Democratic and Republican legislators respectively protest and praise Trump’s stance on immigration, tariffs and other issues.
On Feb. 24, President Donald Trump addressed the nation in his 2026 State of the Union address. He spoke for one hour and 47 minutes, making it the longest speech delivered before a joint session of Congress. The room was not just divided physically — each party was immovable in their pre-existing assumptions. Raucous applause, and at times, shouting, were common throughout the address.
Perhaps pulling from his history as an entertainer, Trump’s performance highlighted the partisan divide. He made frequent remarks disparaging both the policies and character of previous Democratic leadership, at one point stating “Democrats are destroying our country.”
Notably, several Democratic legislators, including Senators Chris Murphy and Chris Van Hollen as well as Representative Summer Lee, were not present. Instead, they attended a counter-event called “People’s State of the Union,” which occurred at the same time. Many of those who did choose to participate in Trump’s address demonstrated frustrations. Texas representative Al Green was escorted out before the president began speaking.
In reference to a recent racist social media post, Green held up a sign when Trump entered the chamber that said “Black people aren’t apes.” Others wore pins with the words “Stand with survivors. Release the files.” Trump did not reference Jeffrey Epstein or the survivors of the trafficking ring once in his almost two-hour long presentation.
There were several instances where Democrats did stand and applaud with their Republican counterparts. When the men’s Olympic hockey team, fresh off a gold medal, made an appearance, applause continued for almost two minutes. Goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his performance. Another notable bipartisan moment occurred when Officer Scott Ruskan was recognized for his heroic rescue of Milly Cate McClymond during the July 4 Texas flash flooding. Ruskan was awarded the Legion of Merit for extraordinary heroism, which was met with universal support.
One initiative that received bipartisan approval was legislation intended to protect senior benefits. Trump plans to provide every American a government-supported retirement plan that would match every $1,000 saved. Seemingly feigning disbelief at the show of support from the left side of the chamber, Trump said, “They stood up for that. I can’t believe it.”
He did not receive similar support for other topics. Immigration and its effect on American citizens was emphasized. “Our country had record numbers [of immigrants], and we’re getting them the hell out of here fast. We don’t want ’em. ” He referenced a debilitating car accident and brutal murder, both at the hands of undocumented individuals, to justify his sweeping immigration policy.
Trump ordered anyone who agreed that the government should protect citizens over “illegal aliens” to stand. Republican legislators stood and applauded. Democrats did not. Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar shouted, in reference to Immigration and Customs Enforcement violence in her state, “you have killed Americans.”
Trump addressed several other issues, including tariffs, cost of living, and tax cuts. The president defended his decisions regarding import taxes. “I used these tariffs, took in hundreds of billions of dollars to make great deals for our countries. … They were ripping us so badly.”
Next steps for his signature tariff policy are uncertain because in recent days the Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional. Trump has since called the ruling “very unfortunate.”
He claimed that grocery and other costs of living are “plummeting downward.” However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that food prices are 2.9% higher than this time last year. Additionally, Trump stated that per the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which went into effect Jan. 1 of this year, tax relief on tips, overtime and social security are positively impacting working-class American citizens. He referenced one mother who said she will save an extra $5,000 this year due to the bill.
Finally, after stating that he was responsible for the end of eight wars, the president acknowledged ongoing negotiations with Iran. “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy. But … I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror … to have a nuclear weapon.”
Doubts arose as to the validity of many claims made, including by the New York Times who argued that “claims of a historic turnaround are not backed by the facts.”
