President Donald Trump gave a virtuoso performance on Tuesday evening. He achieved some important goals in his State of the Union address, but it is unclear whether he fundamentally changed the political dynamics in America. Still, it was a great performance – with profound messages.
The first and most important message was that the American people should associate the country’s progress, future and success with the Trump administration and the Republican Party. The president spoke of transformations, turnarounds and, above all, “America’s golden age.” It was moving and uplifting – although not necessarily as convincing as he had hoped.
It’s fair to say that Trump has made his most compelling argument yet: the affordability crisis, which Democrats used to win the 2025 off-year election, was finally under control.
He also made clear that his Republican Party had policies on health care, pensions, prices, and especially taxes that he claimed would benefit the American people in ways few have articulated.
At the same time, Trump used the speech, in ways I’ve never heard before, to castigate not only the Biden administration, but also the Democrats in Congress, who did little to present a united front against the State of the Union.
Between Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who was kicked out of the House chamber for the second year in a row and members of the Squad booing Trump and wearing expletive-laden buttons, Democrats’ messaging during the 2026 State of the Union was even worse than last year. That was especially true given the thirty-plus empty seats in the House, as some Democrats opted to keep their own “People’s State of the Union” – whatever that is.
Between Trump’s attacks and the Democrats’ behavior, it’s hard to see how the country emerged more united after an extraordinary presentation that should appeal to many Americans. Another strong point of Trump’s speech was that he explicitly associated the country’s success with working people — especially with heroes who have accomplished extraordinary feats for our nation, both past and present. The explicit and implicit message was this: by standing behind Trump and his policies, it was the only way America could achieve the success he talked about in the context of the turnaround, the transformation, especially the “golden age” that he said was underway.
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The president’s use of imagery was powerful – from the victorious U.S. Olympic hockey team to the military heroes recognized in the audience. It was awe-inspiring and moving, and it gave me a sense of pride in our country that I hadn’t felt during a State of the Union address in years.
Still, I didn’t get the sense Tuesday night that many minds had changed or that many midterm voters were swayed by the president’s nearly hour and forty minute speech. While I by no means sympathize with the current Democratic Party — especially its progressive wing — the level of attacks and vitriol leveled at what is traditionally a nonpartisan event was off-putting, even for someone who has spent fifty years in the rough and tumble of political life.
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At the same time, Trump set the agenda for the midterm elections and made clear that he will run a populist campaign based on economic empowerment and affordability, contrasting with a Democratic Party that he says supports open borders, higher taxes and policies hostile to law and order.
I am confident that many Americans found the speech deeply moving and compelling in a way that political events rarely achieve. However, I am not convinced that polls will show the fundamental change that Trump and Republicans hoped would follow the State of the Union.
Time will tell.
It was especially compelling when Trump asked lawmakers in the House to run if they believed in the “fundamental principle” that “the first duty of the United States government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” Almost no Democrats stood up.
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The move drew a predictable and lengthy standing ovation from Republicans. But I’m not convinced that, given widespread public concern about ICE’s actions, immigration right now — extraordinary as it was — will make immigration the winning issue it was in 2024. Yes, Americans recognize the Trump administration’s achievement in sealing the border. But many now judge the president and his party more on the actions of ICE in major cities than on Homeland Security’s work at the border.
President Trump gave a great speech Tuesday night, but a key challenge remains: I don’t believe many minds have been changed, nor have Americans been brought together.
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