[House Document 119-121]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress, 2nd Session--------------------HOUSE DOCUMENT 119-121
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PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS
__________
MESSAGE
from
THEPRESIDENTOFTHEUNITEDSTATES
transmitting
THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS BEFORE A JOINT SESSION
OF CONGRESS
February 25, 2026.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the
Committee on the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed
To the Congress of the United States:
Speaker Johnson, Vice President Vance, First Lady of the
United States, Second Lady of the United States, members of
Congress, and my fellow Americans:
Our Nation is back--bigger, better, richer, and stronger
than ever before.
Less than 5 months from now, our country will celebrate an
epic milestone in American History--the 250th Anniversary of
our glorious American Independence. This July 4th, we will mark
two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress and
freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to
exist on the face of this earth--and you've seen nothing yet,
because we are entering the Golden Age of America.
When I last spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just
inherited a nation in crisis--with a stagnant economy,
inflation at record levels, a wide-open border, horrendous
recruitment for military and police, rampant crime at home, and
wars and chaos all over the world. But 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, and a
turnaround for the ages. We will never go back to where we were
just a short time ago!
Today, our border is secure, our spirit is restored,
inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast, the economy
is roaring, our enemies are scared, our military and police are
stacked, and America is respected again, perhaps like never
before.
After 4 years in which millions and millions of illegal
aliens poured across our borders totally unvetted and
unchecked, we now have the strongest and most secure border in
American history. In the past 9 months, zero illegal aliens
have been admitted to the United States--but we will always
allow people to come in legally, people that will love our
country and will work hard to maintain it. The flow of deadly
fentanyl across our border is down by a record 56%. And last
year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in
recorded history--the lowest number in over 125 years, in fact,
substantially before my father Fred was born.
The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us
the worst inflation in the history of our country. But in 12
months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the
lowest level in more than 5 years--and in the last 3 months of
2025, it was down to 1.7%.
Gasoline, which reached a peak of over $6 dollars a gallon
in some states under my predecessor, is now below $2.30 a
gallon in many states, in some places $1.99--and when I visited
Iowa a few weeks ago, I even saw $1.85 a gallon. Mortgage rates
are the lowest in 4 years and falling fast--and the annual cost
of the typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000 dollars just
since I took office.
Low interest rates will solve the Biden-created housing
problem--while at the same time protecting the values of those
people, who already own a house, that are now rich for the
first time in their lives. And I'm going to keep it that way.
The stock market has set 53 all-time record highs since the
election--boosting pensions, 401ks, and retirement accounts for
millions and millions of Americans.
In 4 long years, the last administration got less than $1
trillion dollars of new investment in the United States. In 12
months, I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion
dollars pouring in from all over the globe. Think of it, less
than $1 trillion for 4 years, versus $18 trillion for one year.
A short time ago, we were a dead country--now, we are the
hottest country anywhere in the world.
As thousands of new businesses are forming, and factories,
plants, and laboratories are being built, we have added 70,000
new construction jobs in just a short period. American Oil
production is up by more than 600,000 barrels a day--and we
just received, from our new friend and partner, Venezuela, more
than 80 million barrels of oil. American natural gas production
is at an all-time high, because I kept my promise to drill,
baby, drill. More Americans are working today than at any time
in the history of our country. And 100% of all jobs created
under my administration have been in the private sector. We
ended D.E.I. in America. We cut a record number of job-killing
regulations--and in one year, we have lifted 2.4 million
Americans off food stamps.
For all these reasons, I say tonight--Members of Congress,
The State of Our Union is strong.
Our country is winning again--in fact, we're winning so
much, that we don't know what to do about it. People are asking
me, ``Please, please, please, Mr. President, we're winning too
much, we can't take it anymore. We're not used to winning in
our country--until you came along, we were always losing.'' And
I say, ``No, no, you're going to win again, and you're going to
win big--there's no such thing as too much winning.'' And to
prove that point, here with us tonight is a group of winners
who just made our entire nation incredibly proud--the Men's
Gold Medal Olympic Hockey Team. Come on in! They beat a
fantastic Canadian team in overtime--as did the American women,
who will soon be coming to the White House. Congratulations,
Team USA! I have never seen a goal tender play as well as
goalie Connor Hellebuyck. And I think the members of this great
hockey squad will be happy to hear--and I'll only do this if
they agree by a vote count--that I will soon be presenting him
our highest civilian honor, which we have given to many
athletes over the years, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Thank you all!
