President Donald Trump delivered remarks to lawmakers at the 2025 Congressional Ball on Thursday, December 11, marking yet another moment where real leadership returned to Washington — much to the discomfort of the usual D.C. bureaucracy.

Earlier in the day, the president signed a new executive order establishing federal regulations for artificial intelligence, setting a national framework instead of leaving the future of AI in the hands of 50 different state-level fiefdoms. As Trump put it, if companies had to run around chasing “50 different approvals from 50 different states,” the United States could forget about leading the world in innovation. And he’s right — leave it to Trump to say what every CEO has been thinking for years.

“All you need is one hostile actor and you wouldn’t be able to do it,” Trump warned, highlighting the obvious reality that even one rogue state could sabotage the nation’s progress.

It was a clear, direct message — and, as always, Trump delivered it with the confidence of a president who actually understands how to keep America competitive. Another strong night for the administration, and a reminder that when Trump talks about putting America first, he actually means it.