Trump reverses pledge to claim Greenland but announces major new move to take the Panama Canal: Live updates

Body language expert Judi James told Dailymail.com:

There was a moment of almost romantic affection as Trump pointed up at Melania in a tie-sign ritual of personal acknowledgement and the woman who used to be known for her impassive demeanor beamed back like a smitten teenager.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump ended his remarks before a joint session of Congress at exactly 11:00 p.m. EST.

The speech ran approximately one hour and 40 minutes.

This was longer than all of his previous joint session speeches – the longest of which was his State of the Union in 2019 that ran for one hour and 22 minutes.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) seemed amused as President Donald Trump called her out during his joint session address on Tuesday.

Trump asked Democrats if they want to ‘keep it going for another five years’ when talking about how much money and military aid has been sent to Ukraine in its war with Ukraine.

‘Pocahontas says yes,’ Trump said, looking towards the side of the chamber where Democrats were seated for the speech.

While Trump shook his head, Warren smiled and gave several fervent claps and appeared at least somewhat amused by the throwback insult.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

President Donald Trump said in his joint session to Congress on Tuesday that ‘one way or the other,’ the U.S. will obtain Greenland.

He isn’t giving up on the idea for the U.S. to buy the autonomous island territory from Denmark – a proposal Trump initially put forward in his first term.

‘I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland – We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,’ Trump said to the joint session gathered in the House chamber.

‘We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it, but we need it really for international world security,’ Trump added.

He insisted the ‘large piece of land’ with a ‘very small population’ is ‘important for military security.’

I think we’re going to get it one way or the other. We’re going to get it. We will keep you safe, we will make you rich, and together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before.

Some Democratic House members wore blue and yellow ties to Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

The lawmakers were members of the Ukraine Caucus. Blue and yellow are the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

It comes as the Trump administration has paused military aid to Ukraine.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump called on Congress to codify his order into law requiring the death penalty for those who kill police officers.

‘I’ve already signed an executive order requiring a mandatory death penalty for anyone who murders a police officer,’ Trump said during his joint session address. ‘And tonight I’m asking Congress to pass that policy into permanent law.’

‘I’m also asking for a new crime bill getting tough on repeat offenders while enhancing protections for America’s police officers so they can do their jobs without fear of their lives being totally destroyed – they don’t want to be killed. We’re not going to let them be killed,’ he assured.

One of the guests of the president and first lady on Tuesday is Stephanie Diller (pictured below). She is the widow of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed during a traffic stop on Long Island by a man with 21 prior arrests.

Trump attended Diller’s funeral and met his wife and one-year-old child.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Elon Musk got a coveted shoutout by President Donald Trump during his joint session before Congress on Tuesday evening.

The billionaire stood and saluted Trump as the president showered praise on the billionaire ‘first buddy’ for his work slashing federal spending and government waste.

‘I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency – DOGE, perhaps you’ve heard of it, which is headed by Elon Musk who is in the gallery tonight,’ Trump said as he looked up to where Musk was seated for the remarks.

‘Thank you, Elon. He’s working very hard. He didn’t need this.’

‘Everybody here, even this side, appreciates it, I believe,” Trump added in referring to the side of the chamber where Democrats were seated. ‘They just don’t want to admit that.’

Democrats could be heard scoffing and laughing at this claim.

The president then went on to list billions that DOGE identified for cutting, including programs like studying transgender surgery on mice, funding ‘Arab Sesame Street in the Middle East,’ male circumcision in Mozambique and hotels, housing and cars for illegal immigrants.

Democrats who are silently protesting Trump by holding up signs are getting their message out.

The signs have writing on both sides – many say ‘False’ on the back.

That means they get picked up in the shot when the camera cuts to a long view of the president from the back of the House chamber.

Among those protesting is Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) She held up a ‘MUSK STEALS’ sign, with DOGE chief billionaire Elon Musk sitting in the gallery.

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor

With markets reeling after he slapped 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Trump is acknowledging Americans could feel some financial pain.

‘It may be a little bit of an adjustment period,’ Trump said.

