Washington, District of Columbia - "My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day," President Donald Trump said with the backdrop of the White House from the Rose Garden. "We've been waiting for a long time. April 2nd, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again."
Just moments before his arrival at the lectern, the lawn was teeming with administration officials, Cabinet members and hordes of reporters from dozens of media outlets. Dozens of auto and steel workers milled about, high-fiving and taking photos while wearing hard hats, worn out blue jeans and broken in work boots. A band had been playing in a celebratory tone, right on brand for what the White House believed to be the beginning of the “Golden Age of America.” American flags were hung throughout each open space on the West Colonnade and blooming spring flowers made up for the dreary, grey sky, complete with chilly spring temperatures.
“It’s just such an honor to be here,” one autoworker wearing a Make America Great Again hat said as he looked around at the scene.
Over in the corner, presidential aides could be seen through windows. They surrounded the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, finalizing messaging and preparations. They started to make their way through the doors and to their seats. The anticipation was building, and then, Hail to the Chief played with Trump emerging to roaring applause.
On his way to the lectern, Trump stopped to shake the hand of one of the workers, “Thank you.” His instinct was to shake more, but he resisted and made his way to the front to begin his remarks. After all, the entire world was waiting.
“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped, and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike, American steel workers, auto workers, farmers, and skilled craftsmen,” Trump said, announcing reciprocal tariffs.
Halfway through, Trump tossed a signed MAGA hat into the crowd and moved to conclude his remarks by drawing a line in the sand.
“They really suffered gravely. They watched in anguish as foreign leaders have stolen our jobs. Foreign cheaters have ransacked our factories, and foreign scavengers have torn apart our once beautiful American dream," Trump said about the workers sitting in the audience. "We had an American dream that you don't hear so much about. You did four years ago and you are now, but you don't too often for many years and decades even, you didn't hear too much about. Our country and its taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years, but it is not going to happen anymore.”
"In the coming days, there will be complaints from the globalists, the outsourcers, special interests, and Fake News,” Trump said defiantly, resolved in his way forward. “Never forget that every prediction our opponents made about trade for the last 30 years has been proven totally wrong. They were wrong about NAFTA, they were wrong about China, they were wrong about the Trans Pacific Partnership...In my first term, they said tariffs would crash the economy. Instead, we built the greatest economy in the history of the world."
A historic day, indeed.
