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"Takeaways from Trump's address to Congress."

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By Sarah Naffa March 05, 2025

In the news today: President Trump’s Tuesday address to Congress showed the country’s stark partisan divide; Trump says Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to accept a minerals deal; and Arab leaders endorse Egypt’s plan to rebuild Gaza as an alternative to Trump’s proposal. Also, LeBron James sets an NBA record. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) POLITICS Trump vows to press ahead on reshaping America in speech to Congress President Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to keep up his campaign of “swift and unrelenting action” in reorienting the nation’s economy, immigration and foreign policy in an unyielding address before Congress that left Democratic legislators to register their dissent with stone faces, placards calling out “lies,” and one legislator’s ejection. Read more.

What to know: The president’s address, clocking in at a record 99 minutes, added up to a defiant sales pitch for the policies that Trump promised during his campaign and leaned into during his first weeks back in office. Trump pledged to keep delivering sweeping change to rescue the nation from what he described as destruction and mistakes left by his predecessor. He seldom addressed his comments directly to the American people, who are trying to keep up with the recent upheaval, while repeatedly needling the Democratic lawmakers seated before him.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ FACT FOCUS: A look at false and misleading claims made by Trump during his address to Congress   Key takeaways from Trump’s speech   PHOTO COLLECTION: President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress   WATCH: Trump says the US 'needs Greenland,' and that he will reclaim the Panama Canal   WATCH: Rep. Al Green removed from House chamber during Trump’s speech to Congress   Sen. Elissa Slotkin assails Trump’s early actions, offers Democrats a way to fight back   Demonstrators across 50 states look to unify a disparate opposition to Trump The IRS is drafting plans to cut as much as half of its 90,000-person workforce, AP sources say FBI and DOJ headquarters are among more than 440 federal buildings listed for potential sale Supreme Court makes it harder for EPA to police sewage discharges   Trump’s FDA pick made his name by bashing the medical establishment Senate panel questions Trump nominee to lead National Institutes of Health   DOGE access to US intelligence secrets poses a national security threat, Democrats say   Businesses scramble to contain fallout from Trump’s tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico   Groceries around the country remain expensive. That’s why more states want to stop taxing them POLITICS Trump says Zelenskyy wants peace and is ready to accept a minerals deal President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy had written to him to say he appreciates U.S. support for his country in its war with Russia and is ready to sign a deal that could ensure future American support. Read more.

Why this matters: Although Trump said he “appreciated” getting the letter, he did not say if it would affect his policy toward Ukraine.   Earlier Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance said the minerals deal would be a more practical deterrent against Russian President Vladimir Putin than a peacekeeping force for postwar Ukraine that includes “some random country.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump’s halt on military aid will hurt Ukraine’s defenses. But it may not be fatal Trump’s pick as NATO ambassador says US commitment to the alliance is ‘ironclad’ How Trump’s history with Russia and Ukraine set the stage for a blowup with Zelenskyy WORLD NEWS Arab leaders endorse Egypt’s plan to rebuild Gaza as an alternative to Trump’s proposal Arab leaders on Tuesday endorsed Egypt’s postwar plan for the Gaza Strip that would allow its roughly 2 million Palestinians to remain, in a counterproposal to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to depopulate the territory and redevelop it as a beach destination. Read more.

Key points: The $53 billion plan’s endorsement by Arab leaders at a summit in Cairo amounted to a rejection of Trump’s proposal. The summit conclusions were welcomed by Hamas, rejected by Israel and given a lukewarm response by the Trump administration. Egypt’s plan foresees rebuilding Gaza by 2030 without removing its population. The first phase calls for starting the removal of unexploded ordnance and clearing more than 50 million tons of rubble left by Israel’s bombardment and military offensives. Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the summit’s final communique calls on the U.N. Security Council to deploy an international peacekeeping force in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. According to a 112-page draft of the plan obtained by The Associated Press, hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units would be set up for Gaza’s population while reconstruction takes place. Rubble would be recycled, with some of it used as infill to expand land on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast. In the following years, the plan envisages completely reshaping the strip. It also calls for the opening of an airport, a fishing port and a commercial port. Hamas would cede power to an interim administration of political independents until a reformed Palestinian Authority can assume control.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Israel cut off food and supplies to Gaza. Aid groups are scrambling Trump administration again labels the Houthis a ‘foreign terrorist organization’ Palestinians hope ‘No Other Land’ Oscar win brings help as they face possible Israeli expulsion ADVERTISEMENT IN OTHER NEWS READ Military spending: China will increase its defense budget 7.2% this year South Sudan: Army surrounds vice president’s home as his allies are arrested 2 people killed: US storm threats range from critical fire weather to blizzard conditions New Mexico: Gene Hackman’s dog was misidentified as mysteries swirl around actor’s death Former NYC mayor: Michael Bloomberg again tops the list of America’s biggest donors 50,000 points: LeBron James sets an NBA record Today in History: In 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his 'Iron Curtain' speech WATCH Hawaii: Lava fountain spews over 100 feet into the air from volcano New Zealand: 900-pound dolphin crash lands in a fisherman's boat Brazil: Cops in Sao Paulo disguise themselves as superheroes to catch criminals during carnival A CHANGE OF PACE Kids posing with llama Whitetop at Victory Junction, in Randleman, N.C., in 2023. (Victory Junction via AP)  World’s oldest llama enjoys comforting chronically ill children  A bucktoothed llama that spends his days comforting chronically ill children at a North Carolina camp has been crowned the world’s oldest llama in captivity. At 27 years and more than 250 days, the selfie-and snuggle-loving llama called Whitetop dethroned another of his species, Dalai Llama, the Guinness World Records announced last week.

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