US President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address ever on Tuesday evening, declaring the first year of his second term in office a major success before Congress. The more than two-hour address was delivered in a triumphant spirit, but was also accompanied by protests from Democratic lawmakers, sharp exchanges and persistently low public support, The Guardian pointed out.
The president spoke as the United States prepares for congressional elections in November and polls show weaker voter confidence in his administration. According to recent polls, less than 40 percent of Americans rate his performance positively, with criticism focusing mainly on the economic situation and immigration policy.
In his speech, Trump repeatedly claimed that he had rebuilt the country after the rule of his predecessor Joe Biden and that the United States is experiencing a „turnaround for generations.“.
He emphasized the economic steps of his administration, but presented only a minimum of new legislative plans. For example, he announced the creation of an anti-fraud initiative to be led by Vice President JD Vance, and talked about measures to protect households from rising electricity costs associated with the expansion of data centres.
The atmosphere in the hall was tense. Some Democratic lawmakers walked out demonstratively, others held protest banners or directly opposed the president. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during her speech, blamed the president's immigration policies for the deaths of American citizens in a law enforcement crackdown in Minnesota. Democratic Senator Mark Warner later said he left the chamber because he refused to continue listening to „hours of false allegations“.
Tensions have also affected relations between the White House and the Supreme Court. Several of its justices were present in the courtroom shortly after the court limited the president's ability to impose tariffs through executive powers. Trump called the decision „disappointing,“ but the criticism was considerably milder than his remarks about Democrats, which he repeatedly called „crazy.“.
The President devoted only limited space to foreign policy. He recalled the growing tensions with Iran and said that he preferred a diplomatic solution, but at the same time stressed that he would never allow the country to acquire a nuclear weapon. However, he did not elaborate on the specific steps taken by his administration.
Symbolic moments and guests in the gallery of the House of Representatives formed a significant part of the speech. The President recognized Olympic champions, soldiers and veterans, and personally awarded the Medal of Honor to one Korean War participant. He also mentioned the operation to capture the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduroa, in which an American pilot was injured.
Democrats responded with what they called „silent resistance“ and refused to clap for most of the speech. The official opposition response was delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, who sharply criticized the president's policies and asked the audience whether the president was really working in their interests.
The speech thus showed two different pictures of America: while Trump presented a period of returning strength and success, the political reality in Washington suggests a deeply divided society ahead of a crucial election that could decide the future direction of American politics.
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