Loomer Unleashed - LIVE: Trump Delivers State Of The Union Address

00:00:00.000 We know that CBP has repeatedly acted against American citizens.

00:00:03.000 And these are just a few of the stories.

00:00:06.000 There are more.

00:00:06.000 Alia Rockman said, her point is, if this is how U.S. citizens like her were treated, what about people who are not citizens?

00:00:12.000 Right.

00:00:13.000 And another part of the issue here that people may not realize is that people who go to court with these cases, they don't have the same rights that we would expect.

00:00:22.000 Explain.

00:00:23.000 This is because of federal law, a specific statute, in fact, about civil rights when they're violated.

00:00:28.000 Here I want to take a look at this.

00:00:29.000 This is a section of code about who you can sue for civil rights violations.

00:00:33.000 It says those acting under color of statute or ordinance, meaning law enforcement, acting for the government.

00:00:38.000 But look at this.

00:00:39.000 It says if that government is a state or territory.

00:00:43.000 So, William, it does not say the United States itself.

00:00:47.000 And because of this, courts have said there's a very narrow lane that you can use to sue officers of the United States.

00:00:54.000 This is not a hard fix.

00:00:55.000 It's something that people want to include in negotiations underway right now over DHS.

00:01:00.000 But talking to some experts, especially some experts from Cato, a man named Mike Fox, he told me he thinks that what Democrats are asking for actually may have less impact than changing this.

00:01:12.000 If I tell you you can't wear masks, but nothing happens when you do, what does that do?

00:01:17.000 That's why it's so fundamentally important that Congress add a component that allows you to sue for constitutional violations and then precludes the actors, the government agents, from benefiting from immunity.

00:01:30.000 Advocates are pushing for this to be part of the talks, but my reporting is there's no evidence that it is.

00:01:35.000 All right, Lisa Desjardins, thank you so much.

00:01:37.000 You're welcome.

00:01:38.000 The Supreme Court's tariff ruling and President Trump's response topped off a week that saw key developments on the international stage.

00:01:46.000 For more, we turn now to the analysis of Brooks and Capart.

00:01:49.000 That's David Brooks of The Atlantic and Jonathan Caypart of MS Now.

00:01:53.000 Good evening to you both.

00:01:54.000 So, David, we'll start with you.

00:01:56.000 Jonathan, feel free to take a sip of water if you need it.

00:01:59.000 The key takeaways of this Supreme Court tariff ruling, as you see them.

00:02:03.000 Well, it'll make tariff issuing harder.

00:02:06.000 Certainly will not make them go away.

00:02:08.000 Trump has made that perfectly clear.

00:02:10.000 But just on the substance of it, it's become clear that this tariff policy is a gigantic economic failure.

00:02:15.000 It was designed to increase manufacturing jobs in the United States.

00:02:19.000 Manufacturing jobs have continued their decline, maybe at an accelerated rate.

00:02:23.000 At the same time, according to a Fed study this week, 90% of the costs are passed on to American consumers, so it's a tax on Americans.

00:02:30.000 And then it's led to inflation.

00:02:34.000 But the big picture here is that the Supreme Court has had a pretty consistent line on federal power.

00:02:42.000 They've given Trump a lot of broad latitude to run the executive branch, but they have not given him broad latitude to run the legislative branch.

00:02:49.000 They've said this is a clear legislative thing.

00:02:51.000 It's in the Constitution, taxing and spending, tariffs, it's right there.

00:02:55.000 And they are trying to draw a line around the presidency.

00:02:59.000 Back in like 1973, 74, a historian named Arthur Schlesinger wrote a book called The Imperial Presidency about Richard Nixon.

00:03:06.000 That wasn't even close to where we are today.

00:03:09.000 This is the most imperial presidency in American history.

00:03:12.000 And the worst part is it's accompanied not only by a president who wants to grab every power, but a Congress whose power is imploding voluntarily.

00:03:20.000 And so part of the problem here is the unwillingness of Congress to do their job.

00:03:25.000 And that leaves a vacuum that Trump can fill.

00:03:27.000 Jonathan, what about that?

00:03:28.000 President Trump has for years now pushed the boundaries of executive authority in his first term and in the first year of his second term.

00:03:36.000 How significant is it after years of the Supreme Court really reinforcing his expansive view of executive power, two of the justices he appointed effectively broke with him today?

00:03:47.000 It's a good sign that the Supreme Court isn't as in lockstep with the president as a lot of people feared.

00:03:55.000 The other thing, excuse me, it says to me, never swallow just before your own salaya, just before you go, my apologies.

00:04:02.000 But the other thing about the ruling is, to David's point, the justices basically said in the ruling, you know, Mr. President, there is a way to do what you want to do, and it's by doing it with the legislative branch.

00:04:16.000 So as much as it was a smackdown of the president and his overreach, it was a reminder to Congress that basically, yo, you guys have a job to do.

00:04:27.000 The Constitution lays it out.

00:04:29.000 Get to work.

00:04:32.000 Whether this Congress, with this Republican majority, and particularly with this Republican speaker, whether they will take the Supreme Court up on its opportunity to do its job remains to be seen.

00:04:45.000 Well, after the ruling, the President took to the White House briefing room.

00:04:48.000 He spoke for 45 minutes and he escalated his attacks against the court and the justices themselves.

00:04:55.000 The Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs is deeply disappointing.

00:05:02.000 And I'm ashamed of certain members of the court, absolutely ashamed, for not having the courage to do what's right for our country.

00:05:11.000 They're very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution.

00:05:15.000 Disloyal to our Constitution.

00:05:17.000 Is there a point at which the President's rhetoric, maybe we're already there, becomes corrosive to the institution itself?

00:05:24.000 Well, Donald Trump has never had an honest disagreement with somebody.

00:05:29.000 And we're going to say, oh, I disagree with you, and without him going ad hominem.

00:05:33.000 And that is just his nature.

00:05:35.000 It is the nature of somebody with a narcissistic personality disorder to think I am the center and everything that's an assault on me cannot be anything but a shameful attack on all that is right and good.

00:05:46.000 And so it's very hard.

00:05:47.000 You know, we travel around the country.

00:05:49.000 We meet people trying to heal America, trying to build conversations.

00:05:55.000 And it's just frustrating that all these people are doing this work around the country.

00:06:00.000 At the same time, day by day, there's a shredding from the top.

00:06:06.000 And so there's these forces of humanization that are trying to have a decent country.

00:06:11.000 And then the shredding from the top is just a constant battle of forcing dehumanization.

00:06:16.000 As we've been speaking, the president signed the executive order establishing this 10% global tariff.

00:06:22.000 It expires in 150 days unless Congress extends it.

00:06:25.000 Does that, though, Jonathan, set up a trap for Republicans in Congress?

00:06:30.000 Given how unpopular tariffs are, they're certainly going to be pressured by President Trump to fall in line.

00:06:35.000 And they're going to be pressured by Democrats who want to do something about the president's tariff regime.

00:06:41.000 So yeah, they're in a trap.

00:06:43.000 They're in a quandary.

00:06:44.000 They're in a bind.

00:06:45.000 Just as they are in a trap and a quandary and a bind, let's not forget that there's still a partial government shutdown.

