Donald Trump stood before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night and delivered the longest State of the Union address in history — clocking in at just over 108 minutes — a sprawling, combative speech that mixed economic self-congratulation with sharp attacks on Democrats, strong foreign policy rhetoric, and a series of symbolic moments that drew both standing ovations and vocal protests from the chamber floor.
“Our nation is back — bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump declared at the outset, framing his presidency as the dawn of what he called “the golden age of America.” The address carried a strong midterm election feel throughout, with the president clearly focused on making the case to voters ahead of November’s congressional contests.
Economy and domestic policy
The economy dominated the first half of the speech. Trump pointed to stock market records — the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 50,000 for the first time earlier this month — and claimed inflation was falling and incomes rising. He announced a new retirement savings initiative under which the government would match contributions of up to $1,000 for workers, and touted his One Big Beautiful Bill Act as a landmark piece of economic legislation.
He also called for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and their families — a rare moment that drew applause from both sides of the aisle, prompting Trump to remark, “I’m very impressed.” The bipartisanship did not last long. When heckling continued, Trump turned on his critics directly, declaring, “You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
Immigration and crime
Trump reiterated his hardline stance on border security and immigration enforcement, a central pillar of his presidency since returning to office. He promised continued efforts to crack down on fraud, with pointed references to California, and framed immigration enforcement as essential to public safety — despite polling showing that political independents are increasingly uncomfortable with the administration’s aggressive tactics.
Foreign policy and military honours
On the world stage, Trump struck a combative tone toward Iran, warning of nuclear threats and signalling that military options remained on the table. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe had briefed congressional leaders on Iran just hours before the address.
The chamber erupts
The evening was not without drama. Representative Al Green of Texas was escorted out of the chamber near the start of the address after waving a sign, while Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib interrupted Trump’s speech by calling out at him. One of Omar’s guests was later arrested by Capitol Police for allegedly disrupting proceedings.
On the lighter side, members of the US men’s Olympic ice hockey team received a rousing standing ovation when Trump gave them a shoutout, with chants of “USA” erupting across the chamber. Trump also announced he would award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to gold medal goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
The Democratic response
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal, accusing Trump of lying and scapegoating and offering “no real solutions” to the country’s challenges. She argued that his tariff policies had made life less affordable for Americans and criticised cuts to food programmes.
The broader political backdrop was difficult for the president. A new NPR/PBS/Marist poll shows that six in ten Americans believe the country is worse off than last year, and a majority say the state of the union is not strong. Whether Tuesday night’s address moves those numbers will become clear in the weeks ahead.
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Photo credit: Brandon Day, Unsplash