He admitted the pocketbook pain while describing new ‘reciprocal tariffs’ set to take effect April 2 that are expected to boost consumer costs and could bring reprisals from other nations.

‘It may be a little bit of an adjustment period. We had that before, when I made the deal with China, $50 billion of purchases, and I said, just bear with me,’ Trump said. He blamed President Joe Biden for failing to enforce an agreement with China. (Biden kept China tariffs in place throughout his term).

Then he defended tariffs on copper, aluminum and steel – again admitting there could be at least short-term pain.

‘There’ll be a little disturbance, but we’re okay with that,’ Trump said.

My administration will reclaim power from this unaccountable bureaucracy, and we will restore true democracy to America again. And any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office immediately.

Because we are draining the swamp. It’s very simple. And the days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.

Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Congress

Progressive ‘Squad’ member Rashida Tlaib used a white board to write various messages to Trump to try and distract and provoke him during his address.

‘Start paying your own taxes,’ one of her messages said.

‘Musk lies’ another white board note stated.

When the president did not seem to see her messages, she would bang on her board with a black and white sign which had the word ‘false’ written on it.

She held up the sign whenever she disagreed with what the president said.

Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, was also donning a red, black and white keffiyeh.

The president told lawmakers he plans to find ways to extract more rare earth minerals from the U.S.

He included the line after speaking about plans to boost oil and gas production through a ‘gigantic natural gas pipeline in Alaska.’

‘And later this week, I will also take historic action to dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths here in the USA,’ Trump said.

He has also demanded Ukraine ink a deal to allow U.S. companies to extract rare earth minerals from that country, and has taken an interest in buying Greenland, which has its own mineral deposits under the frosty ground.

Rare earths including lithium, uranium and graphite are critical to electronics, EVs, weapons, and other technology.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump wished Attorney General Pam Bondi ‘good luck’ in finding those listed above the age of 100 who are collecting Social Security checks.

The president noted at his joint session address how there are millions of people within government systems who are impossible ages but are still being sent the monthly retirement payout.

‘Believe it or not, government databases list 4.7 million social security members from people aged 100 to 109-years-old,’ Trump said to the hundreds gathered for his speech to Congress on Tuesday.

‘It lists 3.6 million people from ages 110 to 119 – I don’t know any of them,’ he added. ‘I know some people that are rather elderly, but not quite that elderly.’

As he listed the millions more in other age ranges he interjected with: ‘Money is being paid to many of them and we’re searching right now. In fact, Pam, good luck.’

‘Good luck – you’re going to find it,’ he predicted.

Democrats yelled ‘liar’ and held up their ‘false’ signs as Trump listed the millions of people in government systems listed as Social Security beneficiaries who are well above the age of 100.

President Donald Trump spoke at length about some of the fraud uncovered by his administration during his speech to Congress on Tuesday.

‘Over 130,000 people, according to the Social Security databases, are aged over 160 years old,’ Trump noted, as isolated Democratic members of Congress in the audience voiced their dissent.

‘We have a healthier country than I thought, Bobby,’ Trump joked, referring to his Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Trump’s quip sparked widespread laughter in the chamber as Kennedy smiled in response.

Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Congress

A group of Democrats sitting near the center aisle of the House floor stormed out during Trump’s address.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, led the group, which, as they left, unveiled black t-shirts with the word ‘resist’ emblazoned on the back in white lettering.

Republicans immediately booed the Democrats.

Earlier in the evening, Crockett posted a video on her social media with a similar resist theme.

‘Well…the State of the DisUnion will begin shortly. I’m gonna be in attendance DO NOT WATCH!’ her post, accompanying a video performance, said.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump Jr. slammed Democrat Rep. Al Green for a lengthy outburst at his father’s joint session address on Tuesday.

He accused the Democratic lawmaker of being a ‘crybaby.’

Meanhwhile, some congresswomen wire all pink in protest of Trump’s ‘anti-women’ policies. Others held up small signs with the messages: ‘Musk Steals,’ ‘Save Medicare’ and ‘Protect Veterans.’

