Trump Declares "Turnaround for Ages" in Fiery State of the Union Address

"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," Trump said in excerpts of his State of the Union address obtained by IANS from the White House.

His first State of the Union Address of his Second Term is expected to break the previous records of the longest such address. Informed sources said that they would not be surprised if it crossed 1.45 minutes.

Invoking the founding ideals of the United States, he said, "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."

He added that his administration was 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."

On the economy, Trump predicted sustained domestic growth. "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," he said.

He criticised previous administrations, saying that "everything was stolen and rigged in order to drain the wealth out of the productive, hardworking people who make our country run."

The President also claimed success in lowering drug prices. "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," he said.

On housing policy, Trump said, "Last month, I signed an Executive Order to ban large Wall Street investment firms from buying up, in the thousands, single-family homes." He added that he was asking Congress to make the ban permanent, saying, "homes are for people, not corporations."

Turning to corruption and alleged fraud, Trump cited Minnesota. "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," he said.

On border and homeland security, he accused Democrats of cutting funding. "As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security. They have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers," he said.

"Tonight, I am demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for the Border Security and Homeland Security of the United States."

He pledged to keep communities safe, saying "dangerous repeat offenders continue to be released by pro-crime politicians again and again."

On foreign policy, Trump said, "As President, I will make peace wherever I can-but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must." He also promised to restore "American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere," noting that "large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by murderous drug cartels."

Closing on a patriotic note, he said, "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."

The State of the Union is an annual address delivered by the US President to a joint session of Congress, outlining policy priorities and legislative goals. It is closely watched in Washington and internationally, including in India, given the United States' economic and strategic influence.

Trump's remarks come amid sharp partisan divisions over immigration, healthcare, housing and national security. His "America First" agenda has shaped US domestic and foreign policy debates in recent years, with implications for trade, alliances and global diplomacy.

- IANS