DOGE, Ukraine..... What is the market paying attention to in Trump's speech on Wednesday morning?

This article is sourced from: Wall Street Watch

U.S. President Trump will deliver a speech on March 4 at 9 PM Eastern Time (10 AM Beijing Time on March 5) at Capitol Hill. This will be his first address to a joint session of Congress since returning to the White House.

Although the format is similar, this speech is not an official State of the Union address. According to CCTV News, Trump's last similar speech in Congress dates back to 2020, when "the stock god of Capitol Hill," Pelosi, contributed to the memorable moment of tearing up the speech behind him.

Republican lawmakers have previously revealed that the theme of Trump's speech will be "The Revival of the American Dream," focusing on his domestic agenda and previewing core policy proposals for the next four years.

Trump has previously stated that he may introduce the latest developments on the currently stalled U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement during the speech. The relationship between the U.S. and NATO is also under scrutiny, with the head of the U.S. "Department of Government Efficiency," Musk, having posted expressing his support for the U.S. withdrawal from NATO and the United Nations.

This speech coincides with the critical deadline for federal funding on March 14, when the federal government will run out of funds. Speculation suggests that Trump may call on the Republican-led Congress to take temporary funding measures to keep the government running, which could be his main legislative request on Tuesday night.

DOGE, Ukraine, and Government Shutdown

Since his second term began, Trump has overseen significant restructuring of the federal government, much of which has been carried out by his senior advisor Elon Musk.

It is expected that Trump will intensify efforts to advance his government restructuring plan, namely the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Even though DOGE has laid off tens of thousands of federal employees and closed multiple agencies—leading to widespread chaos among federal workers and triggering a series of legal disputes.

Tariffs may also be a major focus of this speech. According to CCTV News, the White House has confirmed that tariffs on Canada and Mexico will be increased starting at midnight on March 4. Trump has previously signed an executive order expanding tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as another executive order aimed at imposing "reciprocal tariffs" on U.S. trading partners.

In terms of foreign policy, any remarks by Trump regarding ending the wars between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine will attract widespread attention.

In the Middle East, Trump has expressed his desire for the U.S. to take over the Gaza Strip and redevelop the area—this would represent an unprecedented major shift in U.S. relations in the region. He did not provide further details on how this effort would be implemented.

The role of the U.S. in facilitating a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is another unresolved issue, especially following last week's intense talks between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky in the Oval Office The market is also closely watching Trump's statements regarding the government shutdown. There are expectations that Trump may encourage Congress to fund the government. This is a necessary task to keep the country running.

Currently, Republicans in both the Senate and the House are working on a long-term budget plan, but without some form of short-term action, the government will run out of funds by mid-March.

Although Republicans control the federal government, their slim majority in Congress will require at least some support from Democrats, especially in the Senate, to pass such measures. In exchange, Democrats want to limit the government's unilateral attempts to block congressional directives on certain spending items. Due to disagreements over executive power, Republicans are hesitant about these efforts, which could ultimately lead to a government shutdown