President Donald Trump noted Tuesday in his first address to Congress in five years that “this is a time for big dreams and bold action.” Trump demonstrated that he was neither speaking figuratively nor amenable to delay, making a number of Americans’ dreams come true before the end of his speech.
After honoring fallen New York police officer Jonathan Diller and asking Congress to pass legislation mandating the death penalty for cop killers, Trump directed everyone’s attention to Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a terminally ill Texas boy in the audience who has long aspired to join law enforcement.
“Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police,” said Trump. “His name is DJ Daniel, he is 13 years old, and he has always dreamed of becoming a police officer.”
In 2018, Daniel was diagnosed with brain and spine cancer. The Texan, then just 6 years old, was given five months to live. Daniel has undergone at least 13 brain surgeries and kept up the fight in the years since, defying all expectation.
Over the course of his battle with cancer, Daniel has been sworn in to hundreds of police departments across the country as an honorary officer.
Theodis Daniel told CBS News after his son was made an honorary Chicago police officer in 2023, “He had five months to live, and he’s been fighting it, but these law enforcement ceremonies have been helping him out.”
‘You never know when God’s going to call you home.’
Republicans and others erupted into thunderous applause as Theodis Daniel raised his son, dressed in a Houston Police Department uniform, above his head for all to see following Trump’s introduction.
After noting Daniel has outlived his prognosis by six years, Trump said, “DJ has been sworn in as an honorary law enforcement officer, actually a number of times. The police love him. The police departments love him. And tonight, DJ, we are going to do you the biggest honor of them all.”
“I am asking our new Secret Service director, Sean Curran, to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service,” said Trump, prompting the boy’s eyes to widen with surprise and the crowd to chant “DJ! DJ! DJ!”
U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran, among the agents who rushed to protect Trump during the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, handed Daniel a USSS badge.
After displaying his new badge to the misty-eyed audience, Daniel threw his arms around Curran — a hug that was reciprocated by the smiling director.
Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) and most other Democrats remained seated. One of the only Democrats who expressed any modicum of support for Trump’s gesture was reportedly New York Rep. Laura Gillen, who actually stood up to applaud Daniel’s admission to the Secret Service.
Daniel said in a video shared by the White House, “I’m going to keep on going until my gas tanks run out, and that’s when God calls you home. You never know when God’s going to call you home.”
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Dj daniel, Donald trump, Devarjaye daniel, Congress, Trump speech, Democrats, Protest, Cancer, Secret service, Politics
