Partisan Taunts and Defiant Protests: Trump’s First Speech to Congress

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Daily — "Partisan Taunts and Defiant Protests: Trump’s First Speech to Congress"

Release Date: March 5, 2025
Hosts: Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise
Episode Title: Partisan Taunts and Defiant Protests: Trump’s First Speech to Congress

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1. Introduction to Trump's Address

In this episode of The Daily, host Michael Barbaro and New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman dissect former President Donald Trump’s first address to Congress following his return to office. The episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the speech's content, the highly charged partisan atmosphere during its delivery, and the subsequent reactions from both sides of the political spectrum.

2. Partisan Atmosphere on the House Floor

Maggie Haberman sets the scene, highlighting the unprecedented partisanship that marred Trump’s inaugural speech to Congress.

• Departure from Tradition: Unlike previous addresses, the customary bipartisan escort committee was absent as Democrats opted out, marking a clear shift towards a more confrontational stance. "[...] Democrats decided not to be part of that committee. So right away, this was a new moment." (02:21)

• Democratic Protest: Democratic Congressman Al Green aggressively heckled Trump, breaking from the typical decorum expected during such addresses. "Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States." (01:56) followed by continuous disruptions. The Speaker and Republican leaders had to intervene to restore order, illustrating the deep-seated tensions.

3. Highlights from Trump's Address

a. Election Victory Claims

Trump begins his speech by lauding his electoral success, though some claims lack factual backing.

• "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." (03:35)
• Haberman notes the false assertion regarding the popular vote margin, stating, "It was not. There was nothing historic about it other than that it happened." (04:02)

b. Policy Announcements

Trump outlines his administration's policy initiatives, focusing on a mix of domestic reforms and foreign policy changes.

i. Education and Critical Race Theory

• "We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools." (07:46)
  This aligns with Trump's typical stance on culture war issues, emphasizing his commitment to reshaping educational policies.

ii. Gender Policy and Sports

• "I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female." (07:56)
• "I also signed an executive order to ban men from playing in women's sports." (08:13)
• The speech recounts the incident involving Peyton McNabb, a young athlete affected by a transgender teammate, to underscore the administration's stance on gender in sports.

iii. Department of Government Efficiency

• "I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency, Doge." (09:18)
  This newly established department aims to identify and eliminate what Trump terms "wasteful" government spending, targeting areas like foreign aid and diversity programs.

iv. Tariffs and Trade Policy

• "If you don't make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff..." (11:47)
• Announcing reciprocal tariffs effective April 2, Trump's approach signals a protectionist trade policy intended to bolster American manufacturing and agriculture, despite potential consumer cost increases.

v. Border Security and Immigration

• "No step is more crucial than securing America's borders." (14:08)
• Trump asserts significant reductions in illegal border crossings, attributing success to his administration’s crackdown, while condemning the previous administration's policies.

vi. Foreign Policy: Panama Canal and Greenland

• "To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal." (19:12)
• "We strongly support your right to determine your own future. And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America." (19:30)
  Trump's remarks on Greenland marked a stern declaration of intent to incorporate the territory into the U.S., reflecting his assertive foreign policy maneuvers.

vii. Russia-Ukraine Conflict

• "I'm also working tirelessly to end the savage conflict in Ukraine." (20:42)
• Trump professes a commitment to peace, ostensibly shifting from previous criticisms of Ukrainian President Zelensky to a conciliatory approach, aiming to position himself as a peacemaker.

viii. Mark Fogel Case

• "But last summer, I promised his 95-year-old mother, Malfean, that we would bring her boy safely back home..." (23:44)
• The speech recounts the release of Mark Fogel from Russia, emphasizing personal dedication and strengths of his administration in resolving international crises.

c. Rhetorical Flourishes and Personal Anecdotes

• "Gunfire rang out and a sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets. I was saved by God to make America great again." (25:13)
  Trump interweaves personal narratives with grandiose statements, reinforcing his self-image as a divinely chosen leader.

4. Host and Guest Analysis

Maggie Haberman provides critical insights into Trump's rhetoric and strategies:

• Mandate vs. Reality: She points out the disparity between Trump's claimed mandate and the actual electoral outcomes, emphasizing his narrative of unwavering support despite opposition.

