Trump Declares ‘America Is Back’ In First Congress Address, Says US Will No Longer Be ‘Woke’

US President Donald Trump delivered a triumphant speech to Congress on Tuesday, celebrating a series of decisive policy changes that have reshaped America's foreign relations, sparked trade disputes with key allies, and significantly reduced the federal workforce-all within his first six weeks in office.

"My fellow citizens, America is back," Trump declared, receiving a standing ovation from Republican supporters. "Our nation stands on the brink of a historic resurgence-one the world has never seen before and may never see again. We have achieved more in 43 days than what others did in the last four years," the US President stated.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

During his speech, Trump highlighted his administration's swift action to ban diversity and inclusion programmes within the federal government and to dismiss employees responsible for promoting such initiatives.

"Our country will be woke no longer," he asserted.

What Donald Trump said in his first address to Congress

In his first address to Congress since taking office on January 20, Trump outlined the economic challenges facing the United States, stressing his administration's urgent focus on relief measures for struggling Americans.

"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," the President said.

Speaking triumphantly about his legal battles, Trump claimed victory over what he described as politically motivated prosecutions. He also boasted about having survived four criminal prosecutions-only one of which has gone to trial-while reiterating his long-standing claim that the Justice Department had been used as a political weapon against him.

"We've ended weaponised government where, as an example, a sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent like me. How did that work out," he remarked.

Trump also defended his tariff campaign, despite concerns that it could lead to higher consumer prices and slow economic growth.

"Whatever they tariff us, we tariff them. Whatever they tax us, we tax them," he stated. "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."

In a sharp critique of the Biden administration's economic policies, Trump blamed his predecessor for what he called an "economic catastrophe" characterised by soaring inflation and rising living costs.

"We inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare. Their policies drove up energy prices... drove the necessities of life out of reach for millions of America... we suffered the worst inflation in 48 years... as President, I am fighting every day to reverse this damage and make America affordable again," he stated.

In a sweeping declaration against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Trump vowed to dismantle such policies across government, the private sector, and the military.

"We have ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire Federal Government and indeed the private sector and our military. Our country will be woke no longer. We believe that whether you are a doctor, accountant, lawyer or an Air Traffic Controller - you should be hired and promoted based on skill and competence, not race or gender... The Supreme Court, in a brave and very powerful decision, has allowed us to do so," the President declared.