Donald Trump Congress Speech Updates: WATCH LIVE – President Reveals New Date for Reciprocal Tariffs

Trump contradicts own administration after saying Elon Musk runs DOGE

During his speech to Congress on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump again said that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is “headed” by billionaire ally Elon Musk.

Trump’s remarks come after the White House said last week that Amy Gleason is the acting administrator of DOGE.

The White House has recently attempted to put some distance between Musk and DOGE after the task force was hit with multiple lawsuits alleging that Musk, as an unelected bureaucrat, ran afoul of federal law by unilaterally shutting down congressionally created agencies and trying to fire tens of thousands of federal workers.

Amid those lawsuits, the White House said in a recent court filing that Musk was not the head of DOGE, despite what Trump and other administration officials said in the weeks prior. “Like other senior White House advisors, Mr. Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself,” read the filing.

The filing said that Musk was not an employee of the U.S. DOGE Service, or the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization and added: “Mr. Musk is not the U.S. DOGE Service Administrator.”

Read in full from Gabe Whisnant on Newsweek.

President reveals new date for reciprocal tariffs

President Trump has announced he plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on countries across the globe on April 2.

Trump admitted that the tariff may cause “a little disturbance” to Americans, but he insisted that “we’re ok with that.”

He added that the tariffs are “making America rich again.”

WATCH: Democrat holds ‘This is not normal’ sign as Trump enters Chamber

Trump threatens to remove any federal bureaucrat who resists him

President Donald Trump threatened to remove “any federal bureaucrat who resists” his changes.

He also claimed tonight that “hundreds of thousands of federal workers… have not been showing up to work” as he ordered government employees back to the office.

“Any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office immediately,” he said.

“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”

Republicans cheer as Musk gets a shout out from Trump

Republicans cheered as Elon Musk got a shout out Trump.

The smiling billionaire stood and waved to lawmakers. Democrats did not appear to respond.

Republicans cheer on Musk as Trump gives him a shout out

Republicans cheered as Trump gave a shout out to Elon Musk during his speech.

A smiling Musk stood and waved at the lawmakers.

Democrats did not appear to cheer.

WATCH: Moment Al Green is removed from House Chamber during Trump speech

Trump chides Democrats for not applauding for him

Trump has chided Democrats for not applauding him or standing for him.

“It’s very sad and it just shouldn’t be this way,” he said.

Many Democrats refused to greet Cabinet members and let their emotions show through their faces.

Trump later claimed that Democrats knew he had done important work but said they would never admit it.

‘Our country will be woke no longer,’ Trump says as he addresses DEI

Trump announced that “our country will be woke no longer” as he discusses his executive orders ending DEI and his policies on gender.

Democrat holds up sign: ‘That’s a lie’

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan is holding up a whiteboard which currently reads, “That’s a lie!” as Trump discussed the election and the economy.

WATCH: Democratic lawmakers wear bright pink at Trump’s Congress speech

Democrat removed as House Chamber erupts into chaos during Trump speech

Mike Johnson has directed a Democrat to be removed from the House as chaos erupted during Trump’s speech.

Rep. Al Green, of New Orleans, was removed as Republicans began shouting and chanting U.S.A.

Despite some boycotts, the Democrat side of the House is packed

The Democratic side of the House chamber is mostly packed for Trump’s address.

Reps. Becca Balint of Vermont. Don Beyer, and Gerry Connolly of Virginia and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, and Senators Martin Heinrich, and Patty Murray, D-Wash., chose not to attend.

‘America is back,’ Trump kicks off his speech to Congress

Donald Trump has kicked off his speech to Congress by announcing, “America is back.”

Lawmakers show support for Ukraine in yellow and blue

Several lawmakers have shown their support for Ukraine by donning the colors of the country’s flag, blue and yellow, for Trump’s address on Tuesday.

Some members of Congress wore blue and yellow scarves, others donned ties in the colors.

Congressman Eugene Vindman posted a photo of himself in the Ukrainian colors ahead of Trump address, stating, “I’m wearing this tie to the President’s Joint Address to Congress to show America what serious leadership fighting for a lasting peace that is acceptable to Ukraine looks like.”

Trump pumps his fist as he enters Congress for his speech

Trump has arrived at the House Chamber for his address to Congress.

The president pumped his fist as he entered the chamber to rapturous applause from Republican lawmakers.

First Lady Melania Trump arrives at Capitol to applause

First Lady Melania Trump has arrived at Congress to applause.

She is bringing more than a dozen guests to the event.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich returns to Capitol building for Trump speech

Former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich, and his wife, Callista, has returned to the Capitol to watch Trump’s address on Tuesday.

The pair were spotted in the visitor’s gallery after an event at current Speaker Mike Johnson’s suite at the Capitol.