• Executive Overreach: Haberman critiques Trump's reliance on executive actions to bypass Congress, noting the challenges this poses to traditional governmental structures and the autonomy of Congress.

• Symbolism and Messaging: The transition from celebrating past victories to outlining future visions lacked clarity, leaving listeners questioning the practical implications of Trump's policies.

5. Democratic Response

Following Trump's speech, Senator Alyssa Slotkin of Michigan delivers a pointed response addressing the potential threats to democracy under Trump's leadership.

• "Don't tune out. It's easy to be exhausted, but America needs you now more than ever." (27:53)
• Slotkin warns of the risks to democratic institutions, recounting scenarios of governmental corruption and authoritarianism to galvanize Democratic support and vigilance.

6. Conclusion

The episode concludes with a reflection on the speech's lack of forward-looking strategies, focusing instead on Trump’s self-promotion and retrospective accomplishments. The hosts underscore the uncertainties surrounding the administration's future actions and the broader implications for American politics.

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Notable Quotes:

• Trump on Election Victory:
  "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." (03:35)

• Trump on Critical Race Theory:
  "We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools." (07:46)

• Trump on Tariffs:
  "If you don't make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff..." (11:47)

• Trump on Border Security:
  "No step is more crucial than securing America's borders." (14:08)

• Senator Slotkin on Democracy:
  "I've seen democracies flicker out. I've seen what life is like when a government is rigged." (28:05)

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This summary encapsulates the key elements of Trump's congressional address as analyzed by The Daily's hosts and guest, providing listeners with a clear and comprehensive understanding of the speech's content and its political ramifications.

Transcript

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[Donald Trump]

From.

[Michael Bavaro]

The New York Times, I'm Michael Bavaro. This is the Daily in his first address to Congress on Tuesday night, President Trump took a highly partisan victory lap as Democratic lawmakers openly protested against him. Today. My colleague Maggie Haberman walks us through the speech and the reactions to it in the room. It's Wednesday, March 5th. So, Maggie, are you ready to begin?

[Maggie Haberman]

I am, Michael.

[Co-Host]

Okay. Well, thank you for joining us at 11:40pm 11:41.

[Maggie Haberman]

And thank you for having me.

[Co-Host]

Thank you for correcting my timestamping.

[Maggie Haberman]

It only feels appropriate.

[Co-Host]

So, Maggie, describe the scene for us on the House floor as all of this gets underway on Tuesday night.

[Donald Trump]

Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.

[Maggie Haberman]

So, Michael, about 15 minutes after 9:00pm the announcement goes out that the president of the United States is going to be walking in. Already, this is a different setting than we are used to for this kind of a speech because normally there is an escort committee. It's a bipartisan escort committee.

[Co-Host]

Right.

[Maggie Haberman]

And Democrats help walk in the Republican president. Republican members help walk in a Democratic president. This year Democrats decided not to be part of that committee. So right away, this was a new moment.

[Co-Host]

And newly partisan.

[Maggie Haberman]

And newly partisan. And there were other signs of Democratic protest. He's being applauded by Republicans who are, you know, trying to touch him as he's walking down the aisle. Most Democrats are refusing to stand, if any did. I didn't see any who did.

[Co-Host]

Right. And usually both parties stand just out of respect for the office.

[Maggie Haberman]

For the most part, yes. And it foretold a very, very intensely partisan night that was about to come.

[Donald Trump]

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. It's a great honor. Thank you very much, Speaker Johnson, Trump.

[Maggie Haberman]

Reaches the lectern and then he starts to speak.

[Donald Trump]

Members of the United States Congress, thank you very much. And to my fellow citizens, America is back.

[Maggie Haberman]

And there's huge cheers from Republicans And Trump relives his election victory.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

He claims, falsely, that his popular vote win was by a large margin. It was not. There was nothing historic about it other than that it happened.

[Co-Host]

But he seemed to be doing that deliberately, as he has in the past, to suggest in this room before the entire country in this live televised address, that he has a mandate.