And Rep. Jasmine Crockett led another group walking out of the president’s speech wearing shirts reading ‘resist.’

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump taunted Democrats for trying to ‘weaponize’ the Justice system and politically prosecute him after he left office in 2021.

‘We have ended weaponized government where, for example, a sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent – like me,’ Trump said during his first joint session address of his second term.

‘How did that work out? Not too good,’ he quipped to the chamber.

Trump ripped Democrats during his speech for failing to applaud him.

‘These people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand, and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements,’ he said.

A bank of Democrats sat glumly while he spoke, some holding up pre-printed signs that said ‘Musk steals.’

‘Five times I’ve been up here,’ Trump inveighed. ‘It’s very sad and it just shouldn’t be this way.’

Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Congress

Democratic Rep. Al Green indignantly challenged Trump about Medicaid, waving his cane at the president, shouting and interrupting the 78-year-old’s remarks shortly after they began.

Initially, Trump began speaking over Green and did not let off as the Democrat yelled.

‘You have no mandate to cut healthcare,’ Green said.

He was not the only Democrat interrupting, however. A large cohort of over 30 Democrats held signs with phrases like ‘false’ and ‘Musk steals.’

Speaker Mike Johnson eventually banged his gavel to restore order after Green’s accosting went unabated.

Johnson then threatened Green that he would have the security kick him out if the Democrat did not stop his protest.

But that did not sway Green, who continued to yell at the president, who at this point had ceased talking.

‘He has no mandate to cut Medicaid,’ Green yelled again.

Then, following Johnson’s orders, the security came over to the lawmaker and told him to leave.

Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico was standing on the aisle as President Trump entered.

The lawmaker dressed in pink in protest held up a sign that read ‘this is NOT normal’ right as Trump passed her while he walked into the chamber.

Trump fired back, saying: ‘This ain’t normal, she isn’t great to work with at all.’

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

President Donald Trump walked into the House chamber on Tuesday evening at 9:14 p.m. EST for the first joint session address of his second White House term.

Trump is arriving to a divided crowd, with some of his biggest congressional supporters as well as those liberal lawmakers who are most vehemently opposed to his policies.

Republicans gathered around the aisle to get their chance at shaking the president’s hand.

It took Trump at least four minutes to reach the dais as he took his time greeting those attending the speech.

Chants of ‘U-S-A’ broke out once Trump was in front of the microphone and a several-minute standing ovation ensued before House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed the gavel to bring the chamber to order.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter and Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Congress

At least four of the nine Supreme Court Justices are in attendance at Trump’s joint session address.

DailyMail.com spotted Chief Justice John Roberts, liberal Justice Elena Kagan and conservative Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett seated in the House chamber for the remarks.

Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito, as well as liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor are skipping the speech.

Alito and Thomas have passed-up on attending these remarks for the past decade.

Retired Justice Anthony Kennedy is also attending the speech.

It’s tradition for at least a few members of the highest U.S. bench to attend joint session remarks – and it’s customary for them to remain stoic and avoid reacting positively or negatively to whatever the president says.

Vice President JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson were spotted in conversation ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday evening.

A hot mic picked up part of their conversation:

JD Vance: ‘By the way, I think the speech is going to be great, but I don’t know how you do this for 90 minutes.’

Speaker Johnson: ‘The hardest thing was doing it during Biden when the speech was a stupid campaign speech.’

Barron Trump was the only Trump child absent from the president’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday night but he had a good reason.

His siblings joined his mother Melania Trump in watching Donald Trump’s remarks: Ivanka Trump with husband Jared Kushner, Don Jr. with girlfriend Bettina Anderson Eric and Lara Trump, and Tiffany Trump and husband Michael Boulos.

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor

President Donald Trump and his team decided he had some egg-splaining to do.

With Democrats using high egg prices and nationwide shortages to undermine the president’s pledges on inflation, Trump decided to included a passage in his speech blaming his predecessor.