00:06:52.000 And we haven't heard, at least I haven't heard, anything about any kind of negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security.

00:07:00.000 And on the president's remarks, going after the Supreme Court, the same Supreme Court that gave him immunity for official acts, and he was all happy about them then.

00:07:11.000 But of all the shameful remarks he gave in that press conference when he said not only that he thought that those justices should be ashamed, but that their families would be ashamed of them.

00:07:23.000 And that to me, just when I thought he couldn't get any lower, he gets lower.

00:07:29.000 And I don't know why I keep thinking he won't go any lower, but he does.

00:07:33.000 But that, I thought, was really shameful on the part of the president.

00:07:37.000 Let's shift our focus to the president convening this past week, the first meeting of what he's calling his board of peace.

00:07:43.000 Dozens of international leaders, you see them there discussing ongoing conflicts, including Gaza, the rising tensions with Iran.

00:07:51.000 David, we've spoken on this program about U.S. retrenchment.

00:07:56.000 Is this a reassertion of American leadership, or do you see this as executive overreach in the foreign policy sphere?

00:08:04.000 Yeah, it's not ideal what he's doing.

00:08:06.000 And I'd say it's not ideal for a couple of reasons.

00:08:09.000 One, there's really no recipe for how you're going to get Hamas to disarm.

00:08:13.000 And unless you do that, there's going to be no investment.

00:08:15.000 And so unless you have a strategy for that, you really don't have a plan.

00:08:18.000 Second, there's not enough Palestinian input there.

00:08:21.000 This is their place.

00:08:24.000 And eventually, we hope their country.

00:08:26.000 And they should be beginning the redevelopment of their own country with outside assistance. 0.91

00:08:31.000 Nonetheless, I think this is worth a shot.

00:08:34.000 I think America has led international development programs for, you know, all through the 20th century.

00:08:40.000 And some of them worked and some of them didn't.

00:08:42.000 But I don't see anything else on offer to get Gaza's made. 1.00

00:08:45.000 The UN has totally morally bankrupted itself in that region.

00:08:49.000 They're not going to do anything.

00:08:50.000 They don't have the trust of the Israelis, let alone other people, and they shouldn't have our trust, at least on this issue. 1.00

00:08:55.000 I'm not a big UN basher, but on the Middle East, they've sacrificed their moral authority.

00:09:00.000 And so I don't see anybody else doing it.

00:09:02.000 And so if Trump wants to lead an international coalition to do international development in Gaza, I don't see anything better on offer.

00:09:09.000 Here's my question, though.

00:09:11.000 And if I had an opportunity to ask the president questions, this is what I would ask him.

00:09:16.000 Mr. President, two-part question.

00:09:18.000 One, where is the $10 billion you committed yesterday?

00:09:23.000 Where is that money coming from?

00:09:25.000 And two, into which bank is it, offshore bank is it going to?

00:09:31.000 A bank that you, as the leader of this board, gets to decide where this money goes and you decide how that money is spent.

00:09:40.000 Why shouldn't the American people think that the money that you are using, taxpayers' money, isn't going to end up in your own pocket or the pocket of your family and not make it to Gaza?

00:09:52.000 That is the question that I would love to ask.

00:09:55.000 David Brooks, Jonathan Kaypart.

00:09:57.000 Always great to speak with you.

00:09:58.000 As President Trump prepares to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term, six in ten Americans say the country is in a worse place than a year ago.

00:10:08.000 That's according to a new PBS News NPR Marist poll.

00:10:12.000 The president will have a chance to try to turn the page tomorrow night, laying out his list of priorities for the year to come.

00:10:19.000 Ahead of that speech, White House correspondent Liz Landers checks in with voters about how they see the direction of the country.

00:10:27.000 The state of our union is stronger than ever before.

00:10:33.000 For decades, it's become routine.

00:10:36.000 The state of our union is strong and getting stronger.

00:10:39.000 The state of our union is strong.

00:10:42.000 The state of our union will remain strong.

00:10:46.000 Presidents walk into the House chamber to project optimism and strength to the American people.

00:10:51.000 Heading into this speech tomorrow night, just 43% of Americans say the current state of the union is strong in this latest PBS News NPR Marist poll.

00:11:01.000 That's a four-point drop from last year.

00:11:03.000 Of course, how you define strength is in the eye of the beholder.

00:11:07.000 So we talked to some of the participants in this poll.

00:11:10.000 Strong compared to other countries, very much so.

00:11:13.000 Strong compared to what we are or could be, but certainly not nearly as strong as we could be.

00:11:19.000 Others would choose another word entirely.

00:11:22.000 If I used one word to describe it, I'd probably say terrible.

00:11:25.000 I'm concerned about our democracy.

00:11:27.000 It feels like we are teetering on the edge of losing it all, and that's a pretty scary place to be.

00:11:32.000 I'm divided because I think the issues are very divisive.

00:11:40.000 Trump is extremely polarizing in some aspects for good because what you see is what you get.

00:11:47.000 Hi, Donald John Trump.

00:11:48.000 Since Mr. Trump re-entered the Oval Office last January, he's pushed policies at a frenetic pace, sending immigration agents in the National Guard to American cities, launching bombs in Iran and missiles on boats in the Caribbean, threatening to take over Greenland, slashing the federal workforce, calling for investigations into his perceived political enemies, all of it testing the limits of presidential power.

00:12:14.000 A majority of Americans in this latest poll say President Trump's actions so far are changing the country for the worse, and it's affecting them personally.

00:12:22.000 A majority say the policies of his second term are having a negative impact on their lives.

00:12:27.000 Less than a third say it's made life better for them.

00:12:31.000 We're year in, and if anything, people's perceptions of what's been going on have deteriorated.

00:12:37.000 Lee Maringoff is the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

00:12:41.000 He says views of President Trump's policies are directly tied to people's perceptions of him.

00:12:46.000 Donald Trump is defining the landscape.

00:12:49.000 You're for him or against him.

00:12:51.000 He's the incumbent, and he's bigger than life in terms of the figure he projects to the American people.

00:12:57.000 So Republicans and Democrats alike divide up along what view people have of him, along partisan lines.

00:13:06.000 Two-thirds of Republicans feel good, with some pointing to the economy.

00:13:10.000 I feel like he knows what he's doing because he's a businessman.

00:13:16.000 I feel more comfortable with him at the home and with our economy personally.

00:13:21.000 More than half of independents disagree.

00:13:24.000 Nothing's going down in price.

00:13:25.000 Everything's still going up in costs.

00:13:27.000 Most people are struggling these days.

00:13:30.000 And the overwhelming majority of Democrats say they've personally seen negative effects from the president's actions.

00:13:36.000 I have done nothing wrong!

00:13:38.000 Like the immigration crackdown across the country.

00:13:42.000 ICE agents coming into Minnesota communities and terrorizing people here.

00:13:47.000 I have people I know who have been afraid to leave their houses.

00:13:51.000 I have had family members detained, family members tear gassed.

00:13:56.000 So tomorrow night, Mr. Trump will likely try for a reset, pushing his policy prescriptions for the weeks and months ahead, like lowering electricity costs and requiring ID to vote in elections while still continuing his aggressive anti-immigration agenda.

