Washington [US], March 6: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday delivered his first address to both chambers of Congress since returning to office in January, striking an uncompromising tone and reaffirming his commitment to a confrontational agenda.
The Republican president's address to the joint session of Congress, the longest in modern US history, was filled with attacks on his predecessor, Joe Biden, and the opposition Democrats.
During the 100-minute speech, several Democrats held up signs in protest of Trump's policies. Opening with "America is back," his speech was met with enthusiastic applause and chants of "USA, USA" from Republican members.
The president called the first few weeks of his presidency the "most successful" in the history of the US as he took aim at migrants and minorities, while praising tech billionaire Elon Musk for his leadership in overseeing cost-cutting measures, which have included widespread layoffs across federal agencies.
While the bulk of the address focused on domestic policy, Trump briefly touched on international matters, particularly his relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following a tense dispute between the two leaders in the Oval Office last week.
Trump said he had received a letter from Zelensky affirming Ukraine's readiness for peace talks. "I appreciate that he sent this letter," Trump said, acknowledging Zelensky's attempt to reconcile.
The US president quoted excerpts from the letter, where Zelensky emphasized his willingness to work under Trump's leadership to achieve lasting peace. Trump said the Ukrainian president also stated that Ukraine was ready to sign the raw materials agreement sought by the US.
Trump further noted that his administration was actively engaging in talks with Moscow and had received "strong signals" that Russia was open to peace negotiations.
Trump also defended the introduction of far-reaching tariffs on long-time trade partners like Canada and Mexico, stating that the tariffs were designed to "make America rich again."
Source: Qatar Tribune