I am also pleased to say that the next time the Olympic
torch is lit, it will be here in America for the 2028 Olympics
in Los Angeles. And this year, we are hosting the 2026 FIFA
World Cup.
But the biggest of all is America 250. This will be a year
to celebrate our country, and the heroes who have kept it
free--men like Buddy Taggart. At age 17, Buddy volunteered to
defend America in World War Two. Serving in the Pacific under
the great General Douglas MacArthur, he fought bravely in the
famous Battle of Manila, he was wounded and almost killed by
enemy machine guns at Luzon, and 81 years ago this month, he
liberated the largest internment camp in the Philippines. Buddy
earned many honors, including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star,
came home, started a family, and tonight, he is in the gallery
looking forward to July 4th, 2026--his 100th birthday. Buddy,
we salute you. Please stand.
Even in times of challenge, setback, and immense heartache,
the Spirit of 1776 has always shone through. It was July 4th of
last year when floodwaters tore through a girls' summer camp in
Central Texas, rising 26 feet in mere minutes, tragically
claiming many lives. As the waters threatened to sweep her
away, 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond closed her eyes, and
prayed to God. Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard
rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan descended from a helicopter. It was
Scott's first-ever rescue mission--and he lifted not just Milly
Cate, but 164 others to safety. Tonight, Scott and Millie Cate
are here together, reunited for the first time. And Petty
Officer Ruskan, I'm pleased to inform you that I am now
awarding you the Legion of Merit for Extraordinary Heroism.
From 1776 to today, every generation of Americans has
stepped forward to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness for the next. Now, it is our turn. Together, we are
building a nation where every child has the chance to reach
higher and go farther--where government answers to the people,
not the powerful--and where the interests of hardworking
American Citizens are always our first and ultimate concern.
That is the debt we owe to the heroes who came before us--and
that is the promise we must keep to America for our 250th Year.
Last year, I urged this Congress to begin that mission by
passing the largest tax cuts in American history, and our
Republican Majorities delivered. All Democrats--every single
one of them--voted against these massive tax cuts. They wanted
tax increases. But we held strong--and with the great Big
Beautiful Bill, we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime,
and no tax on social security for our great seniors. We also
made interest on auto loans tax deductible--but only if the car
is made in America.
Recently in Pennsylvania, I met Megan Hemhauser, a devoted
mom who homeschools her two children during the day, while
waiting tables at night--as her husband works overtime
operating heavy equipment. Megan is here this evening, and
she's very happy--because with No Tax on Tips, No Tax on
Overtime, and our expanded child tax credit, Megan and her
husband will take home more than $5,000 dollars extra, cutting
her tax bill in half. Megan--we are fighting for families just
like yours. Thank you.
Under our bill, parents like Megan can also activate their
children's brand-new Trump Accounts--tax-free investment
accounts for every American child. Millions will be pre-funded
courtesy of the U.S. Treasury and private individuals like
Michael and Susan Dell, who have donated $6 billion, 250
million dollars to fund Trump Accounts for 25 million American
children, as well as others like Brad Gerstner who is donating
to children in Indiana. With modest additional contributions,
accounts could grow to $100,000 dollars or more by the time
children turn 18. To make this investment in our children's
future, go to TrumpAccounts.gov.
One of the primary reasons for our country's stunning
economic turnaround, the biggest in history, where the Dow
Jones broke 50,000 four years ahead of schedule, and the S&P
hit 7,000 where it wasn't supposed to for years, were tariffs.
I used these tariffs to make great deals for our country, both
economically and on a national security basis. Everything was
working well, countries that, were ripping us off for decades
are now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars a year--and
yet, these countries were happy, and so were we. There was no
inflation, tremendous growth, and the big story was how Donald
Trump called the economy correctly, and 22 Nobel Prize winners
in economics didn't, they got it completely wrong. And then,
just 4 days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the United States
Supreme Court came down. But the good news is that almost all
countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they
already made, knowing that the legal power that I, as
President, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them,
and therefore they will continue to work along the same
successful path we had negotiated before the Supreme Court's
involvement. So, despite the disappointing ruling, these
powerful, country-saving, peace-protecting tariffs will remain
in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal
statutes, leading to a solution that will be even stronger than
before. Congressional action will not be necessary. And as time
goes by, I believe that tariffs, paid for by foreign countries,
will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern-day
system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the
people that I love. I would like to acknowledge Supreme Court
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh for
having the courage and conviction to do what they knew was
right. Moving forward, factories, jobs, investment, and
trillions of dollars will continue pouring into the United
States of America--because we finally have a president who puts
America First.