00:14:10.000 The speech is a high-stakes moment for the president.

00:14:14.000 Donald Trump needs to, in a sense, redefine what his second term is about.

00:14:19.000 He started off with numbers that were much better than they are right now.

00:14:24.000 So the past year, in consultant terms, he's got an off-message.

00:14:29.000 It's also likely to be his biggest audience of the year, with millions of Americans watching from home.

00:14:35.000 And inside the House chamber, his cabinet tasked with carrying out his agenda, his Republican allies in Congress, Democrats trying to block him, and representatives from the nation's highest court, where many of his executive orders have already been tested and in many cases, upheld.

00:14:52.000 But just last week, in one of the most significant blows to his economic agenda so far, the justices struck down tariffs the president had unilaterally imposed on foreign countries.

00:15:03.000 I'm ashamed of certain members of the court.

00:15:07.000 After the decision, Trump lashed out, suggesting he doesn't care if they show up tomorrow night.

00:15:12.000 They're barely invited.

00:15:13.000 When every co-equal branch of government will be in the same room at a time when Americans' faith in the delicate system of checks and balances is at an all-time low.

00:15:23.000 In the new poll conducted before the latest Supreme Court decision, two-thirds of respondents say the system is not working well.

00:15:30.000 That lack of trust in a core tenant of American democracy has jumped 12 points since Trump's speech to Congress last March, and it has doubled since the month before his inauguration.

00:15:41.000 I think it's hard to over-exaggerate, frankly, or exaggerate the extent to which the last year has degraded, if not demolished, the basic pillars of constitutional democracy.

00:15:57.000 Kimberly Whaley is a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and author of several books, including How to Read the Constitution and Why. 0.96

00:16:05.000 She sees how the branches of government are working together as a deeply troubling moment.

00:16:11.000 It's not the actual speed limit that slows people down.

00:16:14.000 It's the threat of enforcement or consequence for speeding.

00:16:18.000 It's that ticket that motivates compliance with the speed limit.

00:16:22.000 If the speed limit is the Constitution, where do the tickets come from?

00:16:26.000 Either Congress or the courts.

00:16:28.000 Donald Trump understands there's no enforcement.

00:16:30.000 I wouldn't mistake what Congress is doing now for some kind of constitutional breakdown.

00:16:36.000 John Yu sees it differently.

00:16:38.000 He's a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley and a former Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration.

00:16:45.000 He says it's no surprise a Republican Congress is going along with the policies of a Republican president.

00:16:51.000 What he's trying to achieve in terms of reform of the relations of the executive branch with the other branches and presidential power generally is to restore the presidency to the way it was originally understood by the founders.

00:17:07.000 But Yu says that voters will hold the ultimate power during November's midterm elections.

00:17:12.000 Those critics should go and win the elections at the midterms and then place political pressure using Congress's constitutional powers to try to restrain them.

00:17:22.000 A potential shift that wouldn't be on full display until next year's State of the Union address.

00:17:28.000 For the PBS News Hour, I'm Liz Landers.

00:17:31.000 For more on the latest PBS news poll and what to watch for during President Trump's State of the Union tomorrow night, we turn now to our Politics Monday duo.

00:17:39.000 That's Tam Rakith of NPR and Jasmine Wright, White House correspondent, for notice.

00:17:43.000 Amy Walter is away this evening.

00:17:45.000 Great to see you both.

00:17:46.000 So let's start with this poll.

00:17:47.000 As we just reported, 55% of Americans say President Trump is changing the country for the worse.

00:17:52.000 That includes 64% of independents.

00:17:55.000 Tam, what stands out to you in these numbers?

00:17:57.000 President Trump has really, he relied on independents to win, and he is losing them, which is going to be a problem in the midterms.

00:18:06.000 And I think the other thing that broadly stands out from the poll is just people are upset.

00:18:12.000 There's a lot of discontent about the state of the country, the direction of the country, the viability of American democracy.

00:18:21.000 And there is still huge polarization.

00:18:23.000 If you look under the hood of these numbers, it really is Democrats are going this way, Republicans are going this way.

00:18:29.000 However, independents are more in the direction of Democrats right now.

00:18:34.000 And Jasmine, another thing that stands out in this poll, 53% of respondents say President Trump's policies have had a negative impact on them personally.

00:18:42.000 That is different than abstract disapproval.

00:18:46.000 This is people speaking about their direct experience.

00:18:50.000 And I think that is reflected in a lot of people's discomfort with the tariffs.

00:18:54.000 Obviously, we know that those were just struck down, the way that he was using them by the Supreme Court, but we've heard people be really frustrated about the tariffs, frustrated about high prices, frustrated about the economy not being as good as they've heard the president say, and also frustrated with the president's immigration agenda.

00:19:09.000 I think if you look at some of the more recent polls, you've seen people being broadly accepting of the idea that more people should be deported, but not happy with the tactics.

00:19:19.000 And so the president is facing strong headwinds kind of across the board when it comes to how people are responding to his individual policies, which is not just about his personality.

00:19:29.000 Let's talk more about the tariffs, because just today the president said, as president, I do not have to go back to Congress to get approval of tariffs.

00:19:36.000 It's already been gotten, he says, in many forms a long time ago.

00:19:41.000 He is really just brushing past the Supreme Court here, Tam.

00:19:45.000 And tariffs were already unpopular.

00:19:47.000 In many ways, this was an off-ramp that he could have taken, but he's not.

00:19:51.000 He is not taking the off-ramp.

00:19:53.000 He is doubling down.

00:19:54.000 He is claiming to continue to have massive powers.

00:19:58.000 The reality is that there are a whole bunch of three-digit number options that the president can use, and none of them are as powerful as IEPA.

00:20:07.000 None of them are that Swiss Army knife that he was using IEPA as, but obviously the Supreme Court found that he was using it in a way that wasn't legal.

00:20:18.000 For a lot of voters, the tariffs, as Jasmine said, are a problem.

00:20:24.000 They see things getting more expensive.

00:20:25.000 Now you see major corporations and companies people have heard of are asking for refunds for the tariffs, which is another indication that it wasn't foreign companies that were paying it.

00:20:36.000 But President Trump, this is a core belief for him.

00:20:40.000 This is something that he has been talking about at least since the 1980s and probably before then.

00:20:47.000 It is his favorite word, he likes to say.

00:20:49.000 It is his favorite policy prescription for everything from foreign policy to the economy to trying to get world peace.

00:20:58.000 And so he is not giving this up easily, and he's not creating any separation for Republicans in Congress who are going to have to explain this in the coming months.

00:21:11.000 Jasmine, say more about that, because to Tam's point, FedEx today, the international shipping company, filed suit in the international trade court seeking a refund.

00:21:21.000 This is a story that is really breaking through.

00:21:23.000 Based on your reporting, how are Republicans thinking about this in terms of the messaging and the policy?

00:21:28.000 Yeah, and you're going to have more of these companies and perhaps individual small businesses coming out and saying that based on the ruling, we want a refund.

00:21:36.000 Now, the White House has been clear that that is going to be settled later on in litigation, but still that is going to be a thing.

00:21:41.000 I think that this is fundamentally important because so far, Congress has not necessarily been receptive to the President's tariffs, particularly Republicans.