[Maggie Haberman]

Yes, and he does have a mandate. He just doesn't have the mandate that he keeps saying he does. But so at that moment, as he's declaring this, Democratic Congressman Al Green, who has been firmly against Trump for a very long time, stands up and he starts to heckle the President.

[Donald Trump]

We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country.

[Co-Host]

And heckling is not as unusual as it once was for this kind of important speech. But Greene seemed to go further than your average heckler.

[Maggie Haberman]

Right? This was Greene continuing to stand, literally waving his cane, brandishing it almost as if it was a sword, essentially, and refusing to sit. Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions. That's your warning. Despite repeated calls for him to do so by the House Speaker, I should add.

[Co-Host]

Maggie, I was watching this on television as well. I noticed at this moment, not only that the speaker is very frustrated, JD Vance stands up and signals with his thumb that it's time to eject Congressman Green.

[Maggie Haberman]

It was an astonishing moment. And what Green was doing was astonishing, too. I mean, this was just a sustained protest in a chamber where decorum is valued. But both J.D. vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, both of whom, because of their roles, were seated behind the President and standing at various points, were trying to get the Sergeant at Arms attention to have that person come and eject a sitting member of Congress, which is an uncomfortable moment.

[Donald Trump]

Take your seat.

[Maggie Haberman]

Finding that members continue to engage in willful and concerted disruption of proper decorum, the chair now directs the Sergeant at Arms to restore order.

[Co-Host]

Which is exactly what ends up happening.

[Maggie Haberman]

That is exactly what ends up happening. And it gave Donald Trump a moment that he clearly wanted.

[Co-Host]

Hmm.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

Trump was trying to set up this notion that whatever he does, Democrats are going to oppose it, and therefore, Democrats are unreasonable and bad actors. And again, this is his perspective. I'm just saying what he is trying to set up and that they are not going to endorse him no matter what.

[Michael Bavaro]

Okay.

[Co-Host]

After this set of back and forth between the president and unhappy Democrats, we finally get to the meat of this speech.

[Maggie Haberman]

Right. So from that moment, Trump begins to describe the version of America that he defeated in 2024, in his telling and the one that he's sweeping away. And it is one that, to use a word he uses often is woke.

[Co-Host]

And what are the examples of this woke version of America that he's sweeping away?

[Donald Trump]

We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools.

[Maggie Haberman]

It's a pretty familiar list, Michael, for anyone who has listened to a Trump campaign speech. It's culture war issues.

[Donald Trump]

And I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.

[Maggie Haberman]

It's men who have transitioned to be women playing in women's sports. That's a big one that he focuses on.

[Donald Trump]

I also signed an executive order to ban men from playing in women's sports.

[Maggie Haberman]

He focuses specifically on a young woman in the audience, Peyton McNabb.

[Donald Trump]

Three years ago, Peyton McNabb was an all star high school athlete, one of.

[Maggie Haberman]

The best, who was hit in the head with a spiked volleyball that was spiked by a transgender woman on the opposing team.

[Donald Trump]

He smashed the ball so hard in Peyton's face, causing traumatic brain injury, partially.

[Maggie Haberman]

Paralyzing her right side, who apparently suffered a head injury because of it.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

And then he pivots.

[Donald Trump]

As you know, we inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an.

[Maggie Haberman]

Inflation nightmare very abruptly to the government that he inherited.

[Donald Trump]

And to that end, I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency, Doge.

[Maggie Haberman]

And he starts going through a list of programs, and it's long that he says are programs that Doge Musk's effort has identified as spending that Trump considers wasteful.

[Donald Trump]

Just listen to some of the appalling waste we have already identified.

[Maggie Haberman]

In many cases, it's foreign aid.

[Donald Trump]

$45 million for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships.

[Maggie Haberman]

In Burma, it's promoting efforts in Africa.

[Donald Trump]

$8 million to promote LGBTQ I plus in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of.

[Maggie Haberman]

He sort of mocks the name of a country there. He mispronounces another country. He goes through this lengthy list and.

[Donald Trump]

$20 million for the Arab Sesame Street.

[Maggie Haberman]

It's very hard to know how accurate this list is, because a lot of what has been put out there by Doge as their cost cutting measures. Some is accurate, some is not.