For decades before I came along, we had the exact opposite.
From trade to healthcare, from Energy to immigration,
everything was stolen and rigged in order to drain the wealth
out of the productive, hardworking people who make our country
run. Under Biden and his corrupt partners in Congress and
beyond, it reached a breaking point--with the Green New Scam,
Open Borders, and record-setting inflation that cost the
typical family $34,000 dollars in just a speck of time.
Now, the same people in this chamber who voted for those
disasters suddenly use the word affordability--knowing full
well that they caused the increased prices, not us. They knew
their statements were a lie. Their policies created the high
prices--our policies are rapidly ending them. The price of eggs
is down 60%. The cost of chicken, butter, fruit, hotels,
automobiles, and rent is lower today than when I took office,
and even beef is starting to come down. And soon, you will see
numbers that few would think were possible to achieve.
I am also confronting one of the biggest rip-offs of our
times, the crushing cost of healthcare. Since the passage of
the Unaffordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare,
big insurance companies have gotten rich, with our government
giving them hundreds of billions of dollars, as their stock
prices soared 1,000, 1,200, 1,400, even 1,700 percent. That's
why I introduced The Great Healthcare Plan--I want to stop all
payments to big insurance companies, and instead give that
money directly to the people, so that they can buy their own
healthcare, which will be better healthcare at a lower cost.
In addition, my plan requires maximum price transparency. I
did that in my first term, and the Democrats immediately
terminated it with full knowledge that they were doing a very
bad thing for the people.
I am also ending the wildly inflated cost of prescription
drugs. Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could.
They were all talk and no action. I got it done. Under my just-
enacted Most Favored Nation Agreements, Americans, who have for
decades paid by far the highest prices of any nation for
prescription drugs, will now pay the lowest price for drugs,
anywhere in the world. So, in my first year, I took
prescription drugs, a very big part of healthcare, from the
highest price in the entire world to the lowest. The result is
price differences of 300, 400, 500, 600 percent--all available
right now at a new website, TrumpRX.gov. Here tonight is the
very first customer ever to get the discount--Catherine Rayner.
For 5 years, she and her husband have struggled with
infertility, and they turned to I.V.F. One drug has been
costing Catherine $4,000 dollars per purchase. But a few weeks
ago, she logged onto the Trump RX website, and got that same
drug for just $500 dollars--a reduction of $3,500 dollars.
Catherine, we are all praying for you--you're going to be a
great mom. Now, I am calling on Congress to codify my Most
Favored Nation program into law.
Many Americans are also concerned that energy demand from
A.I. data centers could unfairly drive up their electric
utility bills. Tonight, I am pleased to announce that I have
negotiated the new ``Rate Payer Protection Pledge''. We are
telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation
to provide for their own power needs, so that no one's prices
will go up, and in many cases, prices will go down for the
community, substantially. This is a unique strategy never used
in this country before--it will ensure the companies' ability
to get electricity, while at the same time lowering prices for
you.
Another pillar of the American Dream that has been under
attack is home ownership. With us tonight is Raysall Wiggins, a
mom of two from Houston. She placed bids on 20 homes, and lost
all those bids to gigantic investment firms that bypassed
inspection, paid all cash, and turned those houses into
rentals, stealing away her American dream. Stories like this
are why last month, I signed an Executive Order to ban large
Wall Street investment firms from buying up, in the thousands,
single-family homes. And now I am asking Congress to make that
ban permanent, because homes are for people, not corporations.
Raysall, thank you.
We are also working to make it easier for Americans to save
for retirement--and under this administration, we will always
protect Social Security and Medicare for our nation's seniors.
Since I took office, the typical 401k balance is up almost
$30,000 dollars. Yet half of all working Americans still do not
have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions
from an employer. To remedy this gross disparity, I am
announcing that next year, my administration will give these
often-forgotten American workers access to the same type of
retirement plan offered to every Federal worker--we will match
your contributions with up to $1,000 dollars each year.