‘Joe Biden especially let the price of EGGS get out of control—and we are working hard to get it back down,’ Trump said, according to advance text.

‘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,’ Trump will say.

Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Congress:

FBI Director Kash Patel is seated in President Donald Trump’s personal box.

It appears that he is one of the only members in the box, and that no other Cabinet members are in there with him.

Trump has long credited Patel for helping him through his ‘Russia Hoax’ investigations during his first term.

Patel is seated just a few guests away from Donald Trump Jr.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins is the designated survivor for Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening.

The top government official will be sequestered in a secure location for the duration of the event as a way to preserve a presidential line of succession in case of a catastrophic event.

The White House on Tuesday evening released excerpts of his speech to Congress:

Six weeks ago, I stood beneath the dome of this Capitol and proclaimed the dawn of the Golden Age of America.  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 4 years or 8 years—and we are JUST GETTING STARTED. I return to this chamber tonight to report that  America’s MOMENTUM is back. Our SPIRIT is back. Our PRIDE is back. Our CONFIDENCE is back. And the American Dream is surging—bigger and better than ever before. The American Dream is UNSTOPPABLE, and our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed, and perhaps will never witness again.

Now, for the first time in modern history, more Americans believe that our country is headed in the RIGHT direction than the WRONG direction—an astonishing record 27-point swing since Election Day alone. Likewise, small business optimism saw its single largest one-month gain ever recorded—a 41-point jump. Over the past 6 weeks, I have signed nearly 100 Executive Orders and taken more than 400 Executive Actions to restore COMMON SENSE, safety, optimism, and wealth all across our wonderful land. The People elected me to do the job, and I am doing it. In fact, it has been stated by many that the first month of our presidency is the most successful in the history of our nation.

Among my very highest priorities is to rescue our economy and get dramatic and immediate relief to working families. As you know, we inherited, from the last administration, an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare. Their policies drove up energy prices, pushed up the cost of groceries, and drove the necessities of life out of reach for millions of Americans. We suffered the worst inflation in 48 years, but perhaps even in the history of our country. As President, I am fighting every day to reverse this damage and Make America AFFORDABLE Again.

Joe Biden especially let the price of EGGS get out of control—and we are working hard to get it back down. 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.
That is why on my first day in office, I declared a National ENERGY Emergency. 

My administration is also working on a gigantic natural gas pipeline in Alaska, among the largest in the world, where Japan, South Korea, and other nations want to be our partner—with trillions of dollars being spent by them. It will truly be spectacular. 

Later this week, I will also take historic action to dramatically expand production of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths here in USA.

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.

Since taking office, my administration has launched the most sweeping border and immigration crackdown in American history—and we quickly achieved the lowest numbers of illegal border crossers EVER recorded.
The media and our friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed new LEGISLATION to secure the border—but it turned out that all we really needed was a new PRESIDENT.

I have sent Congress a detailed funding request laying out exactly how we will  eliminate these threats, protect our Homeland, and complete the largest deportation operation in American history, larger even than current recordholder Dwight D. Eisenhower—a moderate man but someone who believed very strongly in borders. Americans expect Congress to send me this funding without delay, so I can sign it into law.

I am also working tirelessly to end the savage conflict in Ukraine. Millions of Ukrainians and Russians have been needlessly killed or wounded in this horrific and brutal conflict, with no end in sight. The United States has sent hundreds of billions of dollars to support Ukraine’s defense. Meanwhile, Europe has sadly spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine – by far! And Biden has authorized more money in this fight than Europe has spent.

As we reclaim our sovereignty, we must also bring back LAW and ORDER to our cities and towns. In recent years, our justice system has been turned upside down by Radical Left lunatics. Many jurisdictions virtually ceased enforcing the law against dangerous repeat offenders, while weaponizing law enforcement against political opponents, like me. My administration has acted swiftly and decisively to restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under the Constitutional Rule of Law—starting at the FBI and DOJ. 

