DLNews Politics

Trump Uses White House Address to Contrast His Presidency with Biden, Claiming Economic Revival and Global Respect

President Donald Trump delivered an 18-minute prime-time address from the White House on Wednesday at 9 p.m., framing his remarks as a sharp break from the policies of his predecessor, President Joe Biden, and portraying his own second term as a period of rapid national recovery. Speaking directly to the American public, Trump cast the country he inherited as deeply troubled and his administration as the force responsible for what he described as a dramatic turnaround.

“I inherited a mess, and I’m cleaning it up,” Trump said in his opening line, setting the tone for a speech that mixed criticism of the previous administration with praise for his own record over the past eleven months. He touched on a wide range of issues, including inflation, trade, border security, consumer prices, and the economy, while also announcing a holiday bonus for members of the U.S. military.

Much of the address focused on blaming high prices and inflation on Democratic leadership under Biden. Trump argued that prior policies favored “illegal immigrants, career criminals, corporate lobbyists, prisoners, terrorists, and foreign nations” at the expense of American workers. He repeated longstanding claims that immigration under Biden harmed U.S. wages and jobs, asserting that under his administration the country now has “the safest border ever.” He said that in the past seven months, “not a single illegal immigrant has been allowed to enter our country,” describing that outcome as something critics had once called impossible.

Trade policy featured prominently, with Trump again highlighting tariffs as a central tool of his economic strategy. Calling tariffs his “favorite word,” he said previous trade deals left the United States at a disadvantage and damaged its global standing. “We had the worst trade deals ever made, and our country was ridiculed all over the world,” he said, adding that foreign leaders now treat the United States with renewed respect. Trump portrayed himself as a president focused on protecting the working class from unfair international competition.

Summing up his assessment of the country’s trajectory, Trump declared, “We were completely dead. Now we are the hottest country in the world.” He said world leaders he has spoken with in recent months have echoed that view, according to his account.

Trump also praised what he called historic foreign-policy achievements, including his claim that his administration had brought peace between Gaza and Israel, describing it as an unprecedented development. He did not address ongoing diplomatic efforts related to Ukraine during the speech.

In a more personal and seasonal note, Trump announced a Christmas bonus for members of the U.S. military. He said approximately 1.45 million service members would each receive about $1,776, with checks already being sent. The announcement drew attention as one of the few concrete policy actions outlined in the address.

Trump closed the speech with holiday greetings, telling viewers, “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” ending an address that reinforced his core message: that his presidency represents a decisive shift from the past and, in his words, a return to American strength at home and abroad.