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During Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Donald Trump proudly declared, "We're winning so much." He boasted about the jobs and manufacturing boom he has sparked in the country, as well as his success in establishing a new world order abroad. The president seemed determined to counter his falling approval ratings by listing his achievements.
One of Trump's main objectives was to convince Americans that the economy is stronger than they believe. He urged them to vote for more of the same by supporting Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. To appeal to bipartisan patriotism, Trump invited the Olympic gold-medal-winning US men's hockey team into the House chamber, where they received a warm applause. The team had just visited the White House earlier in the day.
"Our country is winning again. In fact, we're winning so much that we don't know what to do about it. People are asking me, 'Please, please, please, Mister President, we're winning too much. We can't take it anymore,'" Trump joked before introducing the hockey team. "We're not used to winning in our country until you came along."
The hockey players, wearing their medals and "USA" sweaters, received a standing ovation from both Democrats and Republicans. Trump even pointed to the Democratic side of the chamber and joked, "That's the first time I've ever seen them get up."
In another memorable moment, Trump announced that he would be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the hockey team's goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. This was not the first time he made a surprise announcement during his State of the Union address, as he had previously awarded the same honor to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh in 2020.
During his speech, Trump also highlighted his tough stance on immigration and his efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. He also mentioned his push to maintain widespread tariffs, despite the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down many of his signature tariff policies. He referred to the ruling as "unfortunate" and claimed that everything was working well before the court's decision.
However, Trump vowed to continue imposing tariffs, using "alternative" laws if necessary. He boldly predicted that one day tariffs would "substantially replace" the modern income tax system, despite evidence that American consumers and businesses bear the costs of tariffs.
The Supreme Court justices who attended the address were the same ones who had been present at 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 were all greeted by the president. He even shook hands with Coney Barrett, despite previously criticizing her for ruling against his tariffs, even though he had appointed her to the high court in his first term.
As Trump discussed his plans to crack down on insider trading by lawmakers, he received a standing ovation from Democrats, prompting him to say, "I'm very impressed." However, not all Democrats were supportive. Rep. Mark Takano of California yelled, "How about you first!" and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan called out, "You're the most corrupt president!" When some heckling continued, Trump scolded, "You should be ashamed of yourselves."
Later in his speech, he pointed at Democrats and exclaimed, "These people are crazy." He went on to say, "Democrats are destroying our country."
President Donald Trump confidently declared during his State of the Union address that the country is experiencing a period of great success. He boasted about the strong economy and job market, as well as his efforts to restructure foreign relations. Trump hoped that by presenting a long list of accomplishments, he could counteract his declining approval ratings.
His main goal was to convince Americans that the economy is in a better state than they may think, and that voting for Republican candidates in the upcoming midterm elections would continue to bring success. Trump began his speech by appealing to bipartisan patriotism, warmly welcoming the Olympic gold-medal-winning US men's hockey team to the House chamber. The team had just visited the White House and received a standing ovation from both Democrats and Republicans.
"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, Mister President, we're winning too much. We can't take it anymore,'" Trump proudly stated before introducing the team. "We're not used to winning in our country until you came along."
The hockey players, wearing their medals and USA sweaters, drew a bipartisan standing ovation. Trump even joked about the Democrats standing up, saying it was the first time he had seen them do so. He then surprised everyone by announcing that he would be awarding the team's goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country. This was not the first time Trump had made a surprise announcement during a speech, as he had previously bestowed the award on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh in 2020.
Trump also used his speech to highlight his strong stance on immigration and his efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. He reiterated his support for tariffs, which had recently been struck down by the Supreme Court. He criticized Democratic-led states, specifically Minnesota, and announced that tech companies involved in artificial intelligence had agreed to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centers are located. This could potentially increase the cost of power for other consumers in the area.
While Trump received applause from Democrats for discussing the Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs, he also expressed his disappointment in the decision and vowed to continue using alternative measures to impose taxes on imports. He even boldly predicted that tariffs could one day replace the current income tax system, despite evidence that they are ultimately paid by American consumers and businesses.
During his speech, Trump also greeted the Supreme Court justices in attendance, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Elena Kagan. He even shook hands with Coney Barrett, despite previously criticizing her for not siding with him on the tariff ruling.
In a rare moment of unity, Democrats applauded when Trump promised to crackdown on insider trading by lawmakers. But not everyone was on board, as some Democrats shouted out their disapproval. Trump responded by saying, "You should be ashamed of yourselves," and later referred to them as "crazy" and accused them of destroying the country.
Overall, Trump's State of the Union address was filled with confident statements and bold promises, as he sought to reassure Americans that the country is on a path towards continued success.
