All articles tagged with #state of the union
Republicans view a single moment from Trump's State of the Union—Democrats not standing as he framed citizenship protection as the government's first duty—as a tool to revive their immigration argument in the 2026 midterms. GOP groups plan ads around the clip to contrast Democrats with national-security messaging, while polling suggests immigration remains a dividing issue and the economy still worries voters.
Kelly Pannek says the U.S. women's hockey team did not attend the State of the Union due to academic and professional commitments and travel logistics, not the Trump joke; the men's team attended and won Olympic gold, highlighting Team USA's success and suggesting a future invitation for the women.
Aliyah Rahman, a Minnesota resident invited by Rep. Ilhan Omar to the State of the Union, was arrested for disruption during the address after standing during a segment about Homeland Security funding. She was taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment of injuries including a torn rotator cuff, and later booked at Capitol Police HQ. Rahman says officers dragged her for standing silently, while Capitol Police say she refused to sit and violated rules against demonstrations inside Congressional Buildings. Omar called for a full explanation, noting Rahman has autism and a traumatic brain injury.
President Trump raged against Robert De Niro after the Oscar winner spoke out against his State of the Union, calling for De Niro to be deported along with Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. The tirade came as the speech featured high-profile moments about Supreme Court attendance and Trump’s tariff policy, and amid polling showing his approval dipping ahead of the midterms.
President Donald Trump vented on Truth Social after Robert De Niro criticized him at a 'State of the Swamp' counter-event, calling Omar and Tlaib 'lunatics' who should be deported; De Niro said he felt betrayed by his country, urging a return to core values. Trump responded with insults toward De Niro and reiterated attacks on the Democratic lawmakers, illustrating the sharp exchanges that followed the counter-programming around Trump’s State of the Union address.
Donald Trump’s State of the Union address drew about 28 million viewers across eight major networks, per early Nielsen data. Fox News led in total viewers with 9.1 million, ABC News topped broadcasters with 5.1 million, followed by NBC (3.6M) and CBS (3.3M), with other outlets also in the mix; final figures will be released later. The article also notes 25–54 demo tallies and compares with last year’s roughly 32 million viewers.
Republicans are divided on censuring Rep. Al Green for his State of the Union protest after he held a sign reading 'BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T APES!' and was escorted out; Rep. Michael Rulli introduced a censure resolution, but House Speaker Mike Johnson questioned whether the punishment is appropriate or should become routine. The debate risks fueling a tit-for-tat cycle with Democrats, and some Republicans support raising the threshold to 60% to keep censures rare amid ongoing concerns about the punishment’s effectiveness and politics.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended Democrats' interruptions during President Trump's State of the Union, calling the protests restrained and appropriate and noting limited internal backlash; he highlighted heckling by Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, a sign-wielding incident by Al Green, and urged disciplined, defiant expression rather than unforced errors.
Seven swing-district voters react to Trump's State of the Union, revealing deep partisan divides: some praised issues like housing costs, prescription drug pricing, and the economy, others felt insulted by immigrant references or criticized the speech's tone and unilateral framing; a few praised the data and 'receipts' presented, while concerns about unaddressed topics (e.g., Epstein files) and the speech feeling more like a pep rally than a unifying address emerged—underscoring ongoing polarization ahead of the midterms.
A conservative op-ed argues Democrats cannot outshine President Trump during the State of the Union, citing three reasons: Trump’s substantial first-year accomplishments dwarf the opposition’s protests, a patriotic backdrop makes anti-Trump displays seem un-American, and Trump’s own showmanship makes it nearly impossible for Democrats to upstage him, with Spanberger’s official response unlikely to alter the dynamic.
A guest invited by Rep. Ilhan Omar, Aliya Rahman, was arrested by Capitol Police during the State of the Union for refusing to sit after being told to sit, reportedly standing silently to protest immigration policy; police say demonstrations are illegal in congressional buildings, while Omar calls for a full investigation into the arrest. Rahman was charged with unlawful conduct and disruption of Congress and hospitalized after the incident.
Economists and business leaders offered a mixed read on Donald Trump's State of the Union address: while Bill Ackman praised his federally matched retirement plan as a potential bipartisan wealth-builder, critics like Paul Krugman accused the speech of distortions and warned tariff policies could worsen affordability. Ian Bremmer noted a polarized national mood, Peter Schiff cautioned inflation hasn’t truly improved under Trump, and Roger Altman argued the address was more show than a catalyst for growth, even as observers forecast modest growth and cooling inflation with tariffs possibly sticking around and AI energy costs looming.
Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union on record (108 minutes), pairing medal ceremonies with a hardline immigration message and a push for the SAVE Act to tighten voting rules, while reiterating unfounded election-fraud claims. The address sparked clashes with Democrats — including Omar and Tlaib — and even saw Al Green escorted out after a protest sign. The moment was also laden with pre-speech context about Epstein-related documents NPR/MS NOW reported were withheld, fueling protests and counter-programming, as Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the official rebuttal.
Democrats staged a two‑front media counterattack to Trump’s address: a live, Capitol-front rally dubbed the “People’s State of the Union” organized by MoveOn and MeidasTouch, and a humorous “State of the Swamp” rebuttal at the National Press Club with Defiance.org and Courier, all while maintaining traditional rebuttals (spanishing Spanberger and Padilla) afterward. The effort leverages left‑leaning media ecosystems and viral clips (Epstein messaging, ICE, affordability) to widen reach beyond TV, with hundreds of thousands or millions tuning in online. It signals Democrats treating information warfare as a key tactic, though it remains unclear whether these parallel broadcasts will sway voters in the midterms.
Jimmy Kimmel roasted Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in a biting late-night monologue, calling the speech rambling and accusing the president of censorship, sending goons to arrest and kill American citizens, and enriching himself while neglecting health care and social needs.