00:21:49.000 And in votes that they've taken against tariffs, particularly that Canadian tariffs vote to revoke those, six Republicans joined Democrats to remove those tariffs from Canada.

00:21:59.000 That was a symbolic vote because even if it did pass in it, which it likely is not, it would still need to be veto-proof for the president.

00:22:06.000 Now, if he does, in fact, decide to go to Congress, which he says he won't, but if he wants to continue those Section 122 tariffs, he will have to go to Congress.

00:22:14.000 If he does, that vote becomes not symbolic but serious.

00:22:18.000 And it means that Republicans are going to have to be on the record in support or against these tariffs.

00:22:25.000 And that, of course, puts them potentially in hot water with their constituents who may not like tariffs.

00:22:29.000 But then on the other side, if they don't vote for tariffs, it puts them in hot water with the president, who has shown that he will primarily just about anybody that goes against him.

00:22:37.000 And there's a risk here for President Trump being cast as out of touch when you have the American people by and large saying that they don't support these tariffs.

00:22:44.000 I remember back in the early 90s, I think it was 1992, then President George H.W. Bush was cast as being out of touch because he went to a grocer's convention and there was one of those barcode scanners.

00:22:55.000 And he said something like, oh, that's cool.

00:22:57.000 I've never seen anything like that before.

00:22:58.000 And people were like, how could you not know what a barcode scanner is in the supermarket?

00:23:01.000 That was what passed for scandal and controversy back then.

00:23:04.000 And here you have pluralities, majorities of the American public saying that they don't want these tariffs.

00:23:09.000 And the president is saying, okay, fine, 15% tariffs.

00:23:12.000 Well, the president has also said that he has won affordability, that he's done.

00:23:18.000 I think a big question that I have about this coming State of the Union address is, does he pivot to talk about affordability in a way that is relatable to the American people?

00:23:27.000 Or does he once again say, don't believe what you're feeling, believe the numbers, believe me, believe anything but what you're feeling.

00:23:35.000 I think that this is a real problem for him, but he is not, unless something dramatic happens, going to be on the ballot again.

00:23:44.000 Now, he wants, he and his team want the midterms to be about him because they think that's the only way that they can juice turnout.

00:23:52.000 But he personally is not on the ballot again.

00:23:56.000 Democrats tomorrow night are boycotting.

00:23:58.000 Tell us more about that.

00:24:00.000 Yeah, there are a handful of Democrats growing kind of in numbers that are just that are saying that they are not going to be in the chamber as the speech is going on.

00:24:07.000 Some are going to be having their own speech outside.

00:24:11.000 But I think you are seeing this kind of clash between Democratic leadership that says if you are going, you need to be respectful.

00:24:17.000 We don't want to see some of the antics like holding up the sign that felt a bit unserious, if we're going to be honest, last year, versus people saying I'm going to opt out anyway.

00:24:27.000 Now, when we go back to those traditional Democrats, they are bringing people with them, as we've seen happen in the past, that are directly kind of in opposition to the president's agenda.

00:24:38.000 I know that Democrats are bringing some Epstein survivors, people related to Epstein survivors.

00:24:44.000 They're bringing folks who have been attacked or harmed, they say, by the president's immigration policies, including people who have been legitimately ripped out of their car on video.

00:24:55.000 And so I think you're seeing a traditional way of Democrats responding to the State of the Union in this non-traditional way, which is basically they're opting out.

00:25:03.000 What are you watching for tomorrow night?

00:25:04.000 Well, the president says it's going to be long because he has a lot to say.

00:25:08.000 You know, he has now delivered a number of these addresses.

00:25:10.000 He does tend to stay on the teleprompter.

00:25:13.000 He does tend to follow the script.

00:25:17.000 But sometimes they put surprises in there.

00:25:19.000 And I guess what I am watching for and looking for is: is this the bridge to the midterms that a White House official told me it would be?

00:25:30.000 Does he focus on affordability?

00:25:32.000 Does he maybe even make a case for whatever it is that he's doing in Iran, as President George W. Bush did back in 2002?

00:25:42.000 Or is this another episode of the Trump Show?

00:25:47.000 Jasmine Wright.

00:25:48.000 Excuse me.

00:25:48.000 I almost called you Amy Walters.

00:25:51.000 I'm only Amy Walters on the middle.

00:25:53.000 This is not law and order.

00:26:08.000 This is chaos.

00:26:10.000 What are his plans for the economy, conflicts abroad, and the future of our democracy?

00:26:14.000 A PBS News special, The State of the Union.

00:26:17.000 February 24th, 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 Central.

00:26:49.000 With using AI.

00:26:51.000 I am incredibly thankful for your initiative and wanting to push and bringing to light the hardships behind IVF and the access that families need.

00:27:00.000 To be here is a dream.

00:27:02.000 I don't think I could have ever imagined this for myself, and yet here I am.

00:27:07.000 So I'm thrilled, and thank you for having me.

00:27:10.000 behind you in the efforts that you're trying to progress to better the United States and the United States citizens.

00:27:17.000 Speaker, the

00:28:34.000 president's cabinet.

00:29:33.000 This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

00:29:39.000 Thank you.

00:29:53.000 Welcome to this PBS News special coverage of the State of the Union Address delivered by President Donald Trump and the Democratic...

00:30:10.000 Talking about poor old Loomer, too.

00:30:13.000 I mean, where the heck has she been?

00:30:15.000 She has no money. 1.00

00:30:16.000 She's poor. 0.99

00:30:17.000 She's broke.

00:30:18.000 She has no.

00:30:19.000 She didn't invest in gold.

00:30:21.000 Oh, so stupid.

00:30:21.000 That's what happened.

00:30:23.000 I heard she lives in some kind of haunted house.

00:30:25.000 She ain't got no money. 1.00

00:30:27.000 Working at some fat food restaurant or family.

00:30:29.000 Oh, I mean, seriously, what a loser.

00:30:33.000 Oh, damn, that was cold.

00:30:35.000 What can you say?

00:30:36.000 She's poor. 0.99

00:30:37.000 She's old.

00:30:37.000 Yeah, I've heard she collects cats or something.

00:30:39.000 I mean, she's stinking. 1.00

00:30:52.000 I need to call Kirk Elliott.

00:30:54.000 Hedge your bets against the future by calling Kirk Elliott Precious Metals.

00:30:57.000 Call 720-605-3900 or visit kepm.com/slash Loomer because investing today is investing in tomorrow.

00:31:08.000 From Capitol Hill, where our team is standing by.

00:31:11.000 Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, is right outside the House floor.

00:31:14.000 So, Liz, we've gotten some excerpts from the White House in terms of what we expect to hear from the President tonight.

00:31:20.000 What's the message the White House wants to deliver?

00:31:22.000 That's right, Omna.

00:31:23.000 Within the last few minutes, we've started to get some excerpts from the President's speech.

00:31:27.000 And largely, what we're seeing right now are more of those messages about the economy, focused on cost of living in particular, and what President Trump at this administration has tried to do so far to bring down costs on things like prescription drugs.