[Donald Trump]

$47 million for improving learning outcomes in Asia. Asia's doing very well with learning.

[Maggie Haberman]

He does all of this to laughter by JD Vance, behind him, by Mike Johnson, behind him, by House members sitting on the Republican side of the aisle.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Co-Host]

Right. He's very pointedly mocking the federal government. Government in a pretty unfamiliar way for this setting.

[Maggie Haberman]

Correct. And not just the federal government, but the federal bureaucracy, which is composed of workers. And in some cases, there are his supporters among people working in this government, and he controls it and is going to have to figure out how to get people to respond to what he wants without sounding disdainful of them.

[Donald Trump]

And we've taken back the money and reduced our debt to. To fight inflation and other things.

[Co-Host]

And then it felt like he was turning the page from what he inherited and dislikes and wants to sweep away, as you just put it, to this new vision for government that he's creating.

[Maggie Haberman]

That's right. And the neon sign blinking for that new government is tariffs.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

He imposed major tariffs on goods from Mexico and goods from Canada.

[Co-Host]

Right. These were tariffs he announced just hours before this speech.

[Maggie Haberman]

Yeah, that's right. Less than 24 hours before the speech started. And he makes clear that he's not only doing those tariffs, but that come the beginning of April, this system is.

[Donald Trump]

Not fair to the United States and never was. And so on April 2, there is.

[Maggie Haberman]

Going to be tariffs essentially around the globe in the form of reciprocal tariffs.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Co-Host]

Them, which may inevitably increase costs for US Consumers.

[Maggie Haberman]

That's right. And he goes specifically to talking about the agriculture community.

[Donald Trump]

Our new trade policy will also be great for the American farmer. I love the farmer.

[Maggie Haberman]

He describes himself as loving America's farmers.

[Donald Trump]

Who will now be selling into our home market, the usa, because nobody is going to be able to compete with you.

[Maggie Haberman]

But that group of people are really concerned about the tariffs that are coming. And Trump does acknowledge that there might be, quote, a little bit of an adjustment period.

[Donald Trump]

It may be a little bit of.

[Maggie Haberman]

An adjustment period as these tariffs go into place.

[Donald Trump]

Hmm.

[Co-Host]

He's Acknowledging these tariffs are going to hurt American farmers. That's not his normal mode to admit that tariffs might make someone miserable. But he's doing so because he knows this group of Americans voted for him in large numbers.

[Maggie Haberman]

Yes. And he, Michael, I think truly believes that it will be short term.

[Donald Trump]

Our farmers are going to have a field day right now. So to our farmers, have a lot of fun. I love you too.

[Maggie Haberman]

He is a huge believer in tariffs. He doesn't just see it as a tool, he sees it as a money making device for the country. And he believes, correctly or not, that the markets will correct and that things will ultimately be okay.

[Donald Trump]

But if we truly care about protecting Americans children, no step is more crucial than securing America's borders.

[Maggie Haberman]

And from there, he goes on to the other major item in this new government that he's creating. And that is border security and cracking down on undocumented immigrants.

[Donald Trump]

Since taking office, my administration has launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown.

[Maggie Haberman]

He talks specifically about we quickly achieve.

[Donald Trump]

The lowest numbers of illegal border crossers ever recorded. Thank you.

[Maggie Haberman]

Border crossings. He says it's now the lowest in US history. It's not clear that that's true, but it certainly is the lowest in about 25 years.

[Co-Host]

Right.

[Maggie Haberman]

And he's clearly very proud of that and goes from that really to blaming Biden and Democrats for the situation that he says he inherited because of Joe.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

And he talks about how Biden and Democratic lawmakers had talked about a new border bill. And that is true, they did talk about it and they didn't get one done. And he says that it turns out.

[Donald Trump]

The media and our friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed new legisl, we must have legislation to secure the border. But it turned out that all we really needed was a new president.

[Maggie Haberman]

New legislation wasn't needed. We just needed a new president.

