The Republican firebrand blasted despot leader Kim Jong-un for oppressing his people and labelling his pursuit of nuclear weapons as “desperate”.
He stated: “No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.
“North Korea’s reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland.
“We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from ever happening.
“Past experience has taught us that complacency and concessions only invite aggression and provocation.”
The President then vowed to avoid “the mistakes” of past administrations that he claimed had put North Korea in its threatening position.
He went on: “I will not repeat the mistakes of past administrations that got us into this very dangerous position.
“We need only look at the depraved character of the North Korean regime to understand the nature of the nuclear threat it could pose to America and to our allies.”
A defector from the hermit kingdom was present in the audience – Ji Seong-ho’s story of having his limbs run over by a train before being subject to torture by the regime was told by Mr Trump.
He said: “Seong-ho traveled thousands of miles on crutches all across China and Southeast Asia to freedom.
“Most of his family followed. His father was caught trying to escape, and was tortured to death.”
The Republican firebrand declared that the defector was a “witness to the ominous nature” of the rogue state.
Fred and Cindy Warmbier were also present at the SOTU address – the couple were reunited with their son, Otto, after he returned from 17 months of captivity in the hermit kingdom.
Otto Warmbier died shortly after arriving back in the US after suffering from severe brain damage.
In memory of the American college student, Donald Trump promised to “honour Otto’s memory with total American resolve”.
Trump gave his first joint address to Congress last year, but it was not considered an official SOTU speech as he had just taken office.
Melania attended the first joint address to Congress address and the US First Lady again watched her husband’s first SOTU speech.
His first SOTU speech came as his approval rating hovers in the 30s.