What To Expect from Trump’s Pivotal Joint Address to Congress

Image of President Trump’s first Joint Address to Congress on February 28th, 2017.

Following the most energetic first six weeks of a presidential administration in modern American history, President Donald Trump will take the stage on March 4 for his second address to a joint session of Congress. Here’s what to expect as the 47th president looks to set the tone for his second term.

During the first year of a new president’s term, he traditionally gives a major televised speech to a joint session of Congress in place of the State of the Union. During Trump’s first term, he used this platform to reiterate the themes of his inaugural address while also reflecting on his administration’s early accomplishments and calling on Congress to fund border wall construction, bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, cut taxes, and rebuild the military, among other priorities.

Viewers can expect a similar format on Tuesday, with a particular emphasis on the deluge of executive actions since January 20. Going all the way back to 2016, one of Trump’s signature lines has been “promises made, promises kept,” and the president is sure to take this opportunity to highlight the 2024 campaign promises he has already made good on.

As AMAC Newsline previously reported, Trump reversed 78 Biden executive orders on his first day in office, including orders that created an electric vehicle mandate, forced DEI policies throughout the federal government, blocked oil and gas exploration, and undermined border security. Trump also signed orders declaring a national energy emergency, instituting a regulatory and hiring freeze on the federal government, withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization, and establishing that the federal government will only recognize two genders, male and female, defined by sex at birth.

The border is also expected to be a major focus for Trump next week given the administration’s stunning success on that front so far. As part of his day-one agenda, Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, shut down the “CBP One” app, announced plans to send 10,000 troops to the border, and ended birthright citizenship (although that order remains tied up in legal battles). Over subsequent weeks, Trump wielded tariff threats to force Canada and Mexico to commit more resources to border security as well.

All of this has resulted in illegal border crossings plummeting to levels not seen in decades. As the New York Post reported earlier this month, “So far in February, about 359 illegal migrants per day have been caught across the entire southern border — down more than 90 percent from February 2024, according to leaked Customs and Border Protection data.” Overall, Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks has said illegal crossings are down 94 percent since Trump took office.

In other words, Trump has effectively ended the Biden border crisis less than two months after his swearing-in.

DOGE is sure to get a mention as well, particularly as Democrats and the legacy media have zeroed in on Elon Musk’s outfit as a rallying point for opposition to Trump. Expect some fresh details from the president about the amount of waste, fraud, and abuse the agency has identified and eliminated.

While Trump’s accomplishments so far will undoubtedly receive plenty of deserved attention, Trump will also likely use his remarks to urge the House and Senate to come together to pass his legislative agenda.

So far in the 119th Congress, House and Senate Republicans have been at odds over the best way to achieve that goal. Senate Republicans have proposed a two-bill strategy, with the first quickly addressing border security and defense, while a later bill would deal with tax policy. The Senate adopted the first of these bills last week.

But House Republicans passed their own budget resolution this week – one that includes all of the Trump administration’s priorities. House Speaker Mike Johnson is working with the smallest majority in history, and just managed to pass the bill 217-215, with one Republican defection.

Trump has thrown his support behind the House plan, calling it the “one big, beautiful bill” approach. During his joint address, the president is sure to urge Senate Republicans to pass the House bill so that he can sign it into law and secure a signature legislative win.

Trump will also likely devote some focus to his administration’s efforts to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Here Trump has another chance to highlight some early wins, as he has already successfully freed 29 hostages from Hamas, an issue that haunted Biden for most of his term.

However, the administration has also come under fire from Democrats and the corporate media, as well as a few Republicans, for its approach to ending the war – criticism that Trump has said is based on false or incomplete information. The joint address will be a prime venue for Trump to clearly communicate his Ukraine and Gaza policy to Congress and the American people.

Joint addresses and State of the Union speeches are important moments in any presidency, providing a critical opportunity for the president to drive the news and shape the conversation around his agenda. But given the sheer amount of change that Trump has ushered in over his first weeks in office and how much more is sure to come, this address comes at an especially pivotal moment in what already has been one of the most consequential presidencies in American history.

Kamden Mulder is a senior at Hillsdale College pursuing a degree in American Studies and Journalism. You can follow her on X @kamdenmulder_.