WASHINGTON—President Trump is expected to deliver a forceful address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday in line with his hard-charging early weeks in office that have reset U.S. foreign policy and trade relations, cracked down on illegal immigration and upended the federal government.

“I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS,” Trump said of his speech in a Monday post on social media.

The speech, which is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET, will be centered on the theme of “renewal of the American dream,” according to a White House official. It will give Trump a chance to tout his administration’s work so far while offering a window into his coming priorities.

Here are the five things to watch:

Russia’s war in Ukraine

Trump is expected to detail a plan to end the war in Ukraine, the official said. The speech comes after last week’s tense meeting in the Oval Office between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , which dashed some hopes of reaching a deal to end the three-year-old war.

Following the meeting, plans for a U.S.-Ukraine mineral resources deal that was seen as a step toward a peace agreement were put on hold. And Trump has repeatedly criticized Zelensky in public and in private.

Officials in Kyiv, Moscow and Washington will likely watch the speech closely for signals about Trump’s next steps, including whether he is willing to reengage with Zelensky.

Trump on Monday told reporters that he would address the minerals deal in his Tuesday night speech.

Selling Musk’s efforts to shrink the government

Trump has praised billionaire Elon Musk’s efforts to shrink the federal government as necessary to tackle waste and fraud. But the elimination of federal jobs, programs and contracts has caused alarm among some voters, who have questioned lawmakers in their home districts.

The president will have an opportunity to explain Musk’s actions and try to appease GOP moderates and independents who voted for him.

More than half of those surveyed said in a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University that Musk had too much power in making decisions that affected the country. Among Republicans, 16% said he had too much power, and among independents, 56% said he had too much power.

Another poll by Pew Research Center found 54% of respondents had an unfavorable view of Musk, compared with 42% who had a favorable view.

Addressing high costs, tariffs

Since taking office, Trump hasn’t talked much about high prices beyond blaming them on his predecessor, even as inflation remains stubborn.

Some Republicans have expressed concern in recent days that high prices could become politically risky for the party, adding that the president’s far-reaching plan for imposing tariffs could further boost inflation. Trump has acknowledged that tariffs could lead to “some pain” for consumers, but he has argued that they are necessary to boost U.S. manufacturing.

Trump is expected to lay out the steps his administration has taken to address inflation, the official said.

Trump is set to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. The speech could give him a chance to explain his tariff decision and lay out his economic vision ahead of his first budget request to Congress, which is expected in the coming weeks.

More immigration actions

Since taking office, Trump has overseen far-reaching policy changes aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

He quickly suspended asylum in the U.S. and launched a mass deportation program. The Department of Homeland Security adopted new guidelines allowing the government to deport immigrants who entered the country illegally as long as two years ago using a fast-track process and granted agents across the federal government the same powers as an immigration officer.

But Trump and top administration officials haven’t been satisfied with the pace of arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Officials have been considering further actions to boost their deportation efforts, and Trump could lay out his next steps during the speech. The president is expected to call on Congress to approve more funding for his deportation campaign, the official said.

Democratic response

Presidential addresses to Congress are traditionally moments when leaders seek to project a sober tone and look for opportunities to show unity. In his first weeks in office, Trump has shown a willingness to reject tradition, signaling that his approach to the speech could differ from the one embraced by past presidents of both parties.

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin is expected to deliver the Democratic response to Trump’s address. Slotkin won her Senate seat in 2024 in a state carried by Trump. Some prominent Democrats are planning to skip the speech, including Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Ron Wyden of Oregon.

Democrats are expected to bring guests who have been harmed by policies put in place since Trump took office, including people whose family members are at risk of losing access to treatment under National Institutes of Health-led clinical trials. House Democrats’ key messaging group urged lawmakers to consider bringing a constituent who would be affected by a federal funding freeze, building on previous efforts to put these people in the spotlight at news conferences and town halls.

In a letter to Democratic lawmakers on Monday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) said it is “important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber.”

He added, “The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives we will not be run off the block or bullied.”

Write to Tarini Parti at tarini.parti@wsj.com and Alex Leary at alex.leary@wsj.com