Trump’s Congress address: Reciprocal tariffs on China, India, ending DEI policies, taking of Greenland, Panama Canal

"To my fellow citizens, America is back," announced US President Donald Trump in an explosive address to the Congress on Tuesday. His speech was greeted with thunderous applause and standing ovation by the Republicans while the Democrats sat still, finding no reason to rejoice as Trump dismissed some of the Biden era policies. 

Democrats held up signs with messages like ‘No King’ and ‘This is NOT normal’ as many walked out of the chamber mid-speech. Texas Congressman Al Green was removed for violating decorum and was removed from the chamber as he refused to sit down during the speech. 

Trump said he looks at the Democrats and realises that there is nothing he can say or do to make them happy. 

WHAT TRUMP SAID DURING HIS CONGRESS ADDRESS

• Donald Trump said that the US will impose reciprocal tariffs on all its trade partners. He said that not imposing reciprocal tariffs would be unfair to the US. “Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it's our turn to start using them against those other countries. On average, the European Union, China, Brazil, India, Mexico and Canada. Have you heard of them… and countless other nations charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them. It's very unfair. India charges us auto tariffs higher than 100%. China's average tariff on our products is twice of what we charge them, and South Korea's average tariff is four times higher. Think of that four times higher. And we give so much help militarily and in so many other ways to South Korea,” he said, adding that from April 2, the US would impose reciprocal tariffs.
• He said that the US has ended all DEI policies across the federal government, as well as private sector and the military. “We have ended the tyranny of the so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government, the private sector and the military and our country will be woke no longer. We believe that whether you are a doctor, an accountant, a lawyer or an air traffic controller, you should be hired and promoted based on your skill and competence and not race or gender,” Trump said to the Congress.
• Trump said that there will only be two genders in the US – male and female. He said he wants Congress to pass a bill criminalising sex change. “We are getting wokeness out of our military and schools. Wokeness is bad and it’s gone. Our message to every child in America is that you are perfect exactly the way God made you,” he said. 
• The US President said that his administration is working to make America affordable again. "This is a time for big dreams and bold action. We ended all of Biden’s environmental restrictions that were making our country far less safe and totally unaffordable," he said.
• He spoke of the $5-million ‘Gold Card’ that will allow “brilliant and hard-working people from all over the world to buy a path to US citizenship”. "It's like the green card but better and more sophisticated," he said.
• Trump said he will sign an executive order that makes killing a police officer and offence amounting to the death penalty. 
• The US President said that his administration is working tirelessly to end the “savage conflict” in Ukraine. Trump said he received an “important letter” from Ukrainian President  Voldodymyr Zelenskyy saying he was ready for peace.
• Trump said he will take Greenland one way or another. "If you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America. We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it, but we need it really for international world security, and I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it. We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before," he added.
• Donald Trump said he would take back the Panama Canal. "To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we've already started doing it. It was given away by the Carter administration for $1, but that agreement has been violated very severely. We didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back." Panama had taken control of the waterway in 1999 under a treaty negotiated with the US 20 years ago.