"America is back!"

Trump makes imperial threats during speech

Never before has a "State of the Union" lasted as long as under Trump.

(Bild: WIN MCNAMEE/AFP)

In his eagerly awaited speech to both chambers of the US Congress, US President Donald Trump praised his own policies to the skies. He further strained the already tense transatlantic alliance with Europe with imperial statements - while numerous Democrats vacated their seats in protest.

"We've accomplished more in 43 days than most governments do in four or eight years - and we're just getting started," Trump said at the beginning of his remarks on Monday evening in Washington. His speech was accompanied by shouts of "USA, USA" from Republican MPs.

"America is back," the Republican said during his speech, which was to last more than an hour and a half. In addition to threats, racist remarks and invective, Trump fell into a torrent of self-praise.

Since being sworn in six weeks ago, he had acted quickly and relentlessly "to usher in the greatest and most successful era in the history of our country", the 78-year-old declared. "Our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never seen and may never see again," Trump emphasized.

Imperial claims voiced
This future apparently also includes imperial ambitions. Although the US President emphasized that he would "respect" the people of Greenland and their desire for self-determination, he added: "We will get it (Greenland). One way or another!" The USA would "need" the huge island in the North Atlantic, which belongs to Denmark, for reasons of national security, Trump continued.

In the background, his Vice President JD Vance and Republican House Majority Leader Mike Johnson burst out laughing. "We're going to get it back," Trump also said with regard to the Panama Canal, the waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

With regard to Ukraine, he claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi was now ready for negotiations with Russia. Trump had received a letter to this effect from his counterpart a few hours before his marathon speech. "The letter states that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible in order to bring lasting peace closer." A few hours earlier, Selensky himself had made a similar statement on X.

Watch the entire speech:

US president admits "little confusion"
Trump admitted that the punitive tariffs he has imposed and announced for Canada, Mexico and China will cause problems. "There will be a little bit of a mess, but we can handle it. It won't be much," Trump said during his remarks. Imposing tariffs is "not just about protecting American jobs. It's about protecting the soul of our country," said the US President. Trump repeated his announcement that new far-reaching tariffs would be imposed at the beginning of April.

Some Democrats held up signs with slogans such as "MUSK STEALS". Trump praised the cost-cutting efforts of his advisor, Tesla boss Elon Musk. This had saved the American taxpayer 105 billion dollars in the past six weeks.

"Doge, you may have heard, is run by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight," Trump said. With this statement, the Republican contradicted recent statements by his own government team. Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt had let it be known at the end of February that Amy Gleason had "been the head of Doge for some time".

Democrat is thrown out of the chamber
A Democrat MP was led out of the chamber after just a few minutes for heckling. After Trump had said that he had received a mandate from the voters for far-reaching change in the November election, Al Green from the state of Texas intervened: Trump had no mandate, he shouted repeatedly - and was eventually escorted out of the chamber.

Others left their seats before the US President concluded his speech. "There's only so much bullshit a person can take," said a member of parliament from California. Trump then complained that no achievement of his could make the Democrats "smile or applaud". That would be true even if he cured the worst disease in the world, he complained.

USA relies on fossil fuels
During his "State of the Union", Trump announced the construction of a "gigantic" gas pipeline in Alaska. It will be one of the largest in the world. Japan, South Korea and other nations want to contribute trillions of dollars, the Republican said. He also wanted to take historic measures this week to dramatically expand the mining of rare earths and critical minerals in the USA.

Trump spoke of his government's achievements in his first days in office. These include the withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UN), the formal renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America", the hollowing out of the civil service, the discontinuation of humanitarian aid and the establishment of two genders. Censorship is also being pushed back. Trump speaks of a "revolution of common sense" that is sweeping the entire world.