00:31:41.000 He's going to talk about the inflated prescription drug prices that he has worked on through this most favored nation's policy to bring down some of those drug prices on everything from GLP1s to in vitro fertilization medications.

00:31:56.000 He's also going to talk about some of the Wall Street buy-ups that he has tried to ban on single-family homes.

00:32:03.000 He's also going to call on Democrats directly to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

00:32:09.000 Our viewers may remember that we're in a partial shutdown right now with the Department of Homeland Security's funding on pause as Democrats try to get some negotiating on some of the ICE tactics that we've seen used across the country.

00:32:24.000 The president is going to call directly on Democrats shortly here in the chamber to fund border security and the department.

00:32:31.000 And he is going to end on a note talking and hearkening back to the fact that this is America's 250th anniversary, saying that the revolution that began in 1776 has not ended and it still continues.

00:32:44.000 Omna.

00:32:45.000 Let's turn now to our congressional correspondent, Lisa Desjardins, who is inside the House chamber.

00:32:51.000 Lisa, what are you seeing and hearing there?

00:32:53.000 We just saw members of the cabinet.

00:32:55.000 We saw the White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles make her way in. 1.00

00:32:58.000 We should point out to our viewers that you have a choice spot there in the gallery just atop the rostrum from where the president will be speaking tonight.

00:33:06.000 What are you seeing?

00:33:07.000 It is an incredible privilege, and I have never seen a city of the union look quite like this.

00:33:11.000 It's a tale of two political parties.

00:33:13.000 Before me, I see Republicans, many women wearing red, eager, enthusiastic for their president.

00:33:19.000 On the other side, Democrats, more somber and solemn, and many empty seats, as many we can see, dozens of Democrats are boycotting.

00:33:28.000 Also, the U.S. Supreme Court, just four of the nine members are here tonight.

00:33:33.000 Not the entire court, not even the majority of the court, is here.

00:33:37.000 To my left, in the first lady's box, I can see that the entire Trump family, the Trump five children, are in the front row sitting next to Melania Trump.

00:33:45.000 She received a big round of applause when she came in.

00:33:47.000 But many other guests in the galleries here are going to be notable.

00:33:51.000 Also, to my left, several Epstein survivors wearing butterfly pins, wondering if the president will address them and the need that they see for more release of the Epstein files.

00:34:03.000 What I don't see yet, guys, is the U.S. hockey team, the gold-winning hockey team, not in the chamber yet.

00:34:08.000 My understanding is they will enter during the speech and leave during the speech.

00:34:13.000 They are not seated.

00:34:15.000 Our thanks to Lisa and Liz.

00:34:15.000 All right.

00:34:17.000 Well, with us at the table here all evening, and it could be a long evening, even longer than last year, perhaps, are Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report, Republican strategist Kevin Madden, Democratic strategist Faz Shakir, and Tiffany Smiley, former Republican Senate candidate in Washington State.

00:34:33.000 And Tiffany, we'll start with you.

00:34:34.000 The president comes into tonight's speech.

00:34:37.000 Objectively weakened.

00:34:38.000 He's got the Supreme Court setback on tariffs.

00:34:40.000 He's got his slumping approval numbers.

00:34:42.000 You've got warning signs for Republicans in the midterms.

00:34:45.000 How does he use this speech as a moment to reset?

00:34:49.000 Yeah, I mean, this is Trump dominating once again, and he will make it a very strong speech, a speech that certainly paints a picture for hope and vision into the future as of what he will deliver on.

00:35:00.000 This summer he passed the historic No Tax on TIPS Act.

00:35:03.000 That is huge for the American people.

00:35:04.000 No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, increased child credit tax, amongst other things that are in there.

00:35:11.000 And the American people will start to feel that in the coming months as they file their taxes and they start to see more money coming back into their pockets.

00:35:18.000 They see gas prices coming down.

00:35:21.000 Just today, consumer indexes bumped up a little bit.

00:35:24.000 Those are good trends going in and sort of the wind in Trump sales heading into this speech.

00:35:29.000 I think it will be a powerful speech, a strong speech, and a speech about not just today, but perhaps a better future for our children's children.

00:35:38.000 Let's take a listen in on the House Chamber floor because it looks like the Sergeant-in-Arms.

00:35:42.000 Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.

00:35:58.000 We see the President there entering the chamber now, going to make his way down that aisle.

00:36:04.000 We're sure he's going to greet people along the aisle in those choice aisle seats as he makes his way up to the front, followed, of course, by Republican congressional leadership behind him.

00:36:16.000 Continuing to watch the president as he makes his way to deliver this State of the Union address.

00:36:22.000 And Walter, as we continue to watch this unfold here, this is, of course, his first State of the Union since returning to the White House over a year ago.

00:36:30.000 Jeff sort of told us a little bit about the public he's speaking to, where the American people are at this moment, how they're viewing his first year in office.

00:36:40.000 Tell us a little bit about the message he should try to send tonight.

00:36:43.000 Right.

00:36:43.000 Well, when I look at some of these excerpts, this is the kind of message that I think Republicans, especially Republicans who are on the ballot next year, would like to see him talk about over and over again things that the administration has been doing on these cost of living issues.

00:37:00.000 To me, the ultimate challenge for the president and for Republicans in this upcoming election isn't what he says tonight, but it's whether he will continue to say this tomorrow, a week from now, two months from now, right?

00:37:14.000 Will he stay as focused on this?

00:37:17.000 One thing that I found really interesting in looking back, I know it wasn't officially a State of the Union last time.

00:37:22.000 It was an address to Congress.

00:40:39.000 of Congress, I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the President of the United States.

00:41:12.000 Well, thank you very much, everybody.

00:41:14.000 It's really an honor.

00:41:17.000 Speaker Johnson, Vice President Vance, First Lady of the United States, Second

00:41:48.000 Lady of the United States.

00:42:05.000 Members of Congress and my fellow Americans, our nation is back, bigger, better, richer, and stronger than ever before.

00:42:29.000 Less than five months from now, our country will celebrate an epic milestone in American history, the 250th anniversary of our glorious American independence.

00:42:41.000 This July 4th, we will mark two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress, and freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of the earth.

00:42:53.000 And you've seen nothing yet.

00:42:55.000 We're going to do better and better and better.

00:42:58.000 This is the golden age of America.

00:43:14.000 When I last spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis with a stagnant economy, inflation at record levels.

00:43:26.000 a wide open border, horrendous recruitment for military and police, rampant crime at home, and wars and chaos all over the world.

00:43:37.000 But 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.

00:43:49.000 It is indeed a turnaround for the ages.

00:44:17.000 And we will never go back to where we were just a very short time ago.

00:44:22.000 We're not going back.

00:44:24.000 Today, our border is secure. Thank you.

00:44:38.000 Today our border is secure.

00:44:40.000 Our spirit is restored.

00:44:43.000 Inflation is plummeting.

00:44:45.000 Incomes are rising fast.

00:44:48.000 The roaring economy is roaring like never before.

00:44:52.000 And our enemies are scared.

00:44:54.000 Our military and police are stacked.

00:44:57.000 And America is respected again, perhaps like never before.

00:45:16.000 After four years in which millions and millions of illegal aliens poured across our borders totally unvetted and unchecked, we now have the strongest and most secure border in American history by far.

