President Trump touts economic strength, faces Democratic pushback in address to Congress

President Donald Trump declared “our nation is back” as he addressed members of Congress in the second year of his second term.

(NBC)- President Donald Trump declared “our nation is back” as he addressed members of Congress in the second year of his second term, delivering a speech that underscored sharp political divisions.

“Our nation is back. Bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump said at the outset of his remarks.

The president defended his record on the economy, even as recent polling shows more than half of Americans believe he is falling short on the issue. Trump blamed rising prices on his political opponents.

“That they caused and created the increased prices that all of our citizens had to endure. You caused that problem,” he said.

Trump also made the case for his tariff policies in front of Supreme Court justices who recently ruled to limit his ability to levy them. Despite the ruling, the president suggested global partners remain committed to existing agreements.

“But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made,” Trump said.

On foreign policy, the president touted efforts to end wars and reiterated a firm stance against Iran pursuing nuclear weapons.

“I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

Several Democrats boycotted the speech, while others who attended interrupted at times in protest. Tensions were particularly evident when Trump accused Democrats of supporting sanctuary cities and obstructing his immigration policies.

“They’re blocking the removal of these people out of our country, and you should be ashamed of yourself,” Trump said.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the official Democratic response, pushing back on the president’s immigration policies and broader agenda.

“Our president has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans, and they have done it without a warrant,” Spanberger said.

She also questioned who is benefiting most from the president’s policies, saying, “The scale of the corruption is unprecedented.”

The address highlighted ongoing partisan divides over the economy, immigration, tariffs and foreign policy as both parties seek to shape the national conversation.