Trump Proclaims ‘Golden Age’ in State of the Union Amid Growing Voter Concerns Over Economy

U.S. President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address on Tuesday to proclaim that he had launched a “golden age of America,” attempting to project confidence and momentum even as his approval ratings slip and voter frustration mounts ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Responding to concerns from fellow Republicans anxious about potentially losing control of Congress, Trump devoted much of the first hour of his nationally televised speech to the economy. He touted what he described as progress on inflation, record-breaking stock market gains, sweeping tax cuts, and efforts to lower prescription drug prices.

Whether that upbeat message will ease Americans’ worries about the rising cost of living remains uncertain. Trump pointed the finger at his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, for persistent high prices. However, polls suggest many voters believe Trump has not done enough to tackle affordability, an issue he emphasized heavily on the campaign trail.

“Our nation is back—bigger, better, richer, and stronger than ever before,” Trump declared to chants of “USA, USA” from Republican lawmakers. Across the aisle, dozens of Democratic seats sat empty, underscoring the boycott by members attending anti-Trump rallies outside the Capitol.

The annual address came at a delicate juncture in Trump’s presidency. Surveys show growing public dissatisfaction with his leadership, while tensions with Iran and setbacks to his signature tariff agenda—after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down most of his import taxes—have added to political headwinds.

For much of the evening, Trump stuck closely to prepared remarks, a departure from his usual improvisational style. Still, flashes of confrontation emerged during his discussion of immigration enforcement, as he traded barbs with several Democratic lawmakers.

The former reality television personality also infused the event with pageantry. Celebrating what he called a string of national “wins,” Trump welcomed members of the U.S. men’s ice hockey team to the chamber, fresh off their gold-medal victory at the Winter Olympics. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was singled out for praise and announced as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of several honors bestowed during the evening with characteristic fanfare.

At 79, Trump delivered a speech lasting roughly one hour and 47 minutes, surpassing the record he set last year for the longest presidential address to Congress.

NO CLARITY ON IRAN

When Donald Trump pivoted to immigration — long a centerpiece of his political identity — he reprised the hardline rhetoric that fueled his 2024 campaign. He asserted that undocumented migrants were driving a surge in violent crime, a claim contradicted by numerous studies.

“You should be ashamed,” Trump told Democrats, criticizing them for declining to fund the United States Department of Homeland Security unless steps were taken to rein in what they describe as overly aggressive enforcement tactics by immigration agents.

Recent opinion surveys indicate that a majority of Americans believe Trump’s immigration crackdown has exceeded reasonable bounds, particularly following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by masked federal agents in Minneapolis.

As the president defended his border policies, Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, whose district includes part of Minneapolis, shouted, “You have killed Americans!”

Trump, who has repeatedly alleged widespread voter fraud without evidence, also faulted Democrats for opposing a voter identification mandate. “They want to cheat,” he said. Democrats counter that the Republican-backed proposal would create unnecessary obstacles for voters and depress turnout.

Democratic Representative Al Green was escorted out of the House chamber for the second consecutive year after waving a sign reading, “Black people aren’t apes.” The protest referenced a social media post Trump had shared featuring a video that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. The White House later removed the video, which Trump said had been uploaded by a staff member. Green, who is Black, was also removed from last year’s address after interrupting the president.

Other Democrats staged more subdued protests. Representative Jill Tokuda wore a white jacket emblazoned with words such as “affordability” and “healthcare.” Several Democratic women donned badges reading “release the files,” alluding to the controversy surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Roughly a dozen of Epstein’s accusers attended the address as guests of Democratic lawmakers.