With only days until it’s officially Christmas, President Donald Trump handed out one final present to the American people: a 20-minute-long address blaming Democrats and toting his “impeccable” record so far in his second term. The president stood in front of a cozy fireplace and tree garlands inside the White House during the Wednesday (Dec. 17) speech as he boasted about the “progress” he’s been making for the country.
Suggested Reading
We previously told you Trump’s approval rating is steadily declining– mostly because of is controversial mass deportation scheme and the rocky state of the American economy. But never mind that! The president addressed his economics, the crisis at the Southern border and more during his speech, and if you missed it live, don’t worry. We got you with all of the highlights!
Blaming Biden
It wouldn’t be a Trump speech if he didn’t blame former President Joe Biden for something. Trump mentioned his predecessor by name seven times, all of which were accompanied by an insult to the former Democratic administration or to Biden himself.
“Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump began in his Wednesday speech. “When I took office, inflation was the worse in 48 years, and some would say in the history of our country.” According to the numbers, Trump’s declaration is false. By the time Biden left office, inflation had come down to 2.9 percent, according to Fact Check. As of September 2025, the rate was up to 3 percent under Trump.
A ‘Warrior Dividend’
The president also announced “warrior dividends,” which will give more than 1.45 million service members a check worth $1,776. Trump said this money will partially come from his tariff policy.
We also told you Trump’s tariff war against our international allies has had drastic impact on our economy. Canada declared the end of the once friendly relationship with the U.S., and Mexico and China have hit back with their own tariffs against American exports. But in Trump’s eye, his tariffs are working big time.
“The checks already are on the way,” the president said. Trump’s plans for the new military bonuses come as the U.S. Supreme Court is set to decide on his presidential right to impose the tariffs. If the high court rules against Trump, this would mean bad news for those $1,776 checks.
Addressing Affordability
Trump ran his 2024 campaign on the promise to address high grocery prices and to make America affordable again on day one. Eleven months later, and Americans are still dealing with high prices and economic uncertainty. During his speech, Trump addressed the issue saying his administration is still working.
“It’s not done yet, but boy, are we making progress,” Trump said. “Nobody can believe what’s going on.” The president was quite vague about any real plans to address the country’s affordability crisis. Meanwhile Democrats are using Trump’s uncertainty as a key campaign against him ahead of the midterms. On the flip side, Trump has mocked the issue of affordability as a Democratic hoax.
The president did, however, predict an economic boom, “the likes of which the world has never seen.”
Immigration
Of course, Trump mentioned his mass deportation agenda and the “criminal” migrants flooding the streets of American because of Biden, according to him. He named Somali communities in Minnesota and Hispanic immigrants coming from the Southern border as the key targets of his immigration policy.
Perhaps the most shocking part of Trump’s speech was his ability to not go off script. The speech clocked in at just over 18 minutes. He ended the Christmas address wishing Americans a happy holiday.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.