For nearly two hours — the longest such address on record — he alternated between praising loyal supporters, taking aim at congressional Democrats, and offering a running commentary on his own record. During the sprawling, often meandering address he at times nearly blew out the microphone. Republicans frequently leapt to their feet in applause, while Democrats remained largely seated, their expressions ranging from deadpan to visibly scornful. Trump cast his first year back in office as an economic renaissance, boasting that inflation was “plummeting.” He touted sweeping tax cuts, new tariffs and what he described as trillions of dollars in fresh investment commitments as evidence of a “roaring” economy — though fact-checkers highlighted that several of his claims were overstated or mischaracterized. Costas Panagopoulos, distinguished professor of political science, called the evening a “vintage Trump pep rally, playing fast and loose with the facts.”
President Donald Trump, in his first State of the Union address since taking office a second time, staged a boisterous, campaign-style speech that experts said mirrored the nation’s political fault lines.
