Trump pushes presidency reset in record 108-minute address to Congress

U.S. President Donald Trump sought to reset the tone of his second term on Tuesday, delivering a record-breaking 108-minute address to a joint session of Congress in which he hailed what he called a “turnaround for the ages.”

The primetime speech — the longest presidential address to Congress on record — surpassed Trump’s own 100-minute speech last year. Before 2025, the previous modern record was held by Bill Clinton, whose speeches ran 89 minutes in 2000 and 85 minutes in 1995.

Trump was greeted with repeated standing ovations from Republican lawmakers, while many Democrats remained seated in protest. Some Democratic members boycotted the address altogether, underscoring the deep political divisions that continue to define Washington.

Opening with an optimistic tone, Trump declared that the United States was “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” crediting his administration with delivering dramatic economic and political change in just one year.

“Tonight, after just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before,” Trump said.

The 79-year-old president is facing mounting political pressure ahead of November’s midterm elections, with opinion polls showing weak approval ratings and raising concerns within the Republican Party about potentially losing control of Congress.

Foreign policy focus

On foreign policy, Trump addressed tensions in the Middle East as U.S. naval and air forces deploy to the region. He claimed Iran was pursuing missiles capable of reaching U.S. territory and reiterated that Tehran would never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

“They are again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions,” Trump said, while adding that his “preference” remained a diplomatic solution and that negotiations were ongoing.

He also pointed to developments in Latin America, saying Venezuela had resumed oil shipments to the United States and celebrating the killing of a Mexican drug cartel leader.

Awards and patriotic appeal

Seeking to strike a unifying tone, Trump invited members of the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team — fresh off a gold medal victory — to join him on the House floor, drawing chants of “USA” from Republican lawmakers. He awarded the team’s goalie the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

He also presented Medals of Honor to a wounded helicopter pilot involved in a January operation in Venezuela and to a 100-year-old Korean War veteran.

Sharp attacks and voting battle

Midway through the speech, Trump shifted to sharper rhetoric, accusing Democrats of “destroying our country” and renewing his claims that U.S. elections are plagued by widespread fraud. He urged Congress to pass legislation imposing stricter voter identification requirements.

Opponents argue that additional ID rules could disenfranchise large numbers of eligible voters. The debate over voting laws is expected to intensify as Republicans work to defend their narrow majority in the House of Representatives and potentially the Senate.

Recent national polling has placed Trump’s approval rating below 40 percent, with particularly weak support on inflation and the economy — key issues likely to dominate the midterm campaign.

The president also addressed the Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down his administration’s use of certain trade tariffs. While he briefly greeted several justices in attendance, he described the ruling as “very unfortunate.”

Trump’s speech comes amid a turbulent political period marked by legal battles, controversy over immigration enforcement actions, and renewed scrutiny surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

With midterm elections looming, the record-length address appeared designed to energize supporters and reframe his presidency at a critical political moment.