[Co-Host]

Right. He's saying, I am the reason border crossings went down. We didn't need anything to go through Congress. And the reason that felt significant is that one of the questions, I think I'm gonna suspect you agree that hovered over this speech before it even started was how this group of lawmakers was gonna relate to a president who since taking office has consistently circumvented them. Right. He has been shutting down agencies that Congress funds. He's been freezing federal spending that Congress has appropriated. And what struck me about this particular moment is you have the president saying to members of Congress, I didn't even need you or want you to get anything done on the border. I did it on my own. And they're cheering. So in a sense they're cheering their own powerlessness. And that was striking.

[Maggie Haberman]

That's true. And Trump has done so much by executive action, and that has meant just doing end runs around Congress, including taking actions that he is required legally to notify Congress about. And he's not doing it. And instead of objecting, you are just seeing these House members cheering him on. We really don't get these living, breathing moments where you're not just reminded that the members of the House and Senate in the Republican Party are neutered, but they are endorsing the fact that they are neutered. Right. And are basically bowing to Trump.

[Co-Host]

Even as he takes away their power.

[Maggie Haberman]

Even as he takes away their power. Correct.

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[Co-Host]

Eventually, Trump turns from talking about domestic accomplishments to his vision for foreign policy, which is, as we've talked about with you on the show in the past, this unusual combination of America first and America the imperialist.

[Maggie Haberman]

Correct.

[Donald Trump]

To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal.

[Maggie Haberman]

And we've already seen talked again about how he wants to take over the Panama Canal.

[Donald Trump]

And I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland.

[Maggie Haberman]

And then he turned to Greenland, which he has been talking about wanting to acquire in some fashion for a while.

[Donald Trump]

We strongly support your right to determine your own future.

[Maggie Haberman]

And when he first started talking about Greenland, he actually sounded less bellicose and firm than he has in the past.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

He talked about wanting them to join the US as if it was a choice, whereas in the past it's generally been, I'm going to get you.

[Co-Host]

Right. Perhaps even by military force.

[Maggie Haberman]

Right. But then he got to that point eventually anyway, in the speech, and after going from sort of an invitation, it went to something much more declarative.

[Donald Trump]

And I think we're going to get it. One way or the other, we're going to get it.

[Co-Host]

And from there, he pivots to what was essentially the biggest subject of the past week as it relates to him, which is Russia and Ukraine.

[Maggie Haberman]

That's right.

[Donald Trump]

And I'm also working tirelessly to end the savage conflict in Ukraine.

[Maggie Haberman]

He starts out by saying he's working tirelessly to end this fight. And he looks over at the Democrats sitting in their section in the House chamber. He clearly believed that he was going to get some cheers for saying that he wanted to end the war.

[Co-Host]

Did not.

[Maggie Haberman]

Did not. And then eyeballs the Democrats.

[Donald Trump]

Do you want to keep it going for another five years? Yeah. Yeah. You would say Pocahontas says yes.

[Maggie Haberman]

And then singles out Elizabeth Warren, who he consistently mocks as Pocahontas because she previously had claimed that she had Native American heritage. And he goes from that sort of making fun of the Democrats to being fairly conciliatory about President Zelensky of Ukraine.

[Donald Trump]

Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelensky of Ukraine.

[Maggie Haberman]

He says he got a letter from Zelensky. I'm not actually clear that he got a letter or that he got a tweet, but either way, he's reading from a piece of paper.

[Donald Trump]

And 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 maintained its sovereignty and independence.

[Maggie Haberman]

It says Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. And it's notable because Trump had this extraordinary, unprecedented blowout beat down of Zelensky by Trump and J.D. vance in the Oval Office on Friday and then halting the eighth on Monday.

[Co-Host]

Right. To Ukraine from the U.S. correct.

[Maggie Haberman]

And then getting a little bit of a concession from Zelensky on Tuesday. And that seemed to be enough for Trump to say, okay, we can go back to the Table. And Trump clearly wants people to believe that when he makes a threat, he means it. So he turned off the aid. And the point seems to have been received by Zelensky. And we'll see where it goes.

[Co-Host]

So what Trump does in this section of the speech, you're saying is he's saying to both Zelensky and the world, see, my stick based approach, my hammer Zelensky approach worked, and so now I will resume negotiations with him.