As we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising
stock market, let's also ensure that members of Congress cannot
corruptly profit using inside information. Pass the Stop
Insider Trading Act without delay.
But when it comes to the corruption that is plundering
America, there has been no more stunning example than
Minnesota--where members of the Somali community have pillaged
an estimated $19 billion dollars from the American taxpayer.
And in actuality, the number is much higher than that--and
California, Massachusetts, Maine and many other states are even
worse.
This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a
nation. So tonight, although started 4 months ago, I am
officially announcing The War on Fraud, to be led by our Vice
President, J.D. Vance. And if we are able to find enough of
that fraud, we will have a balanced budget overnight.
The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that
there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption,
and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception. Importing
these cultures through unrestricted immigration brings those
problems right here, to the USA--and it is the American People
who pay the price, in higher medical bills, car insurance
rates, rent, taxes, and perhaps most importantly, crime. We
will take care of this problem.
Dalilah Coleman was only 5 years old in June 2024, when an
18-wheel tractor trailer plowed into her stopped car traveling
at 60 miles per hour. The driver was an illegal alien let in by
Joe Biden and given a Commercial Driver's License by Open
Borders politicians in California. Doctors said Dalilah would
never be able to walk, talk, or eat on her own ever again. But
against all odds, she is now in the first grade, learning to
walk again, and she is here this evening with her dad Marcus.
Dalilah--you are a great inspiration.
Many, if not most, illegal aliens do not speak English and
cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction,
speed, danger, or location. That is why tonight, I am calling
on Congress to pass what we will call the ``Dalilah Law''--
barring any state from granting Commercial Drivers Licenses to
illegal aliens.
Yesterday at the White House, I hosted a ceremony with
Americans who lost their treasured loved ones to the scourge of
illegal immigration. These are the Angel Moms and Families that
for decades our government betrayed, and our media totally
ignored.
In 2023, a 16-year-old high school cheerleader named
Lizbeth Medina was supposed to perform in her town's Christmas
parade, but she never arrived. Her mother Jacqueline went home
to look for her, and she found her--lying dead in the bathtub,
after being stabbed 25 times. Lizbeth's killer was a
previously-arrested illegal alien who had broken in, and
brutally extinguished the brightest light in her family's life.
Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in
this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien
criminals from our country--we want them out of here.
Jacqueline, please stand.
We can never forget that many in this room not only allowed
the border invasion to happen before I got involved--but
indeed, they would do it all over again if ever given the
chance. The only thing standing between Americans and a wide-
open border right now is President Donald J. Trump and our
great Republican patriots in Congress.
As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all
funding for the Department of Homeland Security. They have
instituted another Democrat Shutdown, the first one costing us
a 2-point reduction in the GDP. Now, they have closed the
agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and
murderers. Tonight, I am demanding the full and immediate
restoration of all funding for the Border Security and Homeland
Security of the United States.
One of the great things about the State of the Union is how
it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their
representatives believe. So tonight, I am inviting every
legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a
fundamental principle--if you agree with this statement, then
stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American
government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.
That is why I am also asking you to end deadly Sanctuary
Cities that protect the criminals, and enact serious penalties
for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens,
in many cases drug lords and murderers, from our country.
And perhaps most importantly, I am asking you to approve
the Save America Act to stop illegal aliens and other
unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American
Elections. It's very simple: All voters must show Voter I.D.
All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote. And
no mail in ballots, except for illness, disability, military,
or travel. This should be an easy one. The new Mayor of New
York City just said they want people to shovel the snow--but if
you apply for that job, you need to show two original forms of
I.D., and a Social Security card--yet they don't want
identification for the greatest privilege of them all, voting
in America. Both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree
and Congress should unite and enact this common-sense, country-
saving legislation, right now.
And here is one more opportunity to show common sense in
government. In the gallery tonight are Sage Blair and her
mother Michelle. In 2021, Sage was 14 when school officials in
Virginia sought to ``socially transition'' her to a new
gender--treating her as a boy, and hiding it from her parents.