00:45:42.000 In the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States.

00:46:01.000 But we will always allow people to come in legally, people that will love our country and will work hard to maintain our country.

00:46:21.000 The flow of deadly fentanyl across our border is downed by a record 56 percent in one year.

00:46:40.000 And last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history.

00:46:46.000 This is the biggest decline, think of it in recorded history, the lowest number in over 125 years, year 1900.

00:46:56.000 In fact, substantially before my wonderful father, I had a wonderful father, Fred, before he was born, substantially before he was born.

00:47:06.000 That's a long time ago.

00:47:08.000 He wouldn't like me to say that, but that's a long time ago.

00:47:12.000 The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country.

00:47:20.000 But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than five years.

00:47:27.000 And in the last three months of 2025, it was down to 1.7%.

00:47:48.000 Gasoline, which reached a peak of over $6 a gallon in some states, under my predecessor, it was quite honestly a disaster, is now below $2.30 a gallon in most states.

00:48:00.000 And in some places...

00:48:02.000 $1.99 a gallon.

00:48:04.000 And when I visited the great state of Iowa just a few weeks ago, I even saw $1.85 a gallon for gasoline.

00:48:24.000 Mortgage rates are the lowest in four years and falling fast.

00:48:28.000 And the annual cost of a typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000 just since I took office.

00:48:36.000 One year.

00:48:41.000 And low interest rates will solve the Biden-created housing problem while at the same time protecting the values of those people who already own a house that really feel rich for the first time in their lives.

00:48:54.000 We want to protect those values.

00:48:55.000 We want to keep those values up.

00:48:57.000 We're going to do both.

00:49:02.000 And we are going to keep it that way.

00:49:05.000 The stock market has set 53 all-time record highs since the election.

00:49:10.000 Think of that.

00:49:11.000 One year, boosting pensions, 401ks, and retirement accounts for the millions and millions of Americans.

00:49:19.000 They're all gaining.

00:49:20.000 Everybody's up, way up.

00:49:22.000 In four long years, the last administration got less than $1 trillion in new investment in the United States.

00:49:30.000 And when I say less, substantially less.

00:49:33.000 In 12 months, I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion pouring in from all over the globe.

00:49:50.000 Think of it.

00:49:51.000 Much less than $1 trillion for four years versus much more than $18 trillion for one year.

00:49:58.000 What a difference a president makes.

00:50:04.000 A short time ago, we were a dead country.

00:50:07.000 Now we are the hottest country anywhere in the world.

00:50:10.000 The hottest.

00:50:25.000 As thousands of new businesses are forming in factories, plants, and laboratories are being built, we have added 70,000 new construction jobs in just a very short period of time.

00:50:36.000 It's getting bigger and bigger and stronger.

00:50:39.000 Nobody can believe what they're watching.

00:50:41.000 American oil production is up by more than 600,000 barrels a day, and we just received from our new friend and partner, Venezuela, more than 80 million barrels of oil.

00:51:05.000 American natural gas production is at an all-time high because I kept my promise to drill, baby, drill.

00:51:25.000 More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country.

00:51:31.000 Think about that.

00:51:32.000 Any time in the history of our country, more working today.

00:51:35.000 And 100% of all jobs created under my administration have been in the private sector.

00:51:54.000 We ended DEI in America.

00:52:09.000 We cut a record number of job-killing regulations, and in one year, we have lifted 2.4 million Americans a record off of food stamps.

00:52:29.000 And for all of these reasons, I say tonight, members of Congress, the state of our union is strong.

00:52:57.000 Our country is winning again.

00:52:59.000 In fact, we're winning so much that we really don't know what to do about it.

00:53:05.000 People are asking me, please, please, please, Mr. President, we're winning too much.

00:53:10.000 We can't take it anymore.

00:53:12.000 We're not used to winning in our country.

00:53:14.000 Until you came along, we're just always losing, but now we're winning too much.

00:53:19.000 And I say, no, no, no, you're going to win again.

00:53:23.000 You're going to win big.

00:53:24.000 You're going to win bigger than ever.

00:53:27.000 And to prove that point, to prove that point, here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud.

00:53:36.000 The men's gold medal Olympic hockey team.

00:53:40.000 Come on in.

00:55:19.000 That's the first time I've ever seen them get up.

00:55:24.000 And actually, not all of them did get up.

00:55:28.000 But they beat a fantastic Canadian team in overtime, as everybody saw, as did the American women who will soon be coming to the White House. 0.58

00:56:09.000 They were in the Oval Office before.

00:56:12.000 And I just want to say a second very big congratulations to Team USA.

00:56:17.000 But I have to say that, and I told them this, and we took a vote of the team.

00:56:22.000 I said, anybody votes no, I'm not doing it.

00:56:25.000 So they stood there, and they weren't about to say no, because I'd never seen a goaltender play as well as goalie Conor Halibut.

00:57:04.000 Think of it, 46 shots on goal, and I asked him, the one shot, the one where you put your stick in the back, and it hit the neck of your stick and bounced off.

00:57:14.000 Do you practice that or was that a little lucky?

00:57:17.000 He refused to answer that question.

00:57:21.000 But I just want to tell you that the members of this great hockey squad will be very happy to hear based on their vote and my vote, and in this case my vote was more important, that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor, which we will be given and which has been given to many athletes over the years.

00:57:43.000 But when I say many, not too many, like 12.

00:57:47.000 It's called the highest civilian honor in our country, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

00:58:20.000 Great athletes have gotten that, very great, the best, and I thought he deserved it.

00:58:25.000 And I did take a vote, every single one of them.

00:58:28.000 I said, I'm not giving it if anybody goes no.

00:58:30.000 And every single one of them rapidly put up their hand.

00:58:33.000 So I want to thank you all.

00:58:34.000 What a special job you did.

00:58:36.000 What special champions you are.

00:58:38.000 Thank you very much.

00:58:59.000 I'm also pleased to say that the next time the Olympic torch is lit, it will be here in America for the 2028 Olympics.

00:59:10.000 And it's the summer version right in Los Angeles.

00:59:13.000 We're going to do a good job in Los Angeles.

00:59:29.000 And Los Angeles is going to be safe, just like Washington, D.C., is now one of the safest cities in the country.

00:59:44.000 And this year, and I must say I got them both.

00:59:47.000 I got them in my first term, and I was disappointed because I didn't think I'd be the president when this happened.

00:59:55.000 But strange things took place, and now I've got them because I got the Olympics.

01:00:01.000 I got the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and I wanted to claim the 250th, but I didn't get away with that one.

01:00:09.000 I couldn't claim that one for myself.

01:00:12.000 But we're getting the World Cup.

01:00:13.000 So we have the World Cup and the Olympics coming.

01:00:16.000 And that is exciting news.

01:00:26.000 So this will be a year to celebrate our country and the heroes who have kept it free.

01:00:34.000 Men like Buddy Taggart.

01:00:37.000 At age 17, Buddy volunteered to defend America in World War II, serving in the Pacific under the great General Douglas MacArthur.

01:00:47.000 He fought bravely in the famous Battle of Manila, worked so hard.

01:00:52.000 He was badly wounded and almost killed by enemy machine guns in Luzon.

