President Trump marked the first 100 days in office of his second term with a Tuesday evening rally outside Detroit — spending much of his 90-minute speech touting his administration’s record on immigration and lashing out against judges, Biden-era officials and other foes.
“We’re here tonight in the heartland of our nation to celebrate the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country, and that’s according to many, many people,” Mr. Trump said to kick off his speech at Macomb Community College in Warren, Michigan. “This is the best, they say, 100-day start of any president in history, and everyone is saying it. We’ve just gotten started. You haven’t even seen anything yet.”
The president chose to give his speech in the heart of the auto industry, as he hopes the tariffs he’s imposing on imports from other countries will bring auto companies and other manufacturers back to the U.S., despite economists’ warnings that the president’s policies will increase prices. On Tuesday, the president signed executive orders to provide some relief from the 25% tariffs he’s imposing on imported foreign cars and parts.
As the president’s approval numbers have slipped since his inauguration, Mr. Trump particularly homed in on his administration’s border enforcement policies. Immigration continues to be one of the president’s strongest issues in polling.
“There’s never been such a difference in anything as the difference between the border today and the border what it was just six months ago, so I want to say congratulations, America, it’s about time,” he said.
As the Trump administration faces a slew of lawsuits over its mass deportations and other immigration policies, the president said, “the courts are giving us a hard time.” Mr. Trump said his administration has significantly increased arrests of “known and suspected terrorists,” appearing to reference suspected gang members.
“We tried to get it higher, we tried to get it higher, but the courts are giving us a hard time, can you believe?” Mr. Trump said. “You know, I won on the basis of, I think, the number one thing was on illegal immigration, the border. … I think that was the number one thing, and now the courts are trying to say that you know, that doesn’t matter. I don’t think it’s going to be allowed to stand.”
“I hope for the sake of our country that the Supreme Court is going to save this,” Mr. Trump said later.
As nations scramble to reach deals with the White House over the tariffs Mr. Trump imposed, the president boasted that leaders from around the world are traveling to meet with him.
“Now, we’re respected all over the world,” he said. “They’re coming from all over the world to see your president. They’re coming from India, they’re coming from France, they’re coming from Spain. Yeah, they’re coming from China, too, yeah, they’re coming from China. They’re coming from all over to see your president. They want to make a deal. They want to make a deal. And you know, we’ll make deals, but we don’t have to.”
Mr. Trump also touted slower inflation, but criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying he’s “not really doing a good job.” The Fed has drawn Mr. Trump’s ire for declining to speed up interest rate cuts so far this year, which could boost economic growth at the cost of higher inflation. Powell has also warned Mr. Trump’s sweeping tariffs could push up consumer prices and harm the economy.
The president also touted his administration’s work to slash government, including the U.S. Agency for International Development. He also mentioned his administration’s instruction to federal employees to return to the office, saying some federal workers improved their golf handicap while working remotely.
“They weren’t working at home. Who the hell would work at home? How do you work at home?” he said.
The president called multiple aides on stage, including special assistant to the president Margo Martin. “Trump 2028, anybody?” she said, to cheers from the crowd. Mr. Trump has periodically floated seeking a third term — and his online store sells “Trump 2028” merchandise — though the Constitution only allows presidents to be elected to two terms.
Mr. Trump also touted his administration’s work on hot-button social issues.
“I ended all of the lawless so-called diversity, equity and inclusion bulls***, all across the federal government and the private sector,” the president claimed. “And I made it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female. And the really easy one, this was the easiest one I had, I banned men from competing in women’s sports.”
The president doesn’t have the authority to do all those things in the private sector and at the local level, but the administration has sought to influence those spheres.
As Republicans struggle to figure out how to pay for the president’s tax cuts, making cuts to Medicaid has been a possible pay-for. But the president insisted he’ll protect Medicaid.
“We will always protect Medicare and Social Security for our great seniors, with no cuts, and we will defend Medicaid for those great people that are in need,” Mr. Trump said as he neared the end of his speech. “House Republicans are working to invest more money in Medicaid than we spend today. The only thing we’re going to cut is the corruption and the crooks that take advantage of some of the illegal schemes. So we want to preserve Medicaid for the most vulnerable, for our kids, pregnant women, the poor and disabled Americans.”
What to know about Trump’s first 100 days
In his Michigan speech, Mr. Trump hit many of the highlights of his second term so far, including mass deportation operations, efforts to shrink the size and scope of government and the changes he’s making to the global trade landscape. Those endeavors have not gone unopposed, prompting scores of lawsuits filed by ousted government employees, migrants fighting their deportation and business owners who argue the president’s tariffs are unlawful.
“[I]nflation has cooled, consumer prices dropped month-over-month for the first time in three years, and gas prices are lower across the country,” the White House said in announcing the speech, and it went on to praise the Department of Government Efficiency for rooting out “waste, fraud, and abuse across the executive branch” and canceling “numerous discriminatory DEI contracts.”
DOGE’s work continues apace, with billionaire Elon Musk unofficially guiding efforts to downsize government. So far, however, DOGE’s cuts aren’t anywhere close to approaching the $2 trillion Musk initially said he’d slash from annual spending. Those efforts have also landed the federal government in multiple courtrooms over the firings, downsizing and elimination of government-funded programs.
The Trump administration claims it has done more to secure the border in the president’s first 100 days in office than any other president in history. Illegal border crossings have reached lows not seen in decades, and the administration has been working to deport migrants accused or convicted of violent crimes and drug-related offenses. But Mr. Trump’s decision to invoke wartime authorities to send migrants to an El Salvador prison without due process has resulted in lawsuits, as has the president’s efforts to end birthright citizenship.
The 100-day mark comes as the Trump administration is hashing out trade negotiations with countries across the world after Mr. Trump levied nearly worldwide tariffs on foreign imports, tariffs that most economists say will make goods more expensive and worsen economic prospects. Mr. Trump claimed in an interview with TIME that he’s reached 200 trade deals with other countries since April 2, but declined to name any of the countries. Americans are skeptical of the president’s tariff approach, CBS News polling shows, and most worry they’ll contribute to higher prices at a time when high prices are a top concern for voters.
It’s unclear how much the president will focus on foreign policy matters, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt argued the administration has made significant progress on the foreign policy front. After repeatedly saying he would end the war in Ukraine before even taking office, Mr. Trump is now saying those comments were made in “jest.”
“We are closer today to a peace deal in Russia and Ukraine, certainly, than we were when we took office on Jan. 20,” Leavitt told reporters Monday. “If you look at the situation in the Middle East, Israel has never had a stronger friend than they do right now in the Oval Office with President Trump. We’ve had more than 75 hostages who have returned home from around the world who were wrongfully detained individuals.”