President Trump opened his address from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room by saying he inherited “a mess” from former President Joe Biden and is working to fix it. The speech, delivered Wednesday evening, broke little new ground but framed the administration’s response to declining approval ratings on economic issues.
The president blamed immigrants for the country’s problems and promised an “economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen.” He said the nation is “poised for an economic boom” and claimed that “America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before.”
Trump said the “warrior dividend” checks are already in the mail and credited tariffs for bringing in the funding, though he did not specify the exact funding mechanism.
The address came at a crucial time for the president. An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll released Wednesday found that just 36 percent approve of Trump’s economic record, with 45 percent saying prices are their top economic concern. The poll also found that two-thirds of Americans are concerned about the impact of tariffs on their personal finances.
“Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump said. “We’re poised for an economic boom, the likes of which the world has never seen.”
Trump continued to tout tariffs as a major cause of economic accomplishments, despite Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reporting last week that inflation growth is happening “entirely in sectors where there are tariffs.”
The White House had shared slides with major TV networks ahead of time promoting Trump’s first-year accomplishments, though none of the big three broadcast networks opted to show them. One of the reasons cited was that the graphs did not include clear sourcing information.
Trump said he will soon nominate a new Federal Reserve chair who “believes in lower interest rates by a lot.” Current chair Jerome Powell’s term ends in May 2026.
During the address, Trump repeated attacks on Somalis, claiming they have “taken over the economics” of Minnesota and “stolen billions and billions of dollars,” statements he made following the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., last month despite no apparent connection.
The president also teased that in the new year he would announce “some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history” and said Americans will receive tax refunds from his tax legislation next year.
Democrats responded quickly to the speech. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said Trump had “clearly lost touch with reality” and criticized the president for making false claims about the economy.
The address had the feel of a Trump rally speech delivered from the White House, with the president speaking loudly throughout and at times appearing to shout. Traditional presidential addresses to the nation tend to be less partisan than campaign-style speeches.
