On the evening of March 4, 2025, President Trump delivered a farewell address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress. In his speech, he reflected on key policy decisions and their impacts. He began by highlighting the administration’s withdrawal from several international agreements, stating:
“I withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, the World Health Organization, and the UN Human Rights Council, all of which were costing us billions of dollars.”
Addressing concerns about education and societal values, President Trump remarked:
“We have removed woke ideology from our schools. We don’t want activists and ideologues in our government; we want warriors who will fight for our country.”
He further emphasized his administration’s commitment to protecting children from certain educational content:
“We are working to ensure our children are mentally healthy and protected from harmful ideologies. I have signed an executive order banning the promotion of gender ideology in schools and prohibited taxpayer funds from supporting schools that teach it.”
Concluding his address, President Trump addressed the issue of gender participation in sports:
“We will not allow men to compete in women’s sports.”
The speech elicited strong reactions from Democratic members of Congress, including visible dissent, protests, and some members exiting the chamber. Democratic women notably wore white or pink to highlight concerns over women’s rights.