Before long, a confused Sage ran away from home. After she was
found in a horrific situation in Maryland, a left-wing judge
refused to return Sage to her parents, because they did not
immediately state that their daughter was their son. Sage was
thrown into an all-boys state home and suffered terribly--but
today, all of that is behind them, because Sage is a proud and
wonderful young woman, with a full-ride scholarship to Liberty
University. Sage and Michelle, thank you for your bravery. Who
can believe we're even speaking about such things?
Surely, we can all agree--no state can be allowed to rip
children from their parents' arms and transition them to a new
gender against the parents' will. We must ban it, and ban it
now. These people are crazy!
No one cares more about protecting America's youth than our
wonderful First Lady. Over the past year, she has had an
incredible impact--championing A.I. legislation, advancing a
landmark Executive Order on foster care, and helping secure $30
million dollars to launch the Melania Trump Foster Youth to
Independence initiative. And students and educators in every
state have joined the First Lady's efforts in the Presidential
A.I. Challenge, keeping America's next generation positioned to
succeed in the future. Tonight, we welcome two young people
whose lives reflect the First Lady's impact--Sierra Burns and
Everest Nevraumont. Thank you both, and thank you, Melania.
I am very proud to say that during my time in office, both
the first four years and in particular this last year, there
has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity,
and belief in God in our country. This is especially true among
young people--and a big part of that had to do with my great
friend Charlie Kirk. Last year, Charlie was violently murdered
by an assassin, and martyred for his beliefs. His wonderful
wife, Erika, is with us tonight. Erika, please stand. In
Charlie's memory, we must all come together to reaffirm that
America is One Nation under God--and we must totally reject
political violence of any kind. We love religion, and we love
bringing it back.
Above all, unleashing America's promise requires keeping
our communities safe. We have made incredible strides--yet
dangerous repeat offenders continue to be released by pro-crime
politicians again and again.
We are honored to be joined tonight by Anya Zarutska. In
2022, she and her beautiful daughter Iryna fled war-torn
Ukraine to live with relatives near Charlotte, North Carolina.
Last summer, 23-year-old Iryna was riding home on the train
when a deranged monster--who had been arrested over a dozen
times and was released through no cash bail--stood up and
viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body. No one
will ever forget the expression of terror on Iryna's face as
she looked up at her attacker in the last seconds of her life.
She had escaped a brutal war, only to be slain by a hardened
criminal set free to kill in America. Mrs. Zarutska--tonight, I
promise you, we will ensure justice for your magnificent
daughter, Iryna.
I am asking this Congress to pass tough legislation to
ensure that violent and dangerous repeat offenders are put
behind bars, and importantly, stay there.
Starting last summer, I deployed our National Guard and
federal law enforcement to restore law and order to our most
dangerous cities--including Memphis, Tennessee, New Orleans,
Louisiana, and our nation's capital itself, Washington D.C.
Here in Washington, crime is now at the lowest levels ever
recorded--and murders in D.C. this January were down close to
100% from one year ago.
One of the brave servicemembers who helped achieve this
stunning turnaround was 20-year-old West Virginia Army National
Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom. After a four-month
deployment, she voluntarily extended her service. The very next
day, she was on patrol near the White House when she was
ambushed and shot in the head by a terrorist monster from
Afghanistan, who should have never been in the country--all
because she wore the uniform of her nation. Sarah Beckstrom
died in order to defend our capital--and we are honored to be
joined by her parents. Gary and Evalea, your daughter was a
true American Patriot, and she will be greatly missed.
Serving alongside Sarah that day was Staff Sergeant Andrew
Wolfe. The terrorist shot Andrew in the head--and no one
thought he could possibly make it, except for his wonderful and
very loving mother, Melody. I spoke to Melody that night, and
the doctors thought that Andrew was gone. But his mother said
``No, Mr. President, Andrew will be fine. He's going to make
it; I have no doubt. Everybody is praying.'' The doctors did
not understand what she was saying, and after looking at the
results of the damage done, neither did I. She was so strong
and conclusive that even Andrew's father felt she didn't
understand the gravity of the situation, but she turned out to
be right. With God's help, Andrew has battled back from the
edge of death, and he is here tonight with his mom, on his way
to a miraculous recovery. Now, I would like to ask General
James Seward to present Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and the
great family of Sarah Beckstrom with the award created by our
late, great President George Washington himself--the Purple
Heart.
