Trump touts 'golden age,' rallies base with tariff agenda in State of the Union address

2026-02-25 - 09:12

President Donald Trump used his first State of the Union address Tuesday to showcase his administration's achievements and rally supporters ahead of November's midterm elections, declaring the nation has entered a new "golden age" under his leadership. "Tonight, after just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before, and a turnaround for the ages," Trump told the joint session of Congress. Tariff Defense and Legal Workarounds Trump devoted significant portions of his address to defending his tariff policies, which he credited for the "stunning economic turnaround" including Dow Jones breaking 50,000 and S&P reaching 7000. Following last week's Supreme Court ruling that his reciprocal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act were unlawful, Trump announced new measures under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, allowing 15% duties for up to 150 days to address balance-of-payments deficits. He also ordered additional trade investigations under Section 301 authority, signaling his determination to continue his protectionist trade agenda despite judicial setbacks. Confrontational Tone and Immigration Messaging Throughout the address, Trump repeatedly challenged Democrats to stand and applaud his policy declarations, particularly on immigration, stating: "The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens." When many remained seated, Trump taunted: "Isn't that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself. Not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself." The confrontational approach underscored the deep partisan divisions as Trump seeks to energize his base while facing opposition from some Republicans skeptical of his tariff policies and unified Democratic resistance heading into the midterm campaign.