01:00:58.000 And 81 years ago, this month, he liberated the largest internment camp in the Philippines, one of the largest anywhere in the world.

01:01:07.000 But he earned many honors, including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, came home, started a family, and tonight he is in the gallery looking forward to July 4th, 2026, his 100th birthday.

01:01:55.000 So, buddy, you're a brave man, and we salute you.

01:01:59.000 Even in times of challenge, setback, and immense heartache, the spirit of 1776 has always shone through very brightly.

01:02:10.000 It was July 4th of last year when floodwaters tore through a girls' summer camp in central Texas, one of the worst things I've ever seen.

01:02:18.000 I was there, rising 26 feet in the matter of minutes, tragically claiming many, many lives.

01:02:25.000 You all remember that one?

01:02:27.000 As the waters threatened to sweep her away, 11-year-old Millie Kate McClaymond closed her eyes and prayed to God.

01:02:36.000 She thought she was going to die.

01:02:38.000 Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskin descended from a helicopter above.

01:02:46.000 Nobody knew where he came from.

01:02:49.000 It was Scott's first ever rescue mission, young guy, but very brave, very, very top, always top in his class.

01:02:57.000 and he lifted not just Millie Kate, but 164 others to safety.

01:03:35.000 People watched Scott from a distance, and they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

01:03:40.000 The winds were blowing, the rain was pouring, everything was going in that rapid water.

01:03:45.000 Nobody's ever seen anything like it.

01:03:47.000 They said, wow, that's something.

01:03:49.000 Tonight, Scott and Millie Kate are here together, reunited for the very first time.

01:03:55.000 Thank you, Scott, Millie Cate, and Petty Officer Ruskin.

01:04:23.000 I'm pleased to inform you that I am now awarding you the Legion of Merit for Extraordinary Heroism, which is what it was, Extraordinary Heroism.

01:04:48.000 And I'd like to have the military aide to please come down and take care of the service.

01:04:55.000 Military aide.

01:04:56.000 Thank you very much.

01:04:58.000 Take care of that very important service.

01:05:01.000 Thank you very much.

01:05:04.000 From 1776 to today, every generation of Americans has stepped forward to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

01:05:16.000 And they're really doing it for the next generation.

01:05:19.000 But now it's our turn.

01:05:21.000 Together, we're building a nation where every child has the chance to reach higher and go further, where government answers to the people, not the powerful, and where the interests of hardworking American citizens are always our first and ultimate concern.

01:05:37.000 That is the debt we owe to the heroes who came before us, and that is the promise we must keep to America for our 250th year.

01:05:48.000 Last year, I urged this Congress to begin the mission by passing the largest tax cuts in American history, and our Republican majorities delivered so beautifully.

01:06:00.000 Thank you, Republicans.

01:06:01.000 All Democrats, every single one of them, voted against these really important and very necessary massive tax cuts.

01:06:32.000 They wanted large-scale tax increases to hurt the people instead.

01:06:40.000 But we held strong, and with the great, big, beautiful bill, we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security for our great city.

01:07:07.000 And we also made interest on auto loans tax deductible the first time, but only if the car is made in America.

01:07:27.000 Recently in Pennsylvania, I met Megan Hemhauser, a devoted mom who homeschools her children, beautiful, two children, during the day while waiting tables at night as her husband works overtime operating very heavy equipment. 0.92

01:07:45.000 Megan is here this evening and she's happy to tell you that she is so, so much richer because with no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and her expanded child tax credit done again by Republicans, Megan and her husband will take home more than $5,000 extra just for the year, cutting her tax bill in more than half.

01:08:17.000 Megan, please stand up. 0.89

01:08:19.000 We're fighting for you, Megan.

01:08:25.000 Thank you, Megan.

01:08:29.000 Thank you, Megan.

01:08:31.000 We're fighting for you, Megan.

01:08:33.000 Under our bill, parents like Megan can also activate their children's brand new Trump accounts.

01:08:40.000 And I didn't name it.

01:08:41.000 I did not name it.

01:08:43.000 I did not name that.

01:08:49.000 Nobody believes me, but I did not name it.

01:08:52.000 It was named by a very tall man standing right there in the third row.

01:08:56.000 Nice man, a good man.

01:08:58.000 Tax-free investment accounts for every American child.

01:09:02.000 This is something that's so special, has taken off and gone through the roof.

01:09:06.000 Millions will be pre-funded courtesy of the U.S. Treasury and private individuals like Michael and Susan Dell, who have donated $6,250,000,000 to fund the Trump accounts for 25 million American children.

01:09:26.000 They're great people.

01:09:40.000 You know, I asked Michael Dell, how do you make all that money?

01:09:43.000 He said, well, I just sat on my dorm in school, and I made computers, and I'd sell them to people.

01:09:50.000 And I just kept selling and selling and selling.

01:09:54.000 Pretty amazing story.

01:09:55.000 That's called the American Dream.

01:09:56.000 He sold a lot of computers, a lot of those laptops.

01:09:59.000 So I congratulate him on that.

01:10:00.000 But I really thank him and Susan, as well as others like Brad Gerstner, a very tremendous guy.

01:10:07.000 He was behind it right from the beginning.

01:10:08.000 Brad Gerstner.

01:10:09.000 Thank you, Brad.

01:10:23.000 So with modest additional contributions, these young people's accounts could grow to over $100,000 or more by the time they turn 18.

01:10:33.000 Think of it.

01:10:34.000 How much money is that for somebody that started with nothing?

01:10:38.000 Over $100,000?

01:10:39.000 It could be much more than that.

01:10:41.000 To make this investment in our children's future, go to trumpeaccounts.gov, trumpaccounts.gov.

01:10:48.000 And a lot of people are doing it.

01:10:49.000 It's setting every record in the book.

01:10:51.000 It's popular.

01:10:53.000 They knew what was going to, what it was going to take.

01:10:55.000 I'm so proud of them.

01:10:56.000 I'm so proud of the people that got it started.

01:10:59.000 And now it's just taken off.

01:11:00.000 One of the primary reasons for our country's stunning economic turnaround, the biggest in history where the Dow Jones broke 50,000 four years ahead of schedule and the S ⁇ P hit 7,000 where it wasn't supposed to do it for many years were tariffs.

01:11:20.000 I used these tariffs, took in hundreds of billions of dollars to make great deals for our country, both economically and on a national security basis.

01:11:30.000 Everything was working well.

01:11:32.000 Countries that were ripping us off for decades are now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars.

01:11:38.000 They were ripping us so badly.

01:11:40.000 You all know that.

01:11:41.000 Everybody knows it.

01:11:42.000 Even the Democrats know it.

01:11:43.000 They just don't want to say it.

01:11:45.000 And yet these countries are now happy, and so are we.

01:11:50.000 We made deals.

01:11:51.000 The deals are all done.

01:11:53.000 And they're happy.

01:11:54.000 They're not making money like they used to, but we're making a lot of money.

01:11:58.000 There was no inflation, tremendous growth.

01:12:00.000 And the big story was how Donald Trump called the economy correctly.

01:12:04.000 And 22 Nobel Prize winners in economics didn't.

01:12:08.000 They got it totally wrong.

