Who joined Trump at Congress? A look at his guests and their stories

Families of victims, a freed prisoner, a border agent, and others whose stories highlight crime, immigration, and policy changes were among those invited to Trump's address

US President Donald Trump welcomed nearly a dozen special guests to his first joint congressional address of his second presidency on Tuesday night. Each guest represented a story of resilience, tragedy, or triumph— highlighting both the struggles faced under the previous administration and the policies Trump has enacted to, in his words, “usher in the Golden Age of America.”

 

First Lady Melania Trump unveiled the guest list, which included families of crime victims, a wrongfully detained American, a border patrol agent, and individuals impacted by major social and political issues. 

  Guests honouring lives lost and stories of survival 

Among those seated with the First Lady were family members of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray, two young women killed by illegal immigrants; as well as the family of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter killed during the assassination attempt on Trump in July 2024. His widow, Helen, and daughters, Allyson and Kaylee, traveled from Pennsylvania to attend the speech.

 

Marc Fogel, an American history teacher imprisoned in Russia and recently freed under Trump’s efforts, attended with his wife, Malphine. Fogel’s release was a major diplomatic victory for Trump, who criticised the previous administration for failing to secure his return.  Read: Donald Trump thanks Pakistan during address to US Congress: Here's why

 

Other notable guests included:

 

- Roberto Ortiz, a US Border Patrol agent who has faced repeated attacks from cartel members while protecting the southern border.

 

- Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old who was the victim of computer-generated deepfakes created by a bully at her school intended to humiliate and degrade Berry and her friends.

 

- Jeff Denard, a steelworker from Alabama, representing the American working class Trump has long championed.

 

- Stephanie Diller, widow of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed in the line of duty by a repeat offender.

 

- Haley Ferguson, a former foster child and college senior benefiting from First Lady Melania Trump’s Be Best initiative.

 

- January Littlejohn, a parents’ rights advocate who sued a Florida school board over her daughter's social transition without parental consent.

 

- Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player injured in a match against a biological male athlete, reinforcing Trump’s stance on women’s sports.  Read: Japan, South Korea want to partner with the US in Alaska pipeline: Trump

Democrats bring laid-off federal workers as guests

 

While Trump’s guests focused on his administration’s policies and priorities, House Democrats took a different approach. Many invited former federal workers recently laid off due to the government restructuring initiative known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The layoffs, which Trump has defended as a move to streamline bureaucracy, have been a point of contention among Democrats.

 

(With agency inputs)