US President Donald Trump declared during Wednesday's marathon State of the Union that "we’re winning so much", saying he'd sparked a jobs and manufacturing boom at home while imposing a new world order abroad — hoping that offering a long list of his accomplishments can counter approval ratings that have been falling.
His main objective was convincing increasingly wary Americans that the economy is stronger than many believe, and that they should vote for more of the same by backing Republicans during November’s midterm elections. In the process, he shattered his own record, going longer than the 100-minute speech he gave before a joint session of Congress last year.
Trump tried at points to appeal to bipartisan patriotic sentiments, introducing a series of surprise guests that included US military heroes; a former political prisoner released after his administration toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Nicolás Maduro; and the Olympic gold-medal-winning US men’s hockey team.
"Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me, 'Please, please, please, Mr President, we’re winning too much. We can’t take it anymore'," Trump said before introducing the team.
State of the Union: Trump addresses nation as approval ratings plummet - Watch on TVNZ+
The hockey players, wearing their medals and sweaters that said "USA" in large letters, drew a bipartisan standing ovation. Trump pointed to the Democratic side of the chamber and quipped, "That’s the first time I ever I’ve ever seen them get up."
In another made-for-TV moment, Trump announced he would be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honour, to the hockey team’s goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. Trump made a similar surprise announcement in 2020, bestowing the award on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh during the speech.
Trump calls tariff decision 'an unfortunate ruling' as justices look on
Trump championed his immigration crackdowns and his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down. He drew applause only from Democrats while describing the high court's overturning his policies, which he called "an unfortunate ruling" while insisting "everything was working well" before it came down.
The president vowed to plough ahead, using "alternative" laws to impose the taxes on imports and telling lawmakers, "Congressional action will not be necessary." He also made a bold prediction, suggesting that some day tariffs would "substantially replace" the modern income tax system. Trump argued that the tariffs are paid by foreign countries, despite evidence that the costs are borne by American consumers and businesses.
"It's saving our country," Trump said of tariffs.
The Supreme Court justices in attendance were the same who came to Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress last March: Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan. Trump greeted the justices after previously slamming Coney Barrett for siding with the majority against his tariffs, despite him appointing her to the high court in his first term.
Democrats also stood for Trump vowing to crackdown on insider trading by lawmakers, prompting Trump to offer, "I’m very impressed". Not everybody applauded, though. Representative Mark Takano, a California Democrat yelled, "How about you first!" Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, called out, "You’re the most corrupt president!"
When some heckling continued, Trump proclaimed, "You should be ashamed of yourselves." Later he pointed at Democrats and proclaimed, "These people are crazy", adding, "Democrats are destroying our country."
Democratic Representative Al Green was escorted from the chamber after he unfurled a sign of protest that read "Black People Aren’t Apes!" The sign appeared to be a reference to a racist video the president posted that depicted former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama depicted as primates in a jungle. Green was also removed during Trump's address last year.
Before he began speaking, Senate Democrats blocked a bill to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security, pressing for new limits on immigration enforcement that Republicans have opposed.
In response, Trump invited lawmakers from both parties to "protect American citizens, not illegal aliens" and championed proposals to limit mail-in ballots and tighten voter identification rules. He then devoted large swaths of his speech to warning about the dangers of immigrants and bestowed the Purple Heart on Andrew Wolfe, a National Guard member who was shot while deployed on the streets of the nation’s capital and made his first public appearance since then during the speech.
Affordability gets relatively little speech time
Trump didn't say that much about efforts to bring down the cost of living — despite polling showing that his handling of the economy and kitchen table issues have increasingly become a liability. Such concerns about the high costs of living helped propel Democratic wins around the country on Election Day last November.
There also are persistent fears that tariffs stoking higher prices could eventually hurt the economy and job creation. Economic growth slowed 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 2018’s blue wave created a strong check to his administration during his first term.
On Wednesday, Trump blamed his predecessor, former US 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.
"You caused that problem," Trump said of affordability concerns. He added a moment later, "They knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie."
As is typical, Trump also had some notable off-script moments. Referencing prescription drug prices, Trump said, "So in my first year of the second term — should be my third term — but strange things happen," prompting at least one chant in the chamber of "Four more years!"
The president also put forward a new plan to give a modest boost to help some Americans save for retirement if they do not have a retirement account through their workplace in which their employer matches contributions to the fund.
Starting next year, he said, his administration would let those Americans access the same retirement accounts as federal workers and would match their contribution up to US$1000 (NZ$1673). Trump did not offer details about how he would put the programme in place and did not indicate if he would ask Congress to pass the programme and fund it.
The president also announced that tech companies involved in artificial intelligence are agreeing to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centres are located. Data centres tend to use large volumes of electricity, potentially increasing the cost of power to other consumers in the area.
A warning to Iran
Trump's address came as two US aircraft carriers have been dispatched to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran. Trump said, "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 terror – which they are, by far – to have a nuclear weapon," he added.
The president also recounted US airstrikes last summer that pounded Tehran's nuclear capabilities, and lauded the raid that ousted Maduro in Venezuela — as well as his administration's brokering of a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
Less mentioned was Trump's having strained US military alliances with NATO, thanks to his push to seize Greenland from Denmark and his failure to take a harder line with Russian President Vladimir Putin in seeking an end to its war in Ukraine. Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war.
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