What time is Trump’s speech to Congress? : NPR

President Trump will address a joint Congressional session on Tuesday since returning to the White House six weeks ago.

The speech comes as the administration is attempting to dramatically reshape the federal government, crack down on illegal immigration, and redefine the role of the United States overseas.

He addresses Congress when Republicans hold majority in both the Senate and House. Despite these majority, progress has slowed in submitting laws to fund the president’s major campaign promises.

Here’s what you need to know before your Tuesday night speech:

What time is the address?

Trump’s speech is scheduled to begin at 9pm. NPR’s live special coverage, the president’s joint speech and democratic response will also begin at 9pm.

You can tune on many public radio stations or With the NPR app“Ask Alexa devices to “play special coverage with NPR” and watch live-in studio video coverage here And on npr.org

What does Trump talk about?

Since taking office, Trump has begun a massive amount of action. Tuesday’s speech will give him the opportunity to promote his agenda to viewers at Primetime. In polls, 53% of respondents believe that the union is not in strong condition, while 54% say the country is heading in the wrong direction.

In his speech, Trump could double the government’s restructuring initiative. This is known as the Ministry of Efficiency of the Government (DOGE).

As part of this effort, the administration has fired tens of thousands of federal workers and essentially shut down multiple agencies.

Trump is also expected to talk about his plan to reduce illegal immigration. A few days after taking office, he halted the asylum process at the southern border; Refugees settle in third countries. He also moved to end birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents without legal status, but that effort was subsequently blocked by two federal judges. The White House has sought to portray the crackdown on illegal immigration as a successful wholesale, but critics say the administration’s strict policies have led to misconceptions about immigration and crime.

Customs duties are also a major focus of addresses. Trump has already imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese products and has vowed to impose sudden tariffs on Mexico and Canada. The president said tariffs aim to reduce the amount of fentanyl that enters the United States, where tariffs are illegal.

Trump has also signed an executive order expanding tariffs on steel and aluminum, with the aim of imposing “mutual tariffs” on US trading partners.

Regarding foreign policy, expect to pay much attention to what Trump says about ending the war between Israel and Hamas, Russia and Ukraine.

In the Middle East, Trump said the US wanted the Gaza Strip to take ownership and redevelop its territory. He offers little additional details about how the effort works.

The role of the United States in mediating peace agreements between Russia and Ukraine is another open question, especially after last week’s oval office meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelenky.

This speech is not a union speech, why?

Speech to a council meeting is similar to the state of a union speech. They each happen in the same place and at the same time every year. But they have slightly different purposes.

The union speech can summarise the achievements of the incumbent president over the past year. For the newly sworn president, a joint address is the opportunity to lay out the first agenda.

That said, Trump is in a unique situation. He offers a much different playbook than his predecessor, but he stands in front of lawmakers as the second term president with a ticking watch. He is the first president to serve two non-continued terms for over 130 years.

Who is offering a democratic response?

First Senator Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. will provide a statement following Trump’s speech on Tuesday. In a year when Democrats lost their majority in the Senate, Slotkin’s victory was a rare bright spot for Democrats. And then Trump finally got to carry it.

Adriano Espaillat, DN.Y., provides Spanish correspondence. Rep. Latefah Simon of D-Calif also responds progressively from workers’ families.

Economic concerns will likely be the focus of these rebuttal statements. Democrats Lost in this issue During the 2024 election, dealing with price increases has been a priority in messaging. Trump was a big campaign to fight inflation, but so far it has not been the main focus of his presidency. Expect to see Trump’s close relationship with Musk also face criticism.