Trump’s speech to Congress live: president delivers address amid global turmoil over Ukraine and trade wars
Key events
Trump enters House chamber
Donald Trump is shaking hands with lawmakers as he enters the chamber for his address to a joint session of Congress.
The president enters the chamber to applause from Republicans, who have started chanting “USA! USA!” The Democrats, meanwhile, are practically motionless.
Veterans affairs secretary Doug Collins has been selected to be the designated survivor for Donald Trump’s speech.
Collins will stay away from the US Capitol and remain in an undisclosed location under heavy protection for the duration of the speech.
The role of designated survivor is given to an individual selected by the president to lead the country in the unlikely event that several people in the line of succession are killed or otherwise unable to fulfill the duties of the presidency.
In excerpts released by the White House, Donald Trump is expected to tout his tariffs, saying that the US will “take in trillions of dollars”.
“Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we tax them,” Trump is expected to say.
“If they do non-monetary tariffs to keep us out of their market, then we do non-monetary barriers to keep them out of our market,” he will say.
First lady Melania Trump is greeted with applause as she enters the chamber.
Here are some more images sent from the newswires from the House chamber ahead of Donald Trump’s speech.
In excerpts released by the White House, Donald Trump is expected to blame the previous Biden administration on having inherited an “economic catastrophe” and an “inflation nightmare”.
Trump is expected to claim that Biden’s policies “drove up energy prices, pushed up the cost of groceries, and drove the necessities of life out of reach for millions of Americans.”
He is expected to point the blame at Joe Biden for having “let the price of eggs get out of control”.
Elon Musk has been pictured entering the House chamber ahead of Donald Trump’s address to Congress.
Musk, wearing a suit with a dark blue tie, was seen grabbing a seat in the House chamber’s gallery.
He is seated alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, as well as members of Trump’s family.
Trump to tease announcement on Ukraine minerals deal
Donald Trump, in remarks released by the White House, will pledge to take “historic action to dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths” in the US.
The president is expected to say that he is working “tirelessly” to end the “savage conflict in Ukraine”.
Vice-president JD Vance has entered the House chamber ahead of Donald Trump’s address to Congress.
Vance was seen shaking hands with Republican colleagues, including House speaker Mike Johnson.
The White House has released excerpts from Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress tonight.
In the remarks, Trump is expected to boast that his administration has “accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplish in 4 years or 8 years”.
“American’s momentum is back. Our spirit is back. Our pride is back. Our confidence is back,” he is expected to say.
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.
