WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump addressed both the House and Senate Tuesday evening in a wide-ranging speech at about the six week-mark into his second term in office.

Trump’s remarks come amidst a series of executive orders, a successful border crackdown, new tariffs, tumultuous foreign policy, and some lawsuits threatening to halt part of his progress. The president began his speech by touting his ambitious pace since taking office.

“America is back!” Trump said with force to begin the address, sending Republicans to their feet chanting “USA!” and a faith “amen” from another lawmaker.

“​​Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America,” Trump said. “From that moment on, it has been nothing but swift and unrelenting action to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country. We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplish in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started.”

Standing ovations intermittently interrupted the speech, as is common for joint addresses. Trump pointed to winning all seven swing states and the popular vote and emphasized his mandate to govern the nation.

At the beginning of Trump’s speech, Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas, who has already filed impeachment charges against Trump, stood up and began shouting at the president only to be drowned out by Republican chants of “USA.” After warnings from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and refusing to sit down so Trump could continue, the sergeant at arms escorted the Democrat from the chamber.

Trump touted his success on the southern border as migrant crossings hit a record low almost immediately after Trump took office. Trump acknowledged the mother and sister of Laken Riley, a young woman killed by a released illegal immigrant. Trump’s first bill signed into law was the Laken Riley Act, which requires the detention of illegal immigrants charged with or convicted of a crime.

He also pointed to his freeze on all federal hiring, foreign aid and new regulations as well as his his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Trump said federal workers will either show up for work in person or be “removed from their job” and that workers will be hired and promoted “by skill and competence, not race or gender.”

Trump signed executive orders upon taking office that there are only two sexes, male and female, and to ban “men from playing in women’s sports.”

Trump told the story of a young woman who was severely injured by a transgender male athlete when he hit a volleyball into her face so hard it caused brain damage. The young girl, Payton McNabb, was present as Trump’s guest at the address.

“Payton, from now on schools will kick the men off the girls team or they will lose all federal funding,” Trump said, calling his policies a “common sense revolution.”

Trump’s 25% tariffs on China and Canada went into effect Tuesday, sparking retaliatory tariffs from Canada, though U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said a tariff compromise would likely come this week. Trump’s tariffs on China also upped to 20%. Reciprocal tariffs are now set to go into effect on April 2 of this year, he said.

Those tariffs could lead to an increase in prices, a topic that Trump addressed in his speech, pledging to lower energy costs by upping domestic production. Trump pledged to expand the production of critical minerals and rare earth minerals in the U.S. as well as major pipeline development in Alaska.

“Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control, and we are working hard to get it back down,” Trump said. “A major focus of our fight to defeat inflation is rapidly reducing the cost of energy. The previous administration cut the number of new oil and gas leases by 95%, slowed pipeline construction to a halt, and closed more than 100 power plants. We have never seen anything like it.”

Elon Musk was in attendance and stood for applause from Republicans when Trump spoke of the Department of Government Efficiency, which has cut billions in federal waste and abuse.

Trump noted several examples, including huge sums of federal funding for DEI scholarships, the “Arab Sesame street” in the Middle East, circumcisions overseas, and funding for progressive nonprofits, and many more.

Trump highlighted DOGE’s cuts and Social Security waste and fraud, including payments still going to people over 110 years old.

“We’re going to find out where that money is going, and it is not going to be pretty,” Trump said, arguing that cutting spending will lower inflation for Americans.

To that end, Trump also promised to balance the federal budget, something that hasn’t been done since 2001. He also called on Congress to make his tax cuts permanent, as well as passing legislation to end taxes on tips, overtime, or Social Security benefits.

As The Center Square previously reported, Trump’s approval rating has held relatively steady since taking office, albeit with a slight dip. He now comes in at about a 48% approval rating.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., gave the response speech for Democrats, criticizing Trump and discussing the economy, national security and Democracy, among other things.

She said that while voters asked for change, “we can make that change without forgetting who we are as a country and as a Democracy.”