President Donald J. Trump speaks to a joint session of Congress in the Capitol on March 4, 2025. Photo courtesy of the White House via Facebook.com.
Defiant and Celebratory
You almost feel sorry for Democrats. What do they do now with Republicans riding high in the saddle after President Trump shattered all records for longest address to a joint session of Congress? Karl Rove calls Trump’s speech “remarkable for its tone, range and reception. … adding that it was “pure Donald Trump.” Did he not mention length?
… a tour de force of bold ideas, grand notions and vitriol. It had a laser focus on familiar themes from the campaign—securing the border, imposing tariffs, and ending wokeness and DEI. He drew attention to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Wednesday statement of regret over last Friday’s Oval Office debacle. Mr. Trump can now sign the minerals deal and return to peace negotiations.
Several Trumpy humdingers also set the tone: Democrats, the President reminded listeners, “kept saying we needed new legislation . . . to secure the border, but it turned out that all we needed was a new president.”
There were warm moments honoring ordinary Americans, from a 13-year-old fighting brain cancer being made an honorary Secret Service agent to the family of Corey Comperatore, who gave his life protecting his wife and daughter during last July’s attempted assassination of Mr. Trump.
Clap if You’re Human
Who applauded? Not dour Democrats sitting in the audience. Not even for issues worthy of bipartisan approval. To their shame, the stone-faced opposition refused to join in when Mr. Trump touched on topics that resonate with Americans.
Part of the reason they didn’t is the warped worldview of the party’s left. Part is their deep personal hatred of Mr. Trump. Part is a concern that he’s a threat to America’s constitutional order. Part was Donald Trump’s dozen or so attacks on his predecessor.
Since when is controlling wasteful government spending not a bipartisan issue?
Trump-ium Hyperbole
Those who don’t like Donald Trump will mock him. Supporters will understand him.
Clueless Dems
Trump exaggerating and over-promising will be trashed if he doesn’t deliver. Republicans could be in for one heck of a ride, cautions Mr. Rove, if Democrats get their act together, especially if Trump’s hyperbole doesn’t work.
Republican candidates could find themselves in the awkward position of explaining that DOGE might have found tens of billions in wasteful spending and a handful of missent Social Security checks, but fraud in both instances was grossly overstated.
Tariffs are “little disturbances.” Maybe not everyone is Ok with that.
If tariffs drive up prices, consumers will feel it as they shop just as they did when inflation destroyed Mr. Biden. They’ll also see how tariffs affect where they work as companies cut costs and raise prices.
Should trading partners buy their food elsewhere, farmers will not be happy. US farmers want their “field day.”
A pledge to “balance the federal budget” most likely ain’t gonna happen.
Why make a promise Republicans can be skewered over? Democrats have their answer: Make the rich pay their fair share.
Looming Large
Donald Trump gave a masterful performance, “delivered with panache and gusto.” Mr. Trump, acknowledges Mr. Rove, is better prepared than he was in 2017.
What is evident is that President Trump is enjoying himself this time around.
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