The first State of the Union address under President Donald J. Trump’s second term in office took place Feb. 24, 2026. The country watched as Democrats and Republicans expressed strong emotional interest in several topics, including immigration, economics, tariffs, healthcare and the celebration of America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. This year’s speech was the longest in recorded history, clocking in at one hour and 48 minutes. The night saw many non-Trump supporters attempt to protest the speech, with some in the audience on their phones and actively appearing not to pay attention to the president. Meanwhile, many Republicans cheered for the President, chanting “USA” and standing for most of the address as Trump outlined his accomplishments and plans for the remainder of his term. Many members of the Democratic Party skipped the speech, with around half of the members absent.
The State of the Union always has a very proper entrance. All of the Republicans, Democrats and Independents enter the house at the same time before “more important” individuals come in. I think, during these entrances, it is “proper” to stand and cheer for these people out of respect and cheer for the accomplishments and sacrifices made by these people, even if you don’t align with their political party. In this moment, when some refused to stand for the president, I realized that this speech was going to cause a political divide, per usual. Unfortunately, this is the new normal for modern-day American politics, where the members who lead the country can’t even be in the same room with each other without sticking up only for their party and their views rather than the views of the American people. The already divided house got more divided when Texas Democrat Al Green brought a sign that said “Black people aren’t apes,” referencing the backlash from a social media post that put former president Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s faces on the bodies of monkeys. I believe this is the best example of both parties trying to receive as much attention as possible, where millions of Americans watch a formal event on national television. I saw it as one party trying to make a harmless and funny meme, while the other called it racist and shameful. Al Greene shouted at the president while holding the sign and was eventually kicked out for disrupting.
President Trump’s speech started with him stating, “Our nation is back, bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.” I believe this was a bright way to open the speech from a political perspective. He then highlighted the 250th year of Independence in the United States of America, followed by the promised accomplishments he would deliver to the country at the start of his 2024 campaign, including strong borders, a strong economy, imposing tariffs on trade and more. Obviously, some “accomplishments” are solely based on a person’s political preferences, but highlighting those accomplishments rather than targeting working people for the government, who have different beliefs than you, is not a good look, especially when being the President of the United States and having the most power. It seemed as if after every sentence, Trump looked to the right side of the aisle and gave a little smirk.
After stating the country’s accomplishments over the past nine months, Trump called for the USA men’s Olympic hockey team to come where Goalie Connor Hellebuyck was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom after a 2-1 win over Canada, giving the USA Men’s Hockey team their first gold medal since 1980. This was one of the more unifying moments of the night, where you could see people standing, no matter which side of the aisle. I believe this shows how uniting sports are and how politics can be taken out of the conversation when discussing the Olympics or sports in general, rather than cheering for your political party.
When shifting from sports topics, Trump discussed tariffs and directly targeted the Supreme Court for ruling his tariffs illegal and unconstitutional. Trump responded to this decision, calling it a “very unfortunate ruling,” making it seem like Trump didn’t care what the Supreme Court had to say at all. One of the things you don’t do in politics? Exactly that. In my opinion, no matter your political party, you want to be on good terms with the Supreme Court.
One of the most shocking moments of the speech was when Trump asked the House, “If you agree with this statement, stand up and show your support. The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal Aliens.” Half of the House stood; the other half did not. I think this is a very bad look for the people who did not stand and show support. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar responded by shouting at Trump, saying, “You have killed Americans,” and “You are the murderer.” Trump was on the topic of the alleged fraud in Minnesota when this went down. I think Stephen A. Smith had a great reaction to this on his podcast, saying, “I’m here to tell you that neither is acceptable,” he added. “Neither should be acceptable. At some point in time, ladies and gentlemen, there’s got to be an adult in the room.” Ilhan Omar said on CNN the night after, “He does not acknowledge the fact that two Americans were killed,” and has “no regrets” on her interaction with the president. Throughout the entire night, it felt as if Trump was targeting Democrats directly and trying to get them to say something during the speech.
The speech ended with Trump making his final remarks on America’s 250th year of independence saying, “Thank you, God bless you and God bless America.” Many non-supporters seemed to pack their things and leave right when the speech was done, while supporters stayed to personally congratulate the President that night. Democrats’ response to the speech was targeted at Trump, stating, “He did what he always does, he lied, he scapegoated, and he distracted,” according to Abigail Spanberger. Different media sites had different analyses that fact-checked statements Trump made and found that many statements were exaggerated. I believe this is not only something Donald Trump has done, but almost every president has done to have the American people on their side, get more votes and only highlight the achievements, rather than what they can work on as a government.
Overall, I feel the State of the Union address was a complete embarrassment to both Democrats and Republicans. A speech meant to unite the nation every year leads to yet another two-sided drama series over political bias rather than actual accomplishments, only dividing the country even more.
