Takeaways from Trump’s year-end address to the nation

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump used a pre-holiday address from the White House on Dec 17 to portray his first year in office as a success story
, even as Americans worry about the economy and Republicans face tough midterm elections in 2026.

Here are four takeaways from the speech.

Biden, Biden, Biden

Mr Trump began his remarks with 14 words that captured the central theme of the night: “Good evening, America. Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it.”

In other words: It is not my fault.

The President, responding to voters’ anxiety over the cost of living, laid blame at the feet of former president Joe Biden in the nearly 20 minutes that followed, mentioning his name seven times.

The economy? Mr Biden’s fault. Crime? Mr Biden. Healthcare? Mr Biden. Bad immigration policy? You guessed it.

Mr Trump has often blamed Mr Biden for problems that have festered during his first year back in office, from Russia’s war in Ukraine to the eyesore of offshore wind farms.

He followed that playbook again on Dec 17, particularly when it came to the high cost of living, which he sought to cast as fleeting – just as Mr Biden once did when prices rose.

“What a difference a year makes,” Mr Trump said, dismissing the mood of consumers, adding that the US is “poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen”.

Festive setting, little cheer

Mr Trump chose to give the address from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, rather than the Oval Office, and the setting allowed him to speak like he does at his signature rallies: behind a podium, standing up.

The President gripped that podium and delivered his talking points at a blistering pace, standing between two flags and against a backdrop of green garland.

Mr Trump did not offer either good cheer or empathy to Americans struggling with high costs for food, housing and holiday gifts, however.

And his only holiday-themed greeting at all came at the end, with a brief “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year” wish to viewers.

No major new policies

Though White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt had told reporters Mr Trump might tease new policy in his speech, the President offered little hint of his forthcoming plans.

He said his administration would pursue aggressive new housing policies in 2026, promised to name a new Federal Reserve chair soon, and unveiled a plan to send cheques for US$1,776 (S$2,300) to US troops.

Otherwise, the topics of his speech largely reflected a greatest hits version of his political rallies.

He railed against Somalis in Minnesota, whom he accused of stealing from the United States; talked about men playing in women’s sports; and reiterated his often-used remark that the country a year ago was “dead”.

Guns and butter

Notably absent from the speech was a major focus on foreign policy issues that have captured a significant share of Mr Trump’s second term in office.

Heading into the remarks, Mr Trump allies speculated about how prominently the speech would focus on an escalating confrontation with Venezuela.

Mr Trump has ramped up pressure on the South American nation’s leadership in recent weeks, and on Dec 16 he ordered a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers
entering and leaving the country.

It is not clear whether Mr Trump intends to try to force out the country’s President, Mr Nicolas Maduro. That question was not answered on Dec 17.

Instead, Mr Trump focused largely on the economy, allowing himself only a short victory lap for his work on the Middle East and peacemaking generally.

Mr Trump’s allies have warned his aides in recent weeks that he needs to shift focus from international conflicts to kitchen-table issues, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Whether he was effective or not, for at least 18 minutes on the night of Dec 17, he seemed to heed the advice. REUTERS