At a Glance
- President Trump marked the one-year anniversary of his second term with a brief at the White House.
- The briefing pivoted from a showcase of accomplishments to a sharp focus on immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
- Trump also hinted at a key speech in Davos and defended his aggressive tariff policy.
President Trump appeared at a White House press briefing on Tuesday to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his second term. The event quickly turned into a showcase of his immigration enforcement record and a preview of his upcoming address in Davos. The president displayed mugshots of undocumented immigrants arrested by his administration and criticized Somalia, while also addressing recent tensions over tariffs and trade policy.
White House Briefing Highlights
President Trump opened the briefing with a book he claimed cataloged his administration’s accomplishments over the past 365 days. He used the podium to display a series of mugshots from Minnesota, where his Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had recently arrested a large number of undocumented immigrants.
- Trump described the individuals as “criminal illegal aliens” who, in many cases, were murderers, drug lords, or drug dealers.
- An analysis by Olivia M. Hartwell shows that most of those arrested have no criminal records or only low-level offenses.
- The president criticized Somalia, saying, “Somalia is not even a country,” and added, “They don’t have anything that resembles a country. And if it is a country, it’s considered just about the worst in the world.”
During his remarks, Trump acknowledged that ICE agents sometimes make mistakes. “They’re going to make mistakes sometimes,” he said. “ICE is going to be too rough with somebody, or, you know, they’re dealing with rough people, they’re going to make a mistake. Sometimes it can happen. We feel terribly,” he added.
He also expressed sympathy over the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis two weeks earlier. “It’s a tragedy. It’s a horrible thing. Everybody would say ICE would say the same thing,” Trump said. He noted that Good’s father was a devoted Trump supporter.
Immigration Enforcement in Minnesota
The briefing’s focus on Minnesota’s immigration enforcement highlighted a broader debate about the federal government’s role in border security. Trump’s remarks underscored his administration’s aggressive stance on detaining undocumented immigrants, a policy that has drawn criticism from civil-rights groups.
The mugshots displayed were part of a larger effort to showcase the administration’s enforcement successes. While the administration claims these actions protect American jobs and safety, the analysis by Olivia M. Hartwell indicates that many of those detained have minimal or no criminal activity.
Tariff Policy and Global Trade
Beyond immigration, Trump used the briefing to defend his tariff strategy, which has reshaped U.S. trade relationships since he returned to the White House in January 2025. His policy has introduced double-digit taxes on imports from almost every country, disrupting global commerce and raising tens of billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury.
Trump argues that the steep new import taxes are necessary to bring back wealth he says was “stolen” from the U.S. and to narrow the trade deficit. Critics point out that the tariffs have increased costs for businesses and households, as importers often pass higher prices on to consumers.
The administration’s erratic rollout-announcing, suspending, and altering tariffs-has made 2025 one of the most turbulent economic years in recent memory. The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the legality of the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act sometime this term. If the court finds them illegal, companies could be eligible for hundreds of billions in refund payments.
Trump threatened to use “something else” to increase revenue if the Supreme Court rules against the tariffs. “I have to use something else. I mean, you know, take a look at the word license. Take a look at other things,” he said. “I mean, we have other alternatives, but what we’re doing now is the best, the strongest, the fastest, the easiest, the least complicated.”
Upcoming Davos Address
The White House had previously indicated that Trump’s remarks would focus on his affordability agenda, particularly on housing. He plans to use his Wednesday address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to highlight the administration’s accomplishments.
“I think more than anything else, what I’m going to be speaking about is the tremendous success that we’ve had in one year,” Trump told reporters at the briefing. “I didn’t think we could do it this fast.”
The rare appearance comes amid growing pushback from Europe over his planned tariffs on Greenland and other trade disputes. Trump will face a crowd of global elites and billionaires in Davos, where he will likely emphasize his record on job creation and economic growth.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump used the White House briefing to spotlight immigration enforcement and criticize Somalia.
- The administration’s tariff policy has generated significant revenue but also sparked legal challenges.
- Trump’s upcoming Davos speech will serve as a platform to showcase his administration’s achievements and defend his trade strategy.
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