Alex Bucknam
Managing Editor
President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.| Image courtesy of the White House
President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Feb. 24 was the longest State of the Union speech in United States (U.S.) history, lasting one hour and 47 minutes.
50 Congressional Democrats chose not to attend, including prominent members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The address came ahead of the looming midterm elections later this year, with news outlets mentioning that Trump needs to bring the Republican Party together, and to quell fears in voters so Republicans don’t lose elections.
Critics expected Trump to focus heavily on the economy, and he touched a little on it, but shifted his focus mainly to immigration and tariffs.
A CBS poll found that 61% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy.
At the start of the address, Democratic Rep. Al Green was escorted out.
Green held a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes,” referring to a Truth Social post in which Trump portrayed Democratic officials as animals, specifically comparing the Obamas to apes.
Green and other critics viewed the post as racist, arguing that it dehumanizes people and echoes pseudoscientific racial hierarchies that placed white people above Black people.
As Green exited the chamber, Republican representatives grabbed his sign and made comments that broadcasters were unable to pick up.
Trump opened his speech by highlighting what he called major accomplishments, stating, “Our economy is the envy of the world.”
He focused heavily on tariffs, noting that the Supreme Court struck down parts of his sweeping tariff plan.
Trump called the decision “unfortunate” and added, “I don’t agree with that decision.”
Days earlier, he wrote on X that the justices who voted against the tariffs was “disloyal to the Constitution.”
While discussing the Supreme Court, Trump referenced the 22 Nobel Prize-winning economists who argued his tariffs would raise consumer prices.
He dismissed their concerns, saying they were wrong, and claimed they’re doing the opposite by lowering inflation.
According to the Federal Reserve, inflation has fallen from 2.9% in August 2025 to 2.4% as of February 2026. However, the nonpartisan Tax Foundation reported that tariffs cost the average household about $1,000 and are projected to cost $1,300 in 2026.
Trump repeatedly returned to tariffs throughout the night, even suggesting that the U.S. could eventually get rid of income taxes and fully operate under tariffs.
“I believe at some point in the not-too-distant future, you wouldn’t even have income tax to pay because the money we’re taking in is so great,” he said.
Trump also addressed immigration, claiming that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released “zero” illegal immigrants into the United States in the past four months.
“We are securing our border like never before,” he said.
According to the DHS, the claim refers specifically to catch-and-release type of encounters, so Trump’s “zero” does not account for other encounters that go undetected.
Trump criticized what he described as a DHS shutdown, blaming Democrats and accusing them of prioritizing undocumented immigrants over American citizens.
A few weeks back, 12 appropriation bills needed to be passed to keep certain parts of the government funded.
Both parties agreed they would fund 11 out of the 12 jurisdictions for the rest of the fiscal year, with the DHS being the lone jurisdiction to go unfunded.
The parties agreed to temporarily fund the DHS for two weeks as they debated ICE (Immigration Customs and Enforcement) reforms.
The funding for the DHS stopped on Feb. 14. No further agreement has been reached, so the DHS is currently not receiving money from Congress.
Throughout the night, Trump attacked Democrats on immigration, even calling on members of Congress to “stand up if you agree [that] the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Most Democratic lawmakers remained seated, later saying they did not want to engage in what they viewed as a political stunt.
Crime was another recurring theme. Trump claimed, “We saw the flow of deadly fentanyl drop 56%,” referring to the amount seized by authorities.
Experts note it is nearly impossible to determine the total amount of fentanyl entering the country.
Trump also said the nation experienced “the biggest decline in murder rates in the last 125 years.”
However, current data reflects projections rather than finalized figures, though preliminary population-adjusted estimates suggest a significant decline.
The economy remained central to the address. Trump highlighted what he calls the “Big Beautiful Bill,” saying it helped move 2.4 million Americans off food stamps and presenting this as evidence of economic growth.
NBC News reported that the decline was largely due to changes in eligibility requirements under the legislation rather than wage growth.
Trump also claimed that prices for beef, eggs and mortgage rates were falling.
A CBS poll, however, found that many Americans say they are not yet feeling relief.
Trump acknowledged the frustration, telling viewers that improvements were coming.
Throughout the speech, Trump blamed Democrats and former President Joe Biden for high prices, saying, “Their policies created high prices. Our policies are doing really well. Those prices are plummeting down,” and added that the “price of eggs are down 64%.”
NBC reported that the spike in egg prices was largely due to a bird flu outbreak in late 2024 and early 2025.
The address also included ceremonial recognitions. Trump honored a Girl Scout who survived a flood, families who lost loved ones, veterans and members of the U.S. men’s hockey team, which recently won gold at the Winter Olympics.
In addition to recognitions, multiple medals were presented.
A Purple Heart was awarded to the family of West Virginia National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, who was killed in an attack in Washington, D.C.
Another Purple Heart was presented to Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who survived the attack.
Both families were in attendance.
Trump also awarded Connor Hellebuyck, the goalie for the U.S. men’s hockey team, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Two Congressional Medals of Honor were presented, including one to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover, who led a mission in Venezuela to capture Nicolas Maduro.
The ceremony concluded with Capt. Royce Williams, a 100-year-old retired Navy pilot who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, receiving the honor.
First Lady Melania Trump presented the medal.
Mid-term elections will take place Nov. 3, with primary dates differing depending on your state.
You can check your voter status at vote.org.