We are proudly restoring safety for Americans at home, and
we are also restoring security for America abroad. Our country
has never been stronger.
In my first 10 months, I ended 8 wars--including Cambodia
and Thailand, Pakistan and India, Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and
Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Congo and
Rwanda, and of course, the War in Gaza. Under the ceasefire I
negotiated, every single hostage--both living and dead--has
been returned home. And we are working hard to end the 9th
war--the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine,
where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month, a war
which would have never happened if I were President.
As President, I will make peace wherever I can--but I will
never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must.
That is why, in a breathtaking operation last June, the
United States military obliterated Iran's nuclear weapons
program with an attack on Iranian soil known as Operation
Midnight Hammer. For decades, it has been the policy of the
United States never to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Since they seized control of that proud nation 47 years ago,
the regime, and its murderous proxies, have spread nothing but
terrorism and death. They have killed and maimed thousands of
American servicemembers with roadside bombs. And just recently,
they have killed at least 20,000 protestors in their own
country. They have already developed missiles that can threaten
Europe and our bases overseas--and they are working to build
missiles that will soon reach the United States. After Midnight
Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild
their weapons program--yet they continue, and are at this
moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions. My
preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy--but one
thing is certain: I will never allow the world's number one
sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon.
No nation should ever doubt America's resolve. We have the
most powerful military on earth. I rebuilt our military in my
first term, and continue to do so at an even more rapid pace--
hopefully, we will seldom have to use it. It's called peace
through strength.
Thanks to a Republican Congress, we are investing a record
$1 trillion dollars in the United States Armed Forces this year
alone. And NATO countries, our friends and allies, have just
agreed to pay 5% of GDP for military defense, up from 2%,
something which everyone said would never be done.
Every branch of our Armed Forces is setting records for
recruitment. And every service member recently received a
Warrior Dividend of $1,776 dollars.
We are also restoring American security and dominance in
the Western Hemisphere--acting to secure our national interests
and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and
foreign interference.
For years, large swaths of territory in our region,
including large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by
murderous drug cartels. That is why I designated these Cartels
as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and I declared illicit
fentanyl a Weapon of Mass Destruction. With our new military
campaign, we have stopped record amounts of drugs coming into
our country--and virtually stopped it completely coming in by
water and sea.
We have also taken down one of the most sinister cartel
kingpins of all. In January, elite American Warriors carried
out one of the most complex, spectacular feats of military
competence and power in world history. America's Armed Forces
overwhelmed all defenses and utterly defeated the enemy, to end
the reign of outlaw dictator Nicolas Maduro, and bring him to
face American Justice.
This was a colossal victory for the security of the United
States, and it also opens up a bright new beginning for the
people of Venezuela. We are working closely with the new
president, Delcy Rodriguez, to unleash extraordinary economic
gains for both of our countries--and to bring new hope to those
who have suffered so terribly. With us tonight is Alejandra
Gonzalez. She grew up in a tightknit Venezuelan family, and was
especially close to her beloved uncle Enrique. But after
Enrique ran for office and opposed Maduro, her uncle was
kidnapped by Maduro's security forces--and thrown into the
regime's infamous prison in Caracas. Alejandra feared she would
never see her uncle again. But since the raid, we have worked
with the new leadership, and they have ordered the closure of
that vile prison, and released hundreds of political prisoners
with the rest to soon come. Alejandra, I am pleased to inform
you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here
tonight to celebrate his freedom with you in person. Enrique,
please come down. Thank you, Enrique.
There were many heroes on that January raid to capture
Maduro--but the deeds of one warrior that night will live
forever in the eternal chronicles of Military Valor. Chief
Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover planned the mission and was the
``flight-lead'' in the cockpit of the first helicopter in the
raid, a massive Chinook carrying many American Warfighters.
Wearing the dog tags his wife Amy had blessed with holy water
before he left, Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of
night, and descended swiftly upon Maduro's heavily protected
military fortress, protected by thousands of soldiers, guarded
by Russian and Chinese military technology. While preparing to
land, enemy machine-guns fired from every angle, and Eric was
hit, very badly, in the leg and hip, one bullet after another.
He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg to pieces.
