Zelensky calls Oval Office spat with Trump ‘regrettable,’ says he’s ready to work for peace

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump took a victory lap in an address to Congress on Tuesday, drawing catcalls and interruptions from some Democratic lawmakers who held up signs and walked out mid-speech in protest.
The partisan rancor was reflective of the tumult that has accompanied Trump’s first six weeks in office upending US foreign policy, igniting a trade war with close allies and slashing the federal workforce. The primetime speech, his first to Congress since taking office on January 20, capped a second day of market turmoil after he imposed sweeping new tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China.
Trump’s address was reminiscent of his campaign rallies, though he largely avoided his habit of straying from prepared remarks to deliver asides. The president assailed his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, attacked illegal immigrants he said were savage and what he called “transgender ideology.”
He vowed to balance the federal budget, even as he urged lawmakers to enact a sweeping tax cut agenda that nonpartisan analysts say could add more than $5 trillion to the federal government’s $36 trillion debt load. Congress will need to act to raise the nation’s debt ceiling later this year or risk a devastating default.
“To my fellow citizens, America is back,” Trump began to a standing ovation from fellow Republicans. “Our country is on the verge of a comeback the likes of which the world has never witnessed, and perhaps will never witness again.”
Democrats held up signs with messages like “No King” and “This Is NOT Normal,” and dozens walked out mid-speech.
One Texas congressman, Al Green, was ordered removed after he refused to sit down.
“The chair now directs the sergeant at arms to restore order. Remove this gentleman from the chamber,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said after warning Democrats to maintain decorum. Green, shaking his walking cane at Trump, appeared to be shouting that Trump did not win a mandate in November’s election after the president bragged about the Republicans’ victories. As Green was led from the chamber, some Republicans sang, “Nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, goodbye.”
Trump, a political brawler by nature, appeared to revel in the disagreements.
“I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud,” he said after Green’s ejection. Trump spoke in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers huddled in fear for their lives a little over four years ago while a mob of Trump supporters ransacked the Capitol in an unsuccessful effort to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory over the then-incumbent Trump.
He vowed to balance the federal budget, even as he urged lawmakers to enact a sweeping tax cut agenda that nonpartisan analysts say could add more than $5 trillion to the federal government’s $36 trillion debt load. Congress will need to act to raise the nation’s debt ceiling later this year or risk a devastating default.
The president praised billionaire businessman Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which has downsized more than 100,000 federal workers, cut billions of dollars in foreign aid and shuttered entire agencies.
Trump credited Musk with identifying “hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud,” a claim that far exceeds even what the administration has claimed so far. Musk, seated in the gallery, received ovations from Republicans.

More tariffs coming
Trump reiterated his intention to impose additional reciprocal tariffs on April 2, a move that would likely roil financial markets even more.
“Other countries have used tariffs against us for decades, and now it’s our turn to start using them against those other countries,” he said.
On this point, many Republicans remained seated, a signal of how Trump’s tariffs have divided his party. Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two of the country’s closest allies, and an additional 10 percent on Chinese imports deepened investor concerns about the economy. The Nasdaq Composite is down more than 9 percent from its record closing high on December 16, near the 10 percent decline commonly called a market correction.
Trump, who has often taken credit for market increases, did not mention this week’s downturn in his speech. He also barely mentioned stubbornly high prices, blaming Biden and saying he was “fighting every day” to lower costs.
Just one in three Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll, a potential danger sign amid worries his tariffs could increase inflation.
World leaders were watching Trump’s speech closely, a day after he paused all military aid to Ukraine. The suspension followed an Oval Office blowup in which Trump angrily upbraided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in front of TV cameras.
The pause in aid threatened Kyiv’s efforts to defend against Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion three years ago, and further rattled European leaders worried that Trump is moving the US too far toward Moscow. While Trump has appeared to fault Ukraine for starting the war, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found 70 percent of Americans — including two-thirds of Republicans — say Russia was more to blame.

Tax cuts

Trump urged Congress to extend his 2017 tax cuts. Congressional Republicans have advanced a sweeping $4.5 trillion plan that would extend the tax cuts, tighten border security and fund a huge increase in deportations.
The proposal calls for $2 trillion in spending reductions over a decade, with possible cuts to education, health care and other social services.
The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates that Trump’s full tax agenda, including elimination of taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits, could cost between $5 trillion and $11.2 trillion over a decade. Democrats invited civil servants hit by DOGE firings or funding freezes to Tuesday’s speech to underscore the damage they say DOGE is doing to Americans. Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former CIA agent, will deliver the Democratic Party’s rebuttal.

TORONTO: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday called American tariffs “very dumb” and said that US President Donald Trump is appeasing Russia while launching a trade war against Canada.
In a blunt news conference during his final days in office, Trudeau said that Canada would plaster retaliatory tariffs on more than $100 billion of American goods in response to Trump’s 25 percent tariffs.
“Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense,” a visibly angry Trudeau said.
Trump imposed tariffs against Washington’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin. Just after midnight, Trump put 25 percent taxes, or tariffs, on Mexican and Canadian imports, though he limited the levy to 10 percent on Canadian energy.
“What he wants to see is a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that will make it easier to annex us,” Trudeau said. “That is never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state.”
Trudeau addressed Trump directly by his first name.
“I want to speak directly to one specific American, Donald,” Trudeau said. “It’s not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”
Later Tuesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the US would likely meet Canada and Mexico “in the middle,” with an announcement coming as soon as Wednesday.
Lutnick told Fox Business News that the tariffs would not be paused, but that Trump would reach a compromise.
“I think he’s going to figure out, you do more, and I’ll meet you in the middle in some way,” Lutnick said.
In a post on Truth Social earlier Tuesday, Trump said: “Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the US, our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!”
Trump has threatened Canada’s sovereignty, provoking anger in the country. Canadian hockey fans have been booing the American national anthem at recent NHL and NBA games. Trudeau channeled the betrayal that many Canadians are feeling.
“Canadians are hurt. Canadians are angry. We are going to choose to not go on vacation in Florida,” Trudeau said. “We are going to choose to try and buy Canadian products ... and yeah we’re probably going to keep booing the American anthem.”
The premier of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, said that he would issue a 25 percent export tax on electricity sold to the US and may later cut it off completely if the American tariffs persist. Ontario powered 1.5 million homes in the US in 2023 in Michigan, New York and Minnesota.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also told The Associated Press that he would stop the sale of nickel and rare minerals to the US
Ontario and other provinces already began removing American liquor brands from government store shelves. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario sells nearly $1 billion Canadian dollars ($687 million) worth of American wine, beer, spirits and seltzers every year.