Here’s a look back at some of the promises Trump made during his joint address last year and where they stand as we head into this year’s speech:
Promise: “To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we’ve already started doing it.”
Though the administration has spoken of its concerns over China’s influence in the Panama Canal and Secretary of State Marco Rubio made his first trip in his position to Panama, the administration has made no formal moves to “reclaim” the canal, as Trump said it had already started doing last year, and Trump rarely brings it up anymore.
Promise: “Meanwhile, we have hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have not been showing up to work. My administration will reclaim power from this unaccountable bureaucracy, and we will restore true democracy to America again. And any federal bureaucrat who resists this change will be removed from office immediately … because we are draining the swamp. It’s very simple, and the days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”
Established on Trump’s first day in office, DOGE laid off thousands of federal employees across agencies, slashing funding for organizations like USAID. It quickly came to an end in November, despite its anticipated end date of July 4, 2026. And in October, the Trump administration rehired hundreds of federal employees that agencies needed to help “carry out basic functions.”
Economy promises
Promise: “By slashing all of the fraud, waste and theft we can find, we will defeat inflation, bring down mortgage rates, lower car payments and grocery prices, protect our seniors and put more money in the pockets of American families.”
Where it stands: IT DEPENDS
Defeating inflation — Annual inflation was at 2.4% in January, down from 3% when Trump entered office, but not “defeated”
Bringing down mortgage rates — Thirty-year mortgage rates fell below 6% last month for the first time in three years after having fallen more than 1% during the first year of Trump’s second term.
Lower car payments – Car payments have been going up. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” included a provision allowing Americans to deduct interest payments on new car loans.
Budget balancing
Promise: “In the near future, I want to do what has not been done in 24 years, balance the federal budget. We’re going to balance it.”
Where it stands: UNFUFILLED
Trump continues to focus on balancing the budget but has been unable to do it so far.
He posted Friday: “BALANCE BUDGET NOW??? LETS GIVE IT A SHOT. LOTS OF MONEY COMING IN FROM TARIFFS. DO IT” almost an hour before the Supreme Court decision striking down most of his tariffs was released. In Davos, Switzerland, Trump told reporters that Treasury Secretary Scott “Bessent is working on it, looking for where this 19 billion in Minnesota fraud is coming from, if we were able to cut out 50% of the fraud — we’d have a balanced budget.”
Tariffs
Promise: “April 2nd, reciprocal tariffs kick in, and whatever they tariff us, other countries, we will tariff them. That’s reciprocal — back and forth. Whatever they tax us, we will tax them. If they do non-monetary tariffs to keep us out of their market, then we will do non-monetary barriers to keep them out of our market. There’s a lot of that, too. They don’t even allow us in their market.”
Promise: “If you don’t make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff, and in some cases a rather large one. 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.”
Where it stands: IT’S COMPLICATED
Trump did establish tariffs on dozens of countries, including the reciprocal tariffs he promised in last year’s speech, raking in $130 billion in tariff revenue. However, on Friday, the Supreme Court struck down his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to implement the reciprocal tariffs and the 25% tariff Trump imposed on some goods from Canada, China and Mexico to curb the flow of fentanyl. In response, he imposed a 10% global tariff using Section 122, which allows 150 days of tariffs under the authority. He vowed to reinstate additional tariffs using other authorities.
Mexican cartels
Promise: “Five nights ago, Mexican authorities, because of our tariff policies being imposed on them — think of this — handed over to us 29 of the biggest cartel leaders in their country. That has never happened before. They want to make us happy. First time ever. But we need Mexico and Canada to do much more than they’ve done, and they have to stop the fentanyl and drugs pouring into the USA. They’re going to stop it.”
Where it stands: FULFILLED
On Sunday, the Mexican government killed the cartel leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, “El Mencho,” unleashing a wave of violence across Mexico. The move was largely seen as an attempt by the Mexican government to show the Trump administration it is seriously cracking down on cartels.
Tax cuts
Promise: “And the next phase of our plan to deliver the greatest economy in history is for this Congress to pass tax cuts for everybody. They’re in there; they’re waiting for you to vote. And I’m sure that the people on my right, I don’t mean the Republican right, but my right, right here. I’m sure you’re going to vote for those tax cuts, because otherwise, I don’t believe the people will ever vote you into office. So I’m doing you a big favor by telling you that. But I know this group is going to be voting for the tax.”
Promise: “A very, very big part of our plan, we had tremendous success in our first term. Within a very big part of our plan, we’re seeking permanent income tax cuts all across the board.”
Where it stands: ACHIEVED IN THE “BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL”
Tax cuts for everybody — While “everybody” is a broad word, the OBBB included the “working families” tax cut and a $6,000 “bonus” deduction for certain older Americans ages 65 and over, among other provisions.
Permanent Income tax cuts — The OBBB extended Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, offering an extension to lower individual income tax rates.
No tax on tips, overtime or Social Security benefits
Promise: “And to get urgently needed relief to Americans hit especially hard by inflation, I’m calling for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security benefits for our great seniors.”
Where it stands: ACHIEVED IN THE “ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL”
The OBBB included provisions that made no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security benefits for “our great seniors.”
Alaska pipeline
Promise: “My administration is also working on a gigantic natural gas pipeline in Alaska — among the largest in the world — where Japan, South Korea and other nations want to be our partner with investments of trillions of dollars each. There’s never been anything like that one. It will be truly spectacular. It’s all set to go. The permitting is gotten.”
Where it stands: ONGOING, BUT LITTLE PROGRESS
Trump and his team have brought this up in negotiations with Asian leaders, and Trump recently said investments secured through trade deals with Japan and South Korea will go toward Alaskan liquefied natural gas. New York energy firm Glenfarne has taken over as developer. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently removed land orders to open up millions of acres of public land in support of the project. But the project is still a long way off and remains hypothetical, so Trump’s saying last year that it was “all set to go” was an exaggeration.
Shipbuilding
Promise: “To boost our defense industrial base, we are also going to resurrect the American shipbuilding industry, including commercial shipbuilding and military shipbuilding. And for that purpose, I am announcing tonight that we will create a new Office of Shipbuilding in the White House and offer special tax incentives to bring this industry home to America, where it belongs.”
Where it stands: The administration’s “Office of Shipbuilding” was folded into the Office of Management and Budget, per USNI News.
Golden Dome
Promise: “As commander-in-chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future. As a first step, I’m asking Congress to fund a state-of-the-art Golden Dome missile defense shield to protect our homeland, all made in the USA.”
Where it stands: UNFULFILLED, BUT IN PROGRESS
While the Golden Dome is not operational, it is in the process of being built. In May, Trump appointed Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein to oversee the project and said it would be operational by the end of his term.
In Davos, Trump said “a piece” of the Golden Dome system would be on Greenland. He has since backed off on his attempt to use Greenland in the plans.
Yesterday in Colorado, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that the administration is “running as fast as we can on Golden Dome to deliver for President Trump, because we must, on behalf of the American people, defend our homeland.”
Greenland
Promise: “And I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland. We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and 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. It’s a very small population, but very, very large piece of land and very, very important for military security.”
Where it stands: UNFULFILLED, WITH A SHIFTED FOCUS
Last month in Davos, Trump ramped up his attempts to acquire Greenland, claiming the move was imperative for U.S. global security. Following a meeting with the NATO secretary-general, however, he seemed to back off his demands. Instead, the U.S. has moved toward a deal that would allow it to place more troops, bases and military hardware on the island, a territory of Denmark.
