PHILADELPHIA — President Trump declared Thursday that the era of the do-nothing Congress was over, telling Republican lawmakers that they would be busy passing his ambitious agenda — as well as their own pent-up legislation — to dramatically alter the direction of the federal government.
In a speech to congressional Republicans who are on a three-day retreat to plot strategy, the president said they must honor the voters who gave their party control of the White House, Senate and House for the first time in a decade.
“Enough all talk, no action. We have to deliver,” Mr. Trump told lawmakers gathered in a ballroom of the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. “This our chance to achieve great and lasting change for our beloved nation.
“This Congress is going to be the busiest Congress we’ve had in decades, maybe ever. Think of everything we can achieve, and remember who we must achieve it for,” he said. “We’re here now because tens of millions of Americans have placed their hopes in us to transfer power from Washington, D.C., and give it back to the people.”
Delivering a mini-State of the Union address to eager lawmakers, the president outlined an agenda that included bold moves on immigration, trade, taxes, energy and reducing urban crime.
When remarking about the surge of violent crime in U.S. cities, he asked, “What the hell is going on?”
Somebody near the lectern called out, “Democrats.”
“A lot of truth to that,” Mr. Trump replied.
Republican lawmakers were in Philadelphia to hash out a 200-day plan for passing their and Mr. Trump’s agendas, which have not always appeared to be the same.
Before Mr. Trump took the stage, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin rejected the notion that congressional Republicans were not in harmony with Mr. Trump, who was sworn in as president a week ago with no political experience outside his wild and unpredictable campaign.
“We are on the same page with the White House,” Mr. Ryan told reporters. “This is going to be an unconventional presidency. I think you know this by now.”
Mr. Trump was warmly received by the lawmakers, who gave him at least seven standing ovations during his speech, including when he mentioned his order that restores bans on funding for abortions overseas and when he mentioned putting coal miners back to work.
“Now is the dawn of a new era of American independence and rededication to the idea that the people are in charge of their own destiny,” said Mr. Trump, delivering a states’ rights message that also resonated strongly with the Republican lawmakers.
Mr. Trump homed in on plans to repeal Obamacare, which tops their shared agenda.
“Obamacare is a disaster,” he said.
Mr. Trump said Obamacare would “explode” on its own if they left it as it is for two years, and he predicted that Democrats would then “come begging” to replace it.
“Except we have one problem,” he said. “We have to take care of the American people immediately.”
Mr. Trump also recognized the legislation that Republicans have been pushing for years only to be blocked by President Obama, including 52 attempts to repeal his health care law.
“We are actually going to sign the stuff you are writing. You are not wasting your time,” said Mr. Trump. “You’d write it and send it up, and nothing would happen. But now, it’s going to happen.”
Mr. Trump has ample room to improve on Mr. Obama’s legislative record.
Mr. Obama presided over the most unproductive legislative years in modern political history, according to The Washington Times Legislative Index.
Over the course of his eight years, Mr. Obama signed just 1,227 bills into law — less, even, than one-term Presidents Carter and George H.W. Bush.
Mr. Trump, who made pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal one of the first moves and has been accused of tempting a trade war with Mexico, said he would broker many bilateral trade deals.
He said he preferred one-on-one deals to the multination deals such as TPP and the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he has vowed to renegotiate, because they can be terminated with a 30-day notice.
“Believe me, we’re going to have a lot of trade deals,” he said. “If that particular country doesn’t treat us fairly, we send them a 30-day termination, notice of termination.”
He brushed aside the conflict with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who canceled a planned White House meeting because of Mr. Trump’s plan to build a border wall.
Mr. Trump said the meeting would be “fruitless” if Mr. Nieto’s country refuses to pay for the wall.
He also said Mr. Nieto will have to renegotiate NAFTA sooner or later.
“I made clear to the government of Mexico that NAFTA has been a terrible deal, a total disaster for the United States from the inception,” he said. “It’s costing us as much as $60 billion a year from Mexico alone in a trade deficit.”
“You say, ‘Who negotiates these deals,’ ” he asked.
He said that Americans have known for years that NAFTA was a bad deal that needed to be renegotiated “except the politicians were too preoccupied to do so.” He then said that didn’t apply to the politicians gathered in the room.
“Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route. We have no choice,” said Mr. Trump.
The president has worked quickly to put his mark on the federal government and erase many of Mr. Obama’s policies, most strikingly by cracking down on illegal immigration.
He pledged to keep up the pace.
“We are now only at the beginning of this incredible journey together,” Mr. Trump said. “I am honored to be your partner in this amazing quest. I am privileged to stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, as we work every single day to make America great again.”
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