And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to
successful helicopter flight, he kept that helicopter flying,
to deliver the many commandos who would capture and detain
Maduro. Then, even as he was gushing blood, he maneuvered his
helicopter to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the
threat, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could
have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory. Only
after safely landing the helicopter with all warriors aboard,
in the exact right spot which was vital to the mission, Eric
told his copilot, also wounded, but not as gravely, to take
over--he was passing out.
The success of the entire mission--and the lives of his
fellow warriors--hinged on Eric's ability to take the searing
pain of the bullets and keep on flying. Chief Warrant Officer
Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds, but I am
thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife Amy. Eric
and Amy, come on in. In recognition of Eric's actions above and
beyond the call of duty, I would now like to ask General
Jonathan Braga to present Chief Warrant Officer Slover with our
nation's highest military award--the Congressional Medal of
Honor.
Thank you, Eric and Amy. And 10 of Eric's fellow warriors
from that night will also be receiving medals at a private
ceremony at the White House.
Tonight, we have celebrated many truly extraordinary
American patriots, but there is one last living legend to honor
before we go. He is one more heroic American Aviator. Navy
Fighter Pilot Royce Williams served in World War Two, Korea,
and Vietnam, flying more than 220 missions. In the skies over
Korea in 1952, Royce was in the dogfight of a lifetime. Flying
through blizzard conditions, his squadron was ambushed by 7
Soviet fighter planes. It was his first aerial combat of the
war, and despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned,
Royce led the take-down of four enemy jets, vanquishing his
adversaries while taking 263 bullets to his own plane. His
story was secret for over 50 years--he didn't even tell his
wife. But tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy Captain is
finally getting the recognition he deserves. He was a legend
long before this evening. Royce, please stand up. I now ask the
First Lady of the United States to present Captain Royce
Williams with his Congressional Medal of Honor.
250 years is a long time in the life of a nation, but in
another sense, it is a mere moment in the eye of history. Two
of the gentlemen we met in the gallery this evening took their
first breaths one century ago. One hundred years before that,
on July 4th, 1826, the author of the Declaration of
Independence, Thomas Jefferson, drew his last breath. Just a
single long human lifespan separates the giants who declared
and won our Independence, from the heroes who stand among us
tonight.
Everything our nation has done, everything we have
achieved, has been the work of those few great lifetimes. In
those brief chapters, Americans built this nation from 13
humble colonies, into the pinnacle of human civilization and
human freedom--the strongest, wealthiest, most powerful, most
successful nation in all of history.
Americans ventured out across a daunting and dangerous
continent, we carved paths through an unforgiving wilderness,
settled a boundless frontier, and tamed the beautiful but very
dangerous wild west. From empty marshes and wide-open plains,
we raised up the world's greatest cities. Together, we mastered
the world's mightiest industries, we shattered history's
monstrous tyrannies, and we liberated millions from the chains
of fascism, communism, oppression, and terror. Americans lifted
humanity into the skies on wings of aluminum and steel--and
then we launched mankind into the stars on rockets powered by
sheer American will and unyielding American pride. We wired the
globe with our ingenuity, we captivated the planet with
American culture, and now, we are pioneering the next great
American breakthroughs that will change the entire world.
All of this, and so much more, is the enduring legacy and
unmatched glory of the hardworking patriots who built and
defended this country, and who still carry the hopes and
freedoms of all humanity on their backs.
For years, they were forgotten, betrayed, and cast aside--
but that great betrayal is over, and they will never be
forgotten again.
Because when the world needs courage, daring, vision, and
inspiration, it still turns to America--and when God needs a
nation to work His miracles, He knows exactly who to ask. There
is no challenge Americans cannot overcome, no frontier too vast
for us to conquer, no dream too bold for us to chase, no
horizon too distant for us to claim.
For our Destiny is written by the hand of Providence--and
these first 250 years were just the beginning.
From the rugged border towns of Texas to the heartland
villages of Michigan, from the sun-kissed shores of Florida to
the endless fields of the Dakotas, and from the historic
streets of Philadelphia, to right here in our nation's capital,
Washington, D.C.--the Golden Age of America is now Upon Us. The
Revolution that began in 1776 has not ended--it still
continues, because the flame of Liberty and Independence still
burns in the hearts of every American Patriot. And our future
will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious
than ever before.
Thank you, God Bless You, and God Bless the United States
of America.
Donald J. Trump.
The White House, February 24, 2026.
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