5 Excerpts from Trump’s SOTU Speech
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump declared that the country is booming, his opponents are “crazy” and his administration is enjoying unprecedented levels of “winning” in a defiant State of the Union speech that comes as polls show deep doubts about his leadership in key midterm elections.
The president has launched a full-throated and hard-line defense of his policies amid a low period in his second term as he faces major spending cuts, strong opposition to his immigration enforcement tactics, low approval ratings, and other domestic and foreign challenges, including a partial government shutdown and a possible military conflict with Iran.
“We’ve achieved change that no one has seen before, and change from a long time ago,” Trump said during a nearly hour and 50-minute speech, the longest State of the Union in history, as he blasted Democrats who he accused of “destroying our country.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, called the speech “a delusion” as his party tries to wrestle control of Congress and put a check on a president Democrats accuse of being out of touch with the economy and authoritarianism.
Trump sought to challenge Americans’ bleak views on his economic management, which is expected to be a key issue in the midterm elections. Faced with widespread dissatisfaction with the cost of living, the president blamed Democrats for the problem and said his administration was working relentlessly to lower prices.
The event, which has become theatrical and partisan — former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tore up a copy of Trump’s speech during his final State of the Union address — had some surprising moments and notable guests. Members of the gold medal-winning US men’s hockey team were in attendance. Many Democrats were not, skipping the speech en masse to oppose the administration’s policies.
Here are the best takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union address.
‘roaring economy’
Trump’s low approval rating on the economy presents a major challenge for the GOP heading into the midterms. The speech provided an important opportunity to try to change the narrative.
“The economy is roaring like never before,” Trump said.
The president claimed victory in lowering the cost of living, pointing to rising gas and grocery prices, housing prices, and rents. He also expressed a good opinion that conflicts with public opinion and could be harmful to his party.
With many Americans giving the president poor marks for his handling of inflation in a recent survey, Trump continued to blame Democrats for the high costs, saying, “You caused that problem.”
“Their policies have created high prices. Our policies are eliminating them quickly,” Trump added. “We’re doing very well. Those prices are coming down.”
Inflation eased to 2.4% in January but remains above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%.
Trump’s approach to the cost of living risks appearing out of step with the financial problems of the American people, an issue that plagued former President Joe Biden. That this issue remains important was evident in his remarks, which led to economics and highlighted policy proposals aimed at reducing costs, including targeting prescription drug prices, affordable housing, and electricity prices.
Sticking with tariffs
Trump entered the speech on the back of his saga after the Supreme Court struck down the emergency taxes that have been a hallmark of his economic plans.
Trump called the Supreme Court’s decision “a bad decision” and said he would soon establish a new tax regime with other measures, which he said were “time-tested and approved.”
It was a much sadder response than Trump’s first response, in which he said he was ashamed of some Supreme Court justices for “not having the guts to do what’s right for our country.” As he entered the House chamber to deliver his speech, Trump greeted and shook hands with the four Supreme Court justices in attendance, including the two dissenting justices who ruled against him on the tax bill, John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett.
As the administration reconsiders the previously used tariff rules, Trump invoked for the first time Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to apply a 10 percent tariff worldwide, an amount he said he may soon raise to 15 percent.
Trump said he would move forward with his spending without congressional help, a comment that drew protests from the group. Some Republicans have expressed opposition to tax sweeps — and sometimes voted against them.
“Congress action will not be necessary,” he said.
‘sick people’
While criticism of the opposition and their policies is common in the State of the Union speech, Trump took it to an unprecedented level, attacking Democrats as a whole, not just disagreeing with the policies they support.
The president repeatedly called Democrats “sick people,” criticized them for not showing support for his immigration policies, and told them, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
He also accused them of voter fraud.
“They want to cheat. They cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can be elected is to cheat, and we’re going to stop it,” Trump said.
At times, Trump seemed annoyed that Democrats weren’t standing and applauding during his speech. “How can you not stand?” he asked.
A rare moment of bipartisan applause and standing ovation came when Trump urged lawmakers to pass a law barring them from gaining inside information on the stock market.
Trump applauded, saying, “They stand for that, I don’t believe it.”
“Did Nancy Pelosi stand up if she was there?” Trump responded quickly. Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the House, is one of the richest members of Congress. His stock exchanges are consistently tracked, but the retired congressman has not been investigated for insider trading.
A number of Democrats disrupted the president’s speech with chants and chants, ignoring the Democratic leadership’s encouragement to remain respectful during Trump’s speech. Rep. Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, was quietly removed at the start of the speech for holding a sign that read, “Black people are not monkeys.”
Trump just went too far in the outburst.
US men’s hockey ushers in a time of unity
In an often partisan speech, one unifying moment came early when Trump welcomed the U.S. men’s hockey team.
The room erupted as the Olympic gold medalists entered the House gallery wearing USA sweatshirts and their medals around their necks. The win over Canada brought US hockey its first gold medal in men’s hockey since the team’s legendary “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union in 1980, a victory steeped in Cold War patriotism.
Trump linked the US victory to what he described as a “triumph” of his administration, welcoming the players as “a group of winners that just made the whole country proud.”
The president said he plans to award goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump also honored a World War II veteran, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, and other Americans with inspirational stories that provided a break from some of the more combative moments in the speech, and showed the kind of compassion Trump’s allies have come to expect.
He didn’t say it
Trump made no reference to the major controversies that have marked his first year in office. He did not mention the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, even more than a dozen survivors in the top galleries as guests. Trump has said that the country needs to move on as some files have been released.
He talked extensively about the mass immigration enforcement in Minnesota, but he did not mention the two Americans who were killed by federal agents while they were monitoring arrests in Minneapolis. The backlash from those killed in the shooting was the impetus for a partial government shutdown that Democrats blamed for causing it.
Trump also did not highlight his repeated attempts to buy Greenland or the work done by Elon Musk’s Department of Labor, which has significantly reduced the federal workforce.
State of the Union speeches are well-written in advance and rarely touch on inappropriate topics, but Trump has been known to deviate from the text when he wants to, and he rarely shies away from a fight or an opportunity to eat into his territory.
This article first appeared in USA TODAY: ‘The roaring economy’ and the ‘Dems’ are sick. Excerpt from Trump’s SOTU address
Reporting by Zac Anderson and Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