01:12:10.000 They got it really wrong.

01:12:12.000 And then just four days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court.

01:12:17.000 It just came down.

01:12:18.000 It came down.

01:12:19.000 Very unfortunate ruling.

01:12:24.000 But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made.

01:12:32.000 Right, Scott?

01:12:34.000 Knowing that the legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them, and therefore they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court's unfortunate involvement.

01:12:52.000 So, despite the disappointing ruling, these powerful countries saving, it's saving our country the kind of money we're taking in.

01:13:02.000 Peace protecting many of the wars I settled was because of the threat of tariffs.

01:13:07.000 I wouldn't have been able to settle them without, will remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes.

01:13:15.000 And they have been tested for a long time.

01:13:18.000 They're a little more complex, but they're actually probably better, leading to a solution that will be even stronger than before.

01:13:27.000 Congressional action will not be necessary.

01:13:30.000 It's already time-tested and approved.

01:13:32.000 And as time goes by, I believe the tariffs paid for by foreign countries will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern-day system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the people that I love.

01:13:55.000 Right.

01:14:01.000 Moving forward, factories, jobs, investment, and trillions and trillions of dollars will continue pouring into the United States of America because we finally have a president who puts America first.

01:14:13.000 I put America first.

01:14:15.000 I love America.

01:14:27.000 For decades before I came along, we had the exact opposite.

01:14:33.000 From trade to health care, from energy to immigration, everything was stolen and rigged in order to drain the wealth out of the productive, hardworking people who make our country great, who make our country run.

01:14:46.000 Under Biden and his corrupt partners in Congress and beyond, it reached a breaking point with the Green News scam, open borders for everyone. 0.96

01:14:57.000 They poured in by the millions and millions from prisons, from mental institutions.

01:15:02.000 They were murderers, 11,888 murderers.

01:15:06.000 They came into our country. 1.00

01:15:07.000 You allowed that to happen.

01:15:09.000 And record-setting inflation that cost the typical family $34,000 in just a speck of time.

01:15:17.000 Now, the same people in this chamber who voted for those disasters suddenly used the word affordability, a word.

01:15:26.000 They just used it.

01:15:27.000 Somebody gave it to them, knowing full well that they caused and created the increased prices that all of our citizens had to endure.

01:15:38.000 You caused that problem.

01:15:40.000 You caused that problem.

01:15:57.000 They knew their statements were a lie.

01:15:59.000 They knew it.

01:16:00.000 They knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie.

01:16:04.000 Their policies created the high prices.

01:16:07.000 Our policies are rapidly ending them.

01:16:10.000 We are doing really well.

01:16:13.000 Those prices are plummeting downward.

01:16:22.000 The price of eggs is down 60 percent, Madam Secretary.

01:16:29.000 Thank you.

01:16:30.000 The cost of chicken, butter, fruit, hotels, automobiles, rent is lower today than when I took office by a lot.

01:16:38.000 And even beef, which was very high, is starting to come down significantly.

01:16:43.000 Just hold on a little while.

01:16:44.000 We're getting it down.

01:16:46.000 And soon you will see numbers that few people would think were possible to achieve just a short time ago.

01:16:55.000 Nobody can believe when they see the kind of numbers, and especially energy, when they see energy going down to numbers like that, they cannot believe it.

01:17:02.000 It's like another big tax cut.

01:17:06.000 I'm also confronting one of the biggest rip-offs of our times, the crushing costs of health care caused by you.

01:17:15.000 Since the passage of the Unaffordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare, big insurance companies have gotten rich.

01:17:24.000 It was meant for the insurance companies, not for the people.

01:17:27.000 With our government giving them hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars a year as their stock prices soared 1, 1,200, 1,400, and even 1,700 percent, like nothing else.

01:17:42.000 That's why I introduced the great health care plan.

01:17:45.000 I want to stop all payments to big insurance companies and instead give that money directly to the people so they can buy their own health care, which will be better health care at a much lower cost.

01:18:12.000 In addition, my plan requires maximum price transparency.

01:18:17.000 That's a big deal.

01:18:20.000 Sounds so simple, so big.

01:18:24.000 And I did that in my first term, and the Democrats immediately terminated it with full knowledge that they were doing a very bad thing for the people.

01:18:33.000 Costs were going to go way up, and that's what happened, and now I'm bringing them way down on health care and everything else.

01:18:38.000 I'm also ending the wildly inflated cost of prescription drugs like has never happened before.

01:18:54.000 Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could.

01:18:58.000 They tried.

01:19:00.000 Most didn't try, actually.

01:19:02.000 But they tried.

01:19:03.000 They said they tried.

01:19:04.000 They couldn't do it.

01:19:05.000 They didn't even come close.

01:19:07.000 They were all talk and no action.

01:19:09.000 But I got it done.

01:19:11.000 Under my just enacted most favored nation agreements, Americans, who have for decades paid by far the highest prices of any nation anywhere in the world for prescription drugs, will now pay the lowest price anywhere in the world for drugs.

01:19:28.000 Anywhere.

01:19:28.000 The lowest price.

01:19:39.000 So in my first year of the second term, should be my third term, but strange things happen.

01:19:50.000 I took prescription drugs, a very big part of health care, from the highest price in the entire world to the lowest.

01:19:59.000 That's a big achievement.

01:20:01.000 The result is price differences of 300, 400, 500, 600%, and more, all available right now at a new website called trumprx.gov.

01:20:13.000 And I didn't name that one either, by the way.

01:20:22.000 And here tonight is the very first customer ever to get that big discount.

01:20:27.000 And it is big.

01:20:28.000 Catherine Rayner.

01:20:30.000 For five years, she and her husband have struggled with infertility, and they turned to IVF.

01:20:37.000 One drug has been costing Catherine $4,000 to purchase.

01:20:43.000 But a few weeks ago, she logged onto the TrumpRX website and got that same drug that cost $4,000, got it for under $500, a reduction of much more, actually, than $3,500.

01:20:58.000 Catherine, we are all praying for you, and you're going to be a great mom.

01:21:22.000 So now I'm calling on Congress to codify my most favored nation program into law.

01:21:28.000 Now, the one thing I'm not sure it matters because it's going to be very hard for somebody that comes along after me to say, let's raise drug prices by 700 or 800 percent.

01:21:40.000 But John and Mike, if you don't mind, codify it anyway.

01:21:44.000 They may do it.

01:21:45.000 Codify it anyway.

01:21:46.000 Thank you.

01:21:47.000 Many Americans are also concerned that energy demand from AI data centers could unfairly drive up their electric utility bills.

01:21:56.000 Tonight I'm pleased to announce that I have negotiated the new rate payer protection pledge.

01:22:02.000 You know what that is?

01:22:04.000 We're telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs.

01:22:10.000 They can build their own power plants as part of their factory so that no one's prices will go up.

01:22:16.000 And in many cases, prices of electricity will go down for the community and very substantially down.

01:22:22.000 This is a unique strategy never used in this country before.

01:22:26.000 We have an old grid.

01:22:27.000 It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that's needed.

01:22:32.000 So I'm telling them they can build their own plant.

01:22:34.000 They're going to produce their own electricity.

01:22:37.000 It will ensure the company's ability