WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President declared during a marathon State of the Union on Tuesday that 鈥渨e鈥檙e winning so much鈥� 鈥� insisting he’d sparked an economic boom at home and imposed a new world order abroad in hopes it can counter his .
Trump’s main objective was convincing that the economy is stronger than many believe, and that they should vote for more of the same by backing Republicans during . In all, Trump spoke for a record 108 minutes, breaking 鈥� by eight minutes 鈥� the previous time mark from his address last year.
The president largely avoided his usual bombast, only occasionally veering off-script 鈥� mostly to slam Democrats. As he did during such addresses in his first term, Trump relied on a series of surprise special guests to dramatically punctuate his message. They included U.S. military heroes and a former political prisoner released after U.S. forces toppled Venezuelan President .
Trump drew some of the loudest applause of the night when he invited the Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men鈥檚 hockey team into the House chamber.
鈥淥ur country is winning again. In fact, we鈥檙e winning so much that we really don鈥檛 know what to do about it. People are asking me, ‘Please, please, please, Mister President, we鈥檙e winning too much. We can鈥檛 take it anymore,'” Trump said before introducing the team.
The hockey players, wearing their medals and 鈥淯SA鈥� sweaters, drew a bipartisan standing ovation. Trump pointed to the Democratic side of the chamber and quipped, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the first time I ever I鈥檝e ever seen them get up.鈥�
In a made-for-TV moment, the president announced he would be awarding the , America鈥檚 highest civilian honor, to the hockey team鈥檚 goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. He also bestowed the Purple Heart on Andrew Wolfe 鈥� a National Guard member who was shot while deployed on the streets of the nation鈥檚 capital. Wolfe made his first public appearance since then during the speech.
That scene recalled a similar surprise announcement in 2020, when Trump gave the Medal of Freedom to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh during his State of the Union speech.
Trump decries tariff decision as justices look on
The president championed and his push to preserve that the . He drew applause only from Democrats while describing the high court’s decision, which he called 鈥渁n unfortunate ruling.鈥�
Trump vowed to plow ahead, using 鈥渁lternative鈥� laws to impose the taxes on imports and telling lawmakers, 鈥淐ongressional action will not be necessary.鈥� Trump argued that the tariffs are paid by foreign countries, despite evidence that the costs are borne by American consumers and businesses. 鈥淚t’s saving our country,鈥� he said.
The only Supreme Court justices attending were Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan. Trump greeted them personally before the speech, despite last week slamming Coney Barrett 鈥� who he appointed to the high court in his first term 鈥� for siding with the majority against his tariffs.
Democrats also stood for Trump vowing to halt insider trading by members of Congress. But Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, yelled, 鈥淗ow about you first!鈥� Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, called out, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e the most corrupt president!鈥�
When some heckling continued, Trump proclaimed, 鈥淵ou should be ashamed of yourselves.” Later, he pointed at Democrats and proclaimed, 鈥淭hese people are crazy.”
Democratic Rep. Al Green was escorted from the chamber early in the speech, after he unfurled a sign of protest that read 鈥淏lack People Aren鈥檛 Apes!鈥� That was an apparent reference to a that depicted former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as primates in a jungle. Green was also removed during Trump’s address last year.
The president, meanwhile, was mostly optimistic and patriotic, but Trump struck a darker tone in large swaths of his speech to warn about the dangers posed by immigrants. He invited lawmakers from both parties to 鈥減rotect American citizens, not illegal aliens鈥� and championed proposals to limit mail-in ballots and tighten voter identification rules.
Affordability gets relatively little time
Trump didn’t dwell on efforts to lower the cost of living 鈥� despite and kitchen-table issues has increasingly become a liability. Such concerns about the high costs of living helped on Election Day last November.
There also are persistent fears that tariffs stoking could eventually hurt the economy and job creation. in the last three months of last year.
It is potentially politically perilous ahead of November elections that could deliver congressional wins to Democrats, just as created a strong check to his administration during his first term.
On Tuesday, Trump blamed his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, along with Democratic lawmakers in the chamber, saying they were responsible for rising prices and health care costs, two issues his political opponents have repeatedly raised against him.
鈥淵ou caused that problem,鈥� Trump said of affordability concerns. He added a moment later, 鈥淭hey knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie.鈥�
Trump also said he鈥檇 press tech companies involved in artificial intelligence to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centers are located. Such data centers tend to use large volumes of electricity, potentially increasing the cost of power to other consumers in the area.
Another notable off-script moment came as Trump was referencing prescription drug prices, saying, 鈥淪o in my first year of the second term 鈥� should be my third term 鈥� but strange things happen,鈥� prompting at least one chant in the chamber of 鈥淔our more years!鈥�
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who delivered the Democratic response to Trump’s speech, slammed the president’s aggressive immigration policies, his and his tariffs.
鈥淓ven though the Supreme Court struck these tariffs down four days ago, the damage to us, the American people, has already been done. Meanwhile, the president is planning for new tariffs,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nother massive tax hike on you and your family.鈥�
A warning to Iran
Trump’s address came as two U.S. aircraft carriers have been amid tensions with Iran. Trump said, 鈥淢y preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy.鈥�
鈥淏ut one thing is certain, I will never allow the world鈥檚 number one sponsor of terror 鈥� which they are, by far 鈥� to have a nuclear weapon,鈥� he added.
The president also recounted last summer that , and lauded that ousted Maduro in Venezuela 鈥� as well as his administration’s brokering of in Israel鈥檚 war with Hamas in Gaza.
鈥淎s president, I will make peace wherever I can,” Trump said. “But I will never hesitate to confront threats to America, wherever we must.鈥�
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