The Galaxy Ballroom, with a capacity of approximately 1,500, was filled with supporters seen dancing in anticipation of the president’s arrival and erupting in applause when he walked to the podium with Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” playing over loudspeakers.
“It’s great to be back in this wonderful city after an historic first week in the White House,” Trump said.
Standing in front of a huge banner with “No tax on tips” emblazoned in all capital letters, the president waited for the song to end before he vowed to eliminate taxes on gratuities and make permanent the tax cuts enacted in his first administration, with legislation to be introduced in Congress in the coming weeks.
“If you’re a worker who relies on tipped income, your tips will be 100 percent yours,” Trump said. “We'll get it passed.”
More than 4 million workers nationwide, including 700,000 single mothers, earn a significant percentage of their income from tips, according to the president.
“The forgotten men and women of our country are going to be forgotten no longer,” he said.
He also jokingly suggested moving newly hired Internal Revenue Service agents to the border.
Rethinking the country’s tax structure is a priority for the new administration, with Trump introducing an “External Revenue Service,” which will collect significant revenue in the form of tariffs that will increase the competitiveness of domestic producers.
He pointed to a period in the nation’s history of high tariffs from 1870 to 1913, when Americans paid no income taxes, as evidence that the modern method is not necessarily the most effective.
“It was when we were the richest,” Trump said.
“I just came here because I wanted to thank the people of Nevada for giving us such a big win,” Trump said.
Capturing six electoral votes from the swing state with his victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump described the moment as a turning point for his political party.
“I wanted to come to Nevada to pay my respects because this is the only Republican win of this state in decades, and it was a landslide,” Trump said. “And I think Republicans are going to win a lot now.”
Running through a long list of executive orders signed in the first days of his second term, the president mentioned his decisions to pardon Jan. 6 hostages, stop government censorship, declassify assassination documents related to John F. Kennedy, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
“We brought free speech back in America,” Trump said.
Orders ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and positions and declaring that the United States only recognizes two sexes, male and female, were meant to send signals that “woke” policies are no longer accepted, he suggested.
“We are now in a merit based world,” Trump said. “If you do your job well, you’re going to go places.”
A recommitment to traditional values is a priority for his administration, Trump added.
“We’re bringing back religion in this country,” he said.
Trump highlighted his orders withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord and eliminating electric vehicle mandates, calling the climate agenda a “green new scam.”
“Remember, we had 12 years to live?” Trump said. “We’re still here.”
His action withdrawing from the U.N.’s World Health Organization was needed because the United States is paying $500 million, while China pays $39 million, he told supporters.
The administration is focused on deregulation and investment in America, with $500 billion in AI infrastructure investment recently announced, and another $600 billion investment from Saudi Arabia.
“I believe they'll make it $1 trillion,” Trump said. “Money means nothing to them.”
He affirmed recent comments about wanting to expand the nation’s territory, with hints toward Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Canada being attractive assets.
“We might be a substantially enlarged country in the near future,” Trump said.
Protecting the southern border is top of Trump’s mind, with resources allocated to repelling illegal entry and deporting violent criminals who already snuck into the country.
“We’re going to take some bad ones out,” Trump said.
He mentioned the confirmations of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, and said more progress will be made with Cabinet appointments in the coming days.
As the Trump administration comes together, agency heads and officials are working to achieve a long list of campaign pledges.
“Every single day of my term, we’re living by the motto: promises made, promises kept,” Trump said. “For the next four years, I will not rest, I will not yield, we will win, win, win, and we will bring back the American Dream.”
