if you can't find one, start one. Some of the most important movements in our history have come from the bottle up. In closing, we all know that our country is going for through something. Right now we're not sure what the next day is going to hold, let alone the next decade. But this isn't the first time we've experienced significant and tumultuous change as a country. I'm a student of history and we've gone through periods of political instability before and ultimately we've chosen to keep changing this country for the better. But every single time, we've only gotten through those moments because of two engaged citizens and principled leaders. Engaged citizens who do a little bit more than they're used to doing to fight for the things that they care about and principled leaders who are ready to receive the ball and do something about it. So thank you tonight for caring about your country just by watching you qualify as engaged citizens. And I promise that I and my fellow Democrats will do everything in our power to be the principal leaders leaders that you deserve. Good night everyone.
- [126:12]
Rachel Maddow
Subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts. New episodes of all your favorite MSNBC shows now ad free plus ad free listening to all of Rachel Maddow's original series Ultra Bagman and Deja News and all MSNBC original podcasts are available ad free and with bonus content including why is this Happening? Velshi Band Book Club and more. Subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.