‘WILL BE BIG’: Five things to look for in President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress | Opinion
The last time Donald Trump stood on the House dais, Nancy Pelosi got so mad she tore up a copy of his speech. This time, Trump says on his Truth Social platform, his speech before Congress tonight “WILL BE BIG.” Now, I haven’t read every “Truth” Trump has “Social”ed, but the last time I recall him saying something that concerned Congress would be BIG was the Jan. 6 rally.
I am not expecting violence, but I believe Trump when he touts this speech. After the last six weeks of high-speed Trumpism —culminating in the imposition of tariffs on Canada and Mexico the same day —it can’t help but be a big exclamation point on the end of the historic beginning of Trump’s second term.
Here are five things I am looking for:
Democracy
Two issues will reveal Trump’s thinking on our future as a democratic republic ruled by laws that start with the Constitution.
First, does Trump talk about the dozens of lawsuits hampering his executive-driven agenda? Does he attack the judges, perhaps even by name? He’s gone after judges before, but this time there are worries he will refuse to follow their rulings, an option Vice President J.D. Vance has raised.
Second, does Trump ask the narrowly Republican-controlled Congress to pass actual laws to back his many executive actions, most specifically, the budget cuts and firings his administration has made unilaterally?
Billionaires
Will the gaggle of tech-giants and billionaires who featured so prominently in Trump’s inauguration show up for the biggest night of his presidency so far? Most important, will Elon Musk be there, and how forcefully will Trump embrace the actions of Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency? This will be a sign of how tightly bound Trump remains to some of his most prominent backers and how comfortable Trump is with the fact that Musk has been the star in coverage of his first days in office.
Inflation
Before the election Trump was all about inflation. He promised, for starters, that he would bring down the price of eggs in a matter of days. That hasn’t happened, and comments on the subject have been scarce besides laying blame for the problem at Joe Biden’s feet. That might work for now, but inflation is a major reason that such a diverse coalition of Americans voted for Trump. At times, Trump may seem unhinged, but he is a shrewd politician. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump punts with so much other material to talk about, but he may spring a surprise as the subject is so vital to his future popularity. If Trump doesn’t raise the issue, expect Democrats to talk about nothing else.
Immigration
Signs are that Trump is going to have something to say on immigration as VP Vance is set to appear on the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday. At minimum, Trump will take a victory lap as numbers come in showing migrant flows continue to ebb. I am more interested in whether Trump asks for immigration reform from Congress, what he says about legal immigration and whether he doubles down on his plan to take citizenship away from the future native children of undocumented immigrants.
Those topics will tell us a great deal about whether the optimistic Trump who talks about unity is with us tonight or whether the darker, more dangerous, Trump is at the helm. And then there is his deportation plan: Will he give us details, timelines, anything at all?
Ukraine
The break between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after last week’s meeting seems pretty stark, and there’s talk that the administration wants the former comedian who has led his country since the Russian invasion to resign. Will Trump signal that the gap continues to widen or will there be signs that there could be a reconciliation? I am betting things will look pretty grim for anyone watching from Kyiv. Perhaps most telling will be whether Trump says anything about continuing to arm the Ukrainians after putting a pause on such aid on Monday. Even as he pursues an unjust peace with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he seems to be making it less likely.
That’s only the beginning of what will be riveting TV Tuesday night. How will the Democrats play this speech in their live reactions to what he says? Will they applaud anything at all, even the most benign statements? Who will Trump’s special guests be and how powerful will Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan be in her rebuttal? Democrats need a win to rally around.
That’s a lot to look forward to — or dread, but it will be BIG for certain.
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 6:06 AM.
