Trump speech live updates: Tariff wars, Ukraine, firings to take spotlight
The theme of Trump's address to Congress is "Renewal of the American Dream."
Last Updated: March 4, 2025, 8:54 PM EST
President Donald Trump is addressing a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, six weeks into his historic return to the White House.
The speech comes after markets tumbled following Trump's steep tariffs on key U.S. trading partners. Meanwhile, his administration could sign a mineral deal with Ukraine as soon as today after a tumultuous Oval Office meeting last week between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Here's how the news is developing.
Trump will defend the steep tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico after markets roiled and the key U.S. trading partners vowed retaliation.
"Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we tax them. 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. We will take in trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before," Trump will say, according to excerpts of his speech released by the White House.
Elon Musk is now in the House chamber. There was a smattering of applause and cheers as he arrived.
Riley Gaines -- a former University of Kentucky swimmer that has been outspoken against transgender athletes participating in female sports -- is seated in the speaker's box for Trump's address.
Political activist and former competitive swimmer Riley Gaines watches as President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the East Room at the White House, Feb. 5, 2025 in Washington.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Gaines recently joined Trump at the signing ceremony for his executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," which seeks to bar transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins will sit out on Trump's joint address to Congress as the designated survivor, multiple sources tell ABC News.
A designated survivor is a Cabinet-level official selected by the White House who is ready to take the reins if everyone above him or her in the presidential line of succession dies in a crisis in the House chamber.
Collins will be given presidential level protection for the evening and escorted to an undisclosed location to watch the address.
– ABC News’ Katherine Faulders
