President Donald Trump delivered a record-long State of the Union speech lasting 1 hour and 48 minutes, touting his economic achievements and immigration enforcement efforts. Trump proclaimed, “This is the Golden Age of America,” as partisan tensions flared between Trump and Democrats throughout the address.
Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn), who has faced repeated criticism from President Trump in the past, screamed, “You have killed Americans.” Representative Al Green (D-Texas) was escorted out of the chamber for the second year in a row for being disruptive.
“Democrats are destroying our country, but we've stopped it just in the nick of time,” Trump said.
His second joint address to Congress comes on the heels of a declining presidential approval rating, upcoming midterm elections, and wide-ranging protests across the country against his backing of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) measures. Trump's speech was also delivered amidst intense negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program and against the backdrop of a recent Supreme Court ruling invalidating Trump's tariff powers.
President Trump touted his June 2025 military operation, “Midnight Hammer,” which he claims “obliterated” Iran's nuclear facilities, and promised Americans that Iran would not be allowed to rebuild their nuclear weapons program.
“We wiped it out, and they want to start all over again,” Trump said.
As U.S. military buildup ramped up in the Middle East this week, Trump asserted that he would pursue means of intervention if necessary. However, he omitted elaboration about what intervention would entail.
“My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy, but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terrorism, which they are, to have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump boasted the return of a “roaring economy” and the passage of Republicans' “One Big Beautiful Bill” from last summer that included tax cuts, no tax on tips, overtime, or Social Security, in addition to various tax deductibles and child tax credits.
“A turnaround for the ages,” Trump said, alluding to Democrats and former President Biden's economic policies.
Trump failed to mention Americans' unfavorable outlook on the economy while promoting low gas prices, mortgage prices, a 1.7% inflation rate, and stock market records. Trump also touted his new “Trump Accounts,” federal and donor-funded investment accounts for children.
Trump continued to praise his tariff policies, which he claims may eventually replace income tax, and asserted the procurement of over $18 billion in foreign investments for the United States.
“Deals are all done… we're making a lot of money,” he said.
Amidst the controversial deployment of the National Guard over the past year to several American cities including Washington, D.C., President Trump celebrated the administration's “crackdown” on illegal immigration and securing the U.S.-Mexico border.
“The only thing standing between Americans and a wide-open border right now is Donald Trump and the great Republican patriots in Congress,” he declared.
President Trump called on Democrats in Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security following the partial government shutdown earlier this year in the wake of the murders by ICE agents of two American citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, whom Trump failed to mention during the speech on Tuesday.
“The first duty of the American government is to protect citizens, not illegal aliens,” he said, garnering a long applause from Republicans in the audience.
Kennedy Moore is a freshman studying Government with minors in Journalism and French in the College of Arts and Sciences from Bethesda, Maryland.