Who is Trump's speech writer? Who is the man behind US President's joint address before Congress, Ross Worthington?
Trump’s lead speechwriter is Ross Worthington, who works closely with top White House officials to ensure Trump’s speeches reflect his legislative and executive vision.
Worthington had a hand in crafting Trump’s speeches during his first administration and wrote drafts for Trump’s pre-recorded policy videos during the campaign. Before joining Trump, Worthington served as deputy communications director for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 2012 presidential campaign.
Trump has often praised his speechwriters but frequently went off script and had a habit of freelancing large portions of his speeches before returning to the teleprompter. Worthington worked under Stephen Miller — the deputy chief of staff for policy — in the first Trump White House, co-managing the White House speechwriting shop.
He joined Trump’s staff in 2017 and spent all four years writing speeches for the president, reporting to Stephen Miller. He helped draft Trump’s infamous speech on Jan. 6, 2021, which came shortly before Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol.
Worthington answered dozens of questions about that specific speech and his role as a Trump speechwriter for investigators working for the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. He said: “My own view is that it was a protest that got out of control. I mean, I’ve read the reporting, but I don’t believe that the speech caused it.”
According to the Committee, Worthington helped draft Trump's speech that day to supporters - many of whom later marched across the National Mall to the Capitol after he encouraged them to do so. Trump's speech and intentions were a focus of debate during Trump's second impeachment trial, when House Democrats charged him with inciting the riot. His lawyers argued before the Senate that the president did not call for violence against lawmakers or Capitol Police.
Worthington is a Brown University graduate Ross Worthington. He was tasked with writing President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night (4 March). "We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in four years or eight years, and we are just getting started," he told the joint session of Congress.