[Maggie Haberman]

Correct. And he's doing it in a way where he can show that he is starting again, but that it was Zelensky who bowed. And that is always very important to Trump.

[Co-Host]

Okay, so talk about how the speech eventually comes to an end.

[Donald Trump]

So toward the end, a history teacher named Mark Fogel was detained in Russia and sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony. Rough stuff.

[Maggie Haberman]

Trump starts talking about Mark Fogel, who was a Pennsylvania schoolteacher who had been imprisoned in Russia for a few years.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Maggie Haberman]

Trump's advisors helped secure his release. But Trump makes this pretty abrupt transition from talking about Mark Fogle.

[Donald Trump]

As fate would have it, Mark Fogle was born in a small rural town in Butler, Pennsylvania. Have you heard of it?

[Maggie Haberman]

To talking about himself.

[Donald Trump]

I just happened to go there last July 13th for a rally, because he.

[Maggie Haberman]

Describes how he was talking to Fogle's mother at his rally, Trump's rally in July of 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania.

[Donald Trump]

And that is where I met his beautiful mom right before I walked onto that stage.

[Maggie Haberman]

And that moments after they were talking.

[Donald Trump]

Gunfire rang out and a sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets.

[Maggie Haberman]

Trump faced the bullet of a would be assassin.

[Co-Host]

Right.

[Donald Trump]

I was saved by God to make America great again. I believe that.

[Maggie Haberman]

And Trump proceeds to describe himself as saved by God. And this is a statement he made at various points during the campaign. But it reflects a belief that both he and his advisors have, which is that there is something divine about his victory. There's something divine about the fact that he was saved and that he is being swept back into office to save the country.

[Co-Host]

Right. Which is a very different thing to say as a candidate than to say in a joint address to Congress. Because suddenly you have the president saying, I believe I was put here by God to save the country before members of Congress.

[Maggie Haberman]

Correct. And you have a sitting president saying essentially everything that he said on the campaign trail repeatedly, despite having won. To these members of Congress, my fellow.

[Donald Trump]

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.

[Co-Host]

So, Becky, when this speech was over, I'm curious what you were thinking. This is not your first Trump joint address to Congress. It's probably your fifth.

[Maggie Haberman]

Yes. And certainly the longest. So after I was thinking about how.

[Co-Host]

Long it was, it was the longest.

[Maggie Haberman]

I was thinking about how struck I was at how little forward looking there was in this speech. There were a few things, but mostly it was a celebration of Trump and it was a celebration of his last 40 some odd days in office. And it was a celebration of all the things that he campaigned on in 2024. But what that translates to for the rest of a presidency, let alone the rest of this year, was not answered in this speech.

[Co-Host]

Well, Maggie, thank you very much.

[Maggie Haberman]

Michael, thank you.

[Michael Bavaro]

On Tuesday night, in the Democratic response to Trump's speech, Senator Alyssa Slotkin of Michigan directly addressed demoralized members of her party.

[Alyssa Slotkin]

Don't tune out. It's easy to be exhausted, but America needs you now more than ever.

[Michael Bavaro]

And suggested that under Trump, democracy itself is now at risk.

[Alyssa Slotkin]

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 isn't precious and worth saving.

[Michael Bavaro]

We'll be right back.

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[Michael Bavaro]

Here'S what else you need to know today. The Times reports that as part of President Trump's sweeping campaign of cost cutting, the Internal Revenue Service is preparing to eliminate as much as 50% of its staff. Experts say that such a major reduction in staffing could jeopardize the ability of the IRS to complete its basic mission of collecting taxes. And a Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday further restricted the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate pollution. The question before the court in the case was whether, under the Coast Clean Water act, the EPA could penalize the city of San Francisco for violating policies on the release of wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. City officials argued that the EPA rules were so vague that it was impossible to know when the city had violated them, a claim that the Supreme Court justices endorsed as they struck down the EPA rules. Today's episode was produced by Mooj Sethi, Asa Chauthurvedi, Michael Simon Johnson and Eric Krupke. It was edited by Rachel Quester, contains original music by Dan Powell and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsberg of Wonderlay. Special thanks to Nick Pittman. That's it for the Daily I'm Michael Balborough. See you tomorrow.

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