We are also once again giving our police officers 
the SUPPORT, PROTECTION, and RESPECT they so dearly deserve. This also includes our great fire departments throughout the country,who are likewise under siege.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump’s motorcade arrived at the U.S. Capitol minutes after leaving the W/hite House.

The president is now preparing to appear before the joint session of Congress to deliver his first speech to them in his second term.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Elon Musk left the White House just before President Donald Trump departed for the Capitol for his joint address to Congress.

Photographers part of the White House press corps spotted the ‘first buddy’ making the move ahead of the president and first lady.

Trump’s motorcade left for Capitol Hill at 8:32 p.m. EST for his remarks expected to begin at 9:10 p.m. EST.

Brian Glenn, host of Real America’s Voice, posted a photo of himself and girlfriend Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene on social media ahead of Donald Trump’s speech.

‘Oh, yes..and the view is beautiful too,’ he wrote about the pic, which showed him and Greene on the speaker’s balcony of the Capitol with the sun setting behind them.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump’s motorcade departed the White House at 8:342 p.m. EST to take the president and first lady Melania over to Capitol Hill.

The first couple are making the short drive across town for the president’s first joint address to Congress of his second term.

His remarks are set to start around 9:00 p.m. EST.

President Trump and first lady Melania hold hands as they depart the White House to head across town to the Capitol for the joint session.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

The first Cabinet members began arriving on Capitol Hill Tuesday evening for Donald Trump’s joint session speech.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his wife, donning an all-pink getup, were spotted entering the chamber.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also seen at the Capitol.

This means none of those three Cabinet Secretaries were selected as the designated survivor for Trump’s first joint session address of his second term.

Fired Veterans Affairs IG Michael Missal defended the role of independent agency auditors as he prepares to attend President Trump’s speech to Congress.

Missal was one of 17 IGs that Trump fired in a purge days after he took office. He’s a guest of Trump critic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

‘IGs make government better and save taxpayers literally billions and billions of dollars,’ he said in a video posted on Blumenthal’s X account.

‘What President Trump has done by firing the independent, non-partisan IGs has really hurt oversight, and when you hurt oversight, you’re ultimately going to hurt the operations of government,’ he said.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced he brought Dr. Eithan Haim to Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress.

The Justice Department recently dropped charges against the surgeon who pleaded not guilty last year of four counts of wrongfully obtaining individually identifiable health information.

Prosecutors had said the 34-year-old took the information for those who were not under his care and shared with a conservative activist.

Hawley praised him as a whistleblower who shed light on illegal transgender surgeries of minors.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

The White House communications team is gathered to watch some ‘must see TV’ when President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr posted to X an image of the teams haul of McDonald’s french fries, chicken nuggets and burgers.

‘White House Comms is pre-gaming the Joint Session the MAGA way,’ Dorr wrote in the post.

Rep. Andy Biggs signaled on social media that Democrats could stage a walk out of President Donald Trump’s speech to Congress.

‘Rep. Eli Crane and I are ready for some better seats if the sore loser Democrats walk out of the President’s speech,’ Biggs wrote posting a video on X, warning of some ‘antics planned’ by the Democrats.

‘It’s just noise baby,’ Crane said in the video. ‘I’ll take results.’

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Donald Trump is leaving the White House and heading over to the Capitol at 8:30 p.m. EST with First Lady Melania Trump.

The president’s remarks are set to kick off at 9:00 p.m. EST, although the official White House schedule says he will deliver the speech just a few minutes later at 9:10 p.m. EST.

It’s unclear how long the speech will go, though Trump’s previous joint session speeches in his first term spanned from an hour to nearly an hour-and-a-half.

Team Trump sent out a text urging Americans to tune-in for the president’s joint session with Congress on Tuesday.

The address will begin at 9:00 p.m. EST.

The text message previewed that there will be ‘fireworks’ on Capitol Hill during the speech.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

A few dozen Democratic women in Congress are planning to wear pink to President Donald Trump’s joint address on Tuesday night.

Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) said Monday that the pink garb is to ‘signal our protest of Trump’s policies which are negatively impacting women and families.’

But Republicans say ‘it’s all an act.’