Elon Musk dresses up in a suit for Congress, after Zelensky criticism

Elon Musk swapped his typical T-shirt and cap for a suit and tie as he attended the speech of Donald Trump in Congress on Tuesday.

The billionaire’s outfit change comes after Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was criticized for his attire when he attended the blow up meeting at the White House.

Zelensky had eschewed a suit in favor of his typical war-time outfit of a black sweater with two buttons that featured the Ukrainian trident, cargo pants and boots – worn as a show of solidarity with his soldiers who have risked their lives on the frontline.

Musk was at the White House the same week in a T-shirt that said “tech support” and a cap.

Mike Johnson says he won’t tear up Trump’s speech like Pelosi did

House Speaker Mike Johnson has made it clear that he won’t follow the example set by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who famously ripped up Trump’s speech during his first term.

Instead, Johnson expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming address, saying he’d even like to “frame it in gilded gold.” The Republican speaker emphasized that there’s much to celebrate and is looking forward to the speech with optimism.

IN PICTURES: Protesters for and against Trump demonstrate across from the Capitol

Elon Musk is in the First Lady box at Congress

Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk has taken his seat in the First Lady box in Congress ahead of the president’s speech.

There had been some concerns that Musk, who is unelected, may have joined lawmakers on the floor of the House.

However, Musk has joined the other invited guests in the box above the lawmakers.

Designated survivor named as Doug Collins

United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins has been named the designated survivor during Trump’s address to Congress tonight.

The term “designated survivor” refers to a member of the president’s Cabinet who is chosen to remain at a secure, undisclosed location when the president, vice president and the rest of the Cabinet are gathered in one place, such as during the State of the Union address, presidential inaugurations and joint sessions of Congress.

The practice ensures that someone in the line of presidential succession is always available to assume the presidency if a catastrophic event occurs.

Democrats are bringing fired federal workers to Trump’s Congress address

Democrat lawmakers are bringing some of the victims of DOGE’s sweeping federal cuts, to attend Donald Trump’s speech tonight.

Several Congress members have invited fired federal workers to Capitol Hill to try and highlight the human impact the mass layoffs and cuts have had.

Rep. Ritchie Torres, of New York, is bringing Nancy Bolan, who was fired from the U.S. Agency for International Development in January. Rep. Brad Schneider, of Illinois, invited Army veteran Adam Mulvey, who was fired last month from a federal health center in Chicago.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, of California, is bringing Ben Vizzachero, who was fired from his job at the U.S. Forest Service, specifically at the Los Padres National Forest.

Trump and Melania have left the White House

Donald Trump and Melania have left the White House bound for the Capitol for his address to Congress.

The president and first lady were seen getting into the motorcade at just after 8.30 p.m. ET in a short motorcade to the Capitol.

Trump has spent the last few hours working on his speech: Report

President Donald Trump has spent the last few hours working on his speech for Congress, CNN reports.

He is expected to tout the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during his address, while he will also touch on Ukraine.

House Democrats divided over attendance at Trump’s speech

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has urged colleagues to maintain a strong presence during Trump’s upcoming speech, stressing the importance of a “strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence” in the chamber.

In a letter to fellow Democrats, Jeffries asserted that the House belongs to the American people and called for representatives to stand firm.

However, some Democrats, including Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, have opted to skip the address. Connolly, who has never missed a presidential speech, cited the current challenges faced by his constituents and described the situation as requiring more than mere attendance. “These are not normal times,” Connolly remarked, criticizing Trump’s actions as “unleashing chaos and cruelty.”

Who is Melania Trump bringing to Trump’s Congress address?

Melania Trump has invited around a dozen guests to watch President Trump’s speech to Congress.

They include an American school teacher who was freed from Russia during a prisoner exchange last month, and the family of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the assassination attempt on Trump.

Stephanie Diller, the widow of a New York Police Department office who was killed in 2024 while carrying out a traffic stop in Queens, will also be in attendance.

How to watch Donald Trump’s presidential address to Congress: Live stream, time, TV channel

President Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time in his second term on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET. This significant event comes as the Trump administration seeks to implement sweeping changes to the federal government, immigration policies, and America’s global standing.

• When: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
• Time: 9:00 PM ET
• Where: US House of Representatives Chamber
• TV Channel: Multiple Major Networks
• Live Stream: Fubo (Try for free!)

House Speaker Mike Johnson shares his guest list for Trump’s address to Congress

Speaker Mike Johnson has shared his guest list for President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday evening.

“I’m honored to host an incredible group of guests tonight,” Johnson said, as he shared the list.

They include:

• Former Hamas hostage Noa Argamani who was held for 250 days after being kidnapped at the Nova music festival on October 7
• Conservative YouTubers Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh
• Chairman of Commonwealth LNG (Liquefied natural gas), Ben Dell
• Widow of a Louisiana man allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant in a drunk-driving incident
• Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan

IN PICTURES: Lawmakers arrive at the Capitol ahead of Trump’s speech

Trump to address Congress with focus on achievements and priorities

Ahead of Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday evening, a diverse group of guests, including a teenage girl bullied with AI-generated deepfakes, the family of a firefighter killed at a Trump rally, and the relatives of slain student Laken Riley, will be present.

These guests represent key administration policies and accomplishments.

The White House has said that the speech will highlight Trump’s achievements during his first six weeks in office, along with a preview of upcoming priorities. The theme, “the renewal of the American dream,” will touch on issues ranging from border security to economic growth, with a focus on executive actions.

Donald Trump’s approval ratings before first major address to Congress

President Donald Trump is receiving a mix of net negative and positive approval ratings ahead of the Republican’s first major speech to Congress of his second term, according to polls.

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via email.

Trump’s first joint congressional address of his second presidency comes after weeks of his administration carrying out an agenda that includes imposing tariffs on imports, cutting federal government spending and seeking to end conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

Polls suggest the American public is divided on Trump’s job performance during his second term.

Trump’s average approval rating is slightly positive as of Tuesday morning, with 47.8 percent saying they approve of the president and 47.7 percent saying they disapprove as of Monday, according to 538’s live polling tracker.

Ahead of Trump’s address, a Marist Poll survey of 1,694 adults found that 49 percent disapprove of Trump’s job performance, while 45 percent approve.

The polling company noted that opinions on Trump remained strong. More than a third (36 percent) said they “strongly” approve of him, while 44 percent said they “strongly” disapprove.

The Marist poll was conducted February 24-26 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

Read the full story by Ewan Palmer on Newsweek.

US and Ukraine mineral deal set for Tuesday after Trump-Zelensky spat

President Donald Trump’s administration and Ukraine intend to sign the highly scrutinized minerals deal four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

The reported signing follows a contentious Oval Office meeting on Friday, during which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was dismissed from the White House.

Trump has informed his advisers that he wishes to announce the agreement during his address to Congress on Tuesday evening, three of the sources told Reuters, though they cautioned that the deal remains unsigned, and the situation could still change.

How to watch Donald Trump’s joint address to US Congress

President Donald Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, marking the first time he will speak to both chambers since returning to the White House.

House Speaker Mike Johnson in January invited Trump to address Congress to “share his America First vision for our future.” Presidents typically address Congress early in their terms to set out their agenda for their administrations.

In his letter, Johnson wrote: “America’s Golden Age has begun. Thanks to your strong leadership and bold action in the first days of your presidency, the United States is already experiencing a resurgence of patriotism, unity, and hope for the future.

“Your administration and the 119th Congress working together have the chance to make these next four years some of the most consequential in our nation’s history. To that end, it is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress.”

The speech is not technically a State of the Union address, as these are intended to look back on the prior year. As Trump’s inauguration took place on January 20, he has only been in office for six weeks.

Read the full story by Matthew Robinson on Newsweek.

Peter Marocco to brief Congress on Trump administration’s foreign aid reorganization

Peter Marocco, the Trump administration official overseeing the dismantling of USAID, is set to brief members of Congress on Wednesday about the president’s reorganization of U.S. foreign aid. Marocco will face both Republicans and Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee following significant cuts to U.S. development and humanitarian efforts abroad.

Lawmakers, including Democrats and some Republicans, have voiced concerns, particularly over the potential loss of successful USAID programs that have helped combat Ebola and provided life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa. The move marks a sharp departure from decades of U.S. policy supporting foreign aid to stabilize countries and build alliances.

Elon Musk to brief House Republicans on government efficiency efforts

Elon Musk is set to meet with House Republicans in a closed-door session at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to discuss the “ongoing work” of the Department of Government Efficiency, according to a source who received an invitation.

The briefing is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. ET. Details on the topics Musk will cover remain unclear, but the meeting signals his continued involvement in government reform discussions.

Democrats to focus on DOGE firings at Trump address as voters split on cuts

Democrats are set to highlight President Donald Trump’s federal firings during his joint address to Congress Tuesday, as new polls suggest Americans remain split on the cuts.

During his address, both Trump and Democrats will be trying to win over voters who may be concerned about the state of the U.S. economy and the cuts identified by DOGE. While Trump will likely tout them as one of his earliest successes, Democrats will likely be focusing on their impact on federal workers.

Democrats attending the address are inviting fired federal workers as their guests in an effort to draw attention to the impact of cuts. Trump’s speech is not officially a State of the Union address.

A president typically gives a joint address to Congress in the first few months of their administration, but it is not billed as the State of the Union, which is delivered annually around 12 months into their first year of office. Some Democrats are referring to it as such, however.

Read in full from Andrew Stanton on Newsweek.