Donald Trump has declared that reciprocal tariffs will be imposed on India and China, effective April 2.

 

President Donald Trump exited the chamber following his address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP

In his inaugural significant address to Congress since assuming the presidency, President Donald Trump declared, “We are just getting started.” He established a new record for the longest address to a joint session of Congress, speaking for over one hour and forty minutes, surpassing the previous record held by President Bill Clinton, which lasted one hour, twenty-eight minutes, and forty-nine seconds.

During his speech, Mr. Trump shared a letter he had received earlier that day from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, indicating that the wartime leader is eager to resume discussions following a tumultuous meeting in the Oval Office last week that resulted in a breakdown of negotiations for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

The President's remarks were met with enthusiastic applause from Republican members of Congress, particularly when he acknowledged Mr. Musk, who rose to acknowledge the assembly. However, protests erupted shortly thereafter.

Democratic Congressman Al Green was removed from the chamber for his persistent heckling, during which he asserted that Mr. Trump lacks the authority to dismantle healthcare programs, brandishing his walking stick in protest.

Additionally, Mr. Trump announced that the individual responsible for the deaths of 13 U.S. service members during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan had been apprehended with assistance from Pakistan and was en route to the United States to face legal consequences.

Addressing the trade conflict, the President noted that the U.S. economy would experience some “disturbance” due to tariffs. “Tariffs are not merely about safeguarding American jobs. They are about preserving the essence of our nation,” Mr. Trump stated.