‘When you see Democrats wearing pink for the TV cameras tonight, remember that 45 of them voted for men to invade women’s sports just yesterday,’ Utah Sen. Mike Lee posted in reference to the GOP effort to ban biological men from joining women’s athletics.

Fox News host Harris Faulkner wrote on X: ‘You mean Dems wearing pink for all the women they truly don’t support…’

Democrats have invited a slew of federal workers and veterans directly impacted by DOGE’s recent firings to Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress tonight.

Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has celebrated its cost cutting efforts, including firing federal workers.

Here are some of those impacted:

Kyle Rahn, a disabled Army veteran who was fired via email from his role at the Department of Homeland Security, was invited to attend by Sen. Ruben Gallego.

Marine veteran Andrew Lennox, who was let go from the Veterans’ Affairs, was invited by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.

Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner has invited a former National Park ranger named Ashley Ranalli.

The invitations are an effort to humanize the impacts made by DOGE and Trump.

‘We think one of the best ways to let the American people know how horrible Donald Trump’s first 30 days have been is to bring those who have been affected,’ Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier today.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) brought as her state’s head of DOGE efforts as a guest to President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

Some states have adopted their own Departments of Government Efficiency modeled after Elon Musk’s group to slash what they view as government waste and irresponsible spending of taxpayer dollars.

Both Hinson and Iowa DOGE Chairwoman Emily Schmitt wore matching lapel pins in the shape of scissors to symbolize the incoming cuts.

Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter:

House Speaker Mike Johnson shared who he is bringing as guests to President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress tonight.

Among them is Olivia Hayes, whose husband Wesley was killed in a drunk driving accident with an illegal immigrant behind the wheel.

Another guest of the speaker will be Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan.

Also in attendance will be Noa Argamani, who was taken hostage by Hamas in the October 7 attack and held for nearly 250 days.

Ben Dell, Chairman of Commonwealth Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), will also be in attendance thanks to an invite from the speaker as part of his effort to highlight the end of President Biden’s energy policy.

Conservative podcasters Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh were also invited by the speaker to attend the address.

‘They have been instrumental in confronting the failed ideologies of the Left and advancing our commonsense, conservative principles,’ Johnson wrote in a post.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) was selected as Democrats’ designated survivor for the lower chamber during President Donald Trump’s remarks to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

His selection comes even though several Democratic Party members, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), already are skipping the big speech.

Each party selects designated survivors to represent both the House and the Senate – in addition to the president choosing a member of his Cabinet.

Thompson, who has served in Congress since 1999, will, like the other designated survivors, watch the speech from an undisclosed, secure location outside the Capitol campus.

He said that House Minoirty Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) selected him.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

Most of Donald Trump’s children will be in the House chamber on Tuesday night to see their father address the nation.

By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent

President Donald Trump plans to take a victory lap in front of the American people on Tuesday night when he addresses a joint session of Congress.

He’ll brag about the list of accomplishments his administration has completed in the last six weeks – illegal crossings down at the border, tariffs on foreign allies, and massive cuts to the government – while also outlining his plan to boost the economy and end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

‘It’s an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking, unprecedented achievements and accomplishments,’ adviser Stephen Miller told Fox News on Tuesday.

But his speech comes as America stands at a crossroads: inflation and the cost of living remain high, Canada and China are retaliating for tariffs Trump imposed sparking fears of an economic war, and polls show Americans are worried about the direction the country is headed.

Plus, the government faces a shutdown on March 14 if lawmakers cannot pass a budget.

Feelings are expected to run high in the House chamber.

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor

With President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada driving market drops and political pushback, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is showing signs of flexibility.

‘Both the Mexicans and the Canadians were on the phone with me all day today trying to show that they’ll do better, and the president’s listening, because you know he’s very, very fair and very reasonable,’ Lutnick told Fox Business.

‘So I think he’s going to work something out with them — it’s not going to be a pause, none of that pause stuff,’ he said. But he predicted Trump would ‘figure out – you do more and I’ll meet you in the middle some way and we’re going to probably announcing that tomorrow.’

His conciliatory language comes after the Wall Street Journal editorial page called the new tariffs ‘dumb’ – a phrase echoed by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.

Republican Senator Joni Ernst’s office is slamming reports she had inappropriate romantic relationships with two top military officials who lobbied her Senate committee.

According to a report from ProPublica, Major General Christopher Finerty had a relationship with the Iowa senator, which her office has denied as ‘slander.’

Finerty has been embroiled in scandal after a recent report from the Air Force inspector general found he had multiple inappropriate and ‘sexual’ relationships with women who worked on Capitol Hill.

The names of the women were redacted in the report and it is not clear if Ernst was named.

President Donald Trump’s administration and Ukraine plan to sign the much-debated minerals deal following his disastrous Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.

It comes after Trump turned the screws on the U.S. ally by pausing U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Trump has told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address to Congress Tuesday evening, according to three sources.

They cautioned that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

President Donald Trump‘s administration and Ukraine plan to sign the much-debated minerals deal following his disastrous Oval Office meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.

It comes after Trump turned the screws on the U.S. ally by pausing U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Trump has told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address to Congress Tuesday evening, according to three sources.

They cautioned that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

Walking off the House Floor following votes Tuesday afternoon, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told DailyMail.com she is not attending President Donald Trump’s speech before Congress tonight.

Instead, she plans on watching the event remotely.

‘I will be live posting and chatting with you all here instead,’ the progressive posted.

‘Then going on IG Live after,’ indicating she will be hosting a live reaction session on Instagram following the speech.

The ‘Squad’ leader told DailyMail.com that she was not familiar with any planned protests this evening that are planned for Trump’s remarks.

However, other Democrats have reportedly been planning on ways to protest Trump.

Bringing eggs to symbolize inflation and noisemakers to disrupt the proceedings were weighed by Democrats.

Already some have been spotted through the halls of Congress wearing matching outfits—another form of protest.

Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Democrats planning to distract and provoke the president during his joint address to Congress this evening to think again.

Axios first reported that some Democratic lawmakers hatched plans to bring eggs, noisemakers and other knick-knacks to the Republican’s nationally televised speech.

Democrats also mentioned that they could leave the House chamber if they find Trump’s remarks particularly repugnant.

Liberal lawmakers have also considered bringing signs similar to ones Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., held up during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech last year, which read ‘war criminal.’

Addressing the planned protests, and the report on Fox News Tuesday morning, Leavitt suggested Democrats take a different approach.

His remarks before all of the nation’s people and politicos will be a seminal moment in the Republican’s still young second term.

It will also be an opportunity to address his congressional Democratic detractors, who have protested his DOGE initiative, his kicking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky out of the White House and his foreign aid freeze, directly.

Within his first month, the president has deputized Elon Musk and DOGE to the top echelons of federal power, where they currently are working to dismantle what they deem as waste, fraud and abuse within the government.

Already over 100 legal cases are challenging many of the Trump-Musk government reforms, according to AP.

President Donald Trump reacted to Justin Trudeau’s emotional press conference on Tuesday, where the Canadian prime minister threatened to retaliate with tariffs of their own.

Trudeau described Trump’s decision to level tariffs as ‘dumb’ and vowed to strike back.

Counselor to the president Alina Habba tore into fired federal employees amid DOGE layoffs – accusing them without evidence of working multiple jobs and saying she doesn’t ‘feel sorry’ for Democrats.

She made her blistering comments to Fox News after her interviewer played a clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the Trump administration of an ‘assault on hardworking families.

That drove Habba, who last year represented Trump in his Stormy Daniels and E. Jean Carroll cases, to tee off on Democrats for bringing fired federal workers to President Trump’s speech to Congress tonight.

‘We’ve heard that they’re going to bring people that have lost their jobs,’ she snapped after shaking her head.

Democratic lawmakers sounded the alarms on Tuesday as Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico went into effect. But some GOP lawmakers also raised concerns on what the move would mean for costs in the U.S.

A clearly emotional Justin Trudeau held a press conference on Tuesday to outline retaliatory tariffs after President Donald Trump’s decision to level a 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports went into effect.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan held an impromptu Q&A with members of the press outside the White House on Tuesday morning where he slammed sanctuary cities for blocking officials from rounding up illegal immigrants from jails.

Homan insisted that immigration officials need more money to be able to house more migrants and deport them as the rate of arrest and detainment continues to surge.

‘We need Congress to step up and give us the money we need so President Trump can keep his promise to the American people,’ he demanded.

The border czar also claimed that while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the entire Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are ‘hitting on all cylinders,’ there is only so much they can do with limited funds.

Homan lauded that border numbers are ‘down 90 percent in three weeks’ when referencing the number of crossings since Trump got back into office.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

First Lady Melania Trump is bringing 15 people to her husband’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening.

The guests range from families of victims of illegal immigrant crime to a former hostage in Russia and other ‘everyday Americans’ plagued by plights President Donald Trump has vowed to fix over the next four years in Washington.

Notably, the widow and two daughters of Corey Comperatore will sit in the first lady’s guest box at the Capitol after they lost their patriarch when he was shot and killed at Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania rally.

Elliston Berry, 15, from Aledo, Texas, who was the victim of deepfake AI image bullying, will also join Melania Trump as guest.

The family of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old who was murdered by an illegal immigrant while on a run last year, was invited to the joint session address.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Counselor to the President Alina Habba warned Democrats against refusing to ‘clap for America’ at President Donald Trump’s address Tuesday night.

Habba said the administration is expecting Democratic lawmakers to bring as their guests federal workers who lost their jobs and to heckle and ‘make a mockery’ of the joint session remarks.

‘To the hecklers and to the people that refuse to stand up and clap for America – not just Trump – shame on you. We know you’re coming,’ Habba told Fox News on Tuesday morning.

She also said that Trump’s team has no sympathy for federal employees who lost their jobs because they were not performing or showing up to work.

You get fired when you don’t show up to work. You get fired when you’re taking taxpayer dollars and you’re not working for the federal government and you’re double-dipping.

‘They can cry wolf all day long, I really don’t feel sorry for them,’ the lawyer and senior Trump adviser added. ‘They should get back to work for the American people like President Trump and this administration.’

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Vice President J.D. Vance said it was wrong to assume that he was snubbing European allies during his interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday.

Vance defended his stance that if the U.S. were to completely stop supporting Ukraine financially and militarily in its war with Russia , then other European nations would fail to step up to the plate to fill the large void.

He also insisted that some of these nations are not prepared to send in thousands of troops after not facing real war for decades.

A U.K. correspondent for an Italian newspaper posted to X claiming that Vance’s comments on Monday evening are ‘bad news’ for the leaders of Britain and France .

But Vance asserted in the sit-down with Hannity that if Europe wants ‘security guarantees’ for Ukraine they need to help ensure the U.S. has ‘economic upsides’ and ‘long term interest’ in the future of the country.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Two key House committee chairmen are bringing IRS whistleblowers to President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress.

Oversight Chair James Comer of Ketucky and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio announced Tuesday morning that IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler will join them for the speech later in the evening.

Comer and Jordan released a joint statement on their guests:

Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler embody the highest standards of the federal workforce. They are honorable public servants who risked their careers and livelihoods to expose misconduct and politicization in the federal criminal investigation of Hunter Biden.

Shapley and Ziegler say they are working with President Donald Trump’s administration to deliver ‘justice for whistleblowers like us and accountability for the retaliators.’

IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley (left) and Joseph Ziegler (right) testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on July 19, 2023

President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

The theme of his speech will be ‘The Renewal of the American Dream’.

Senior adviser Stephen Miller said:

It’s an opportunity for President Trump, as only he can, to lay out the last month of record-setting, record-breaking, unprecedented achievements and accomplishments.

Democrats, many of whom stayed away from Trump’s inauguration in January, were largely brushing aside calls for boycotts as they struggle to come up with an effective counter to the president.