Trump uses White House address to tout record, attack immigrants and Biden

Donald Trump has delivered a rare address to the nation from the White House, using the platform not for a major policy announcement but to promote his record, attack immigrants and take aim at his Democratic predecessor as his approval ratings slide.

Presidents typically reserve formal White House addresses for moments of national significance. Trump, however, used his 19-minute speech on Wednesday to reinforce his narrative that the country is thriving under his leadership, despite growing public unease over the economy and cost of living.

“Our nation is strong. America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before. We’re poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen,” Trump said.

The president repeatedly blamed immigrants for a range of social and economic problems, including pressure on housing, healthcare and public services.

“At the same time, illegal aliens stole American jobs and flooded emergency rooms getting free healthcare and education paid for by you – the American taxpayer,” Trump said. “They also increased the cost of law enforcement by numbers so high that they are not even to be mentioned.”

Those claims run counter to extensive economic research. Numerous studies have found that immigrants contribute more to the US economy than they take out, playing a central role in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and construction. A 2023 report by the American Immigration Council estimated that immigrants paid more than $651bn in taxes that year and generated $1.7 trillion in economic activity.

Trump did not mention that both his first wife and his current wife are immigrants from Eastern Europe.

The speech also revisited Trump’s past rhetoric targeting specific communities. The president, who recently described the Somali community as “garbage”, again falsely claimed that Somalis had “taken over the economics” of Minnesota and stolen “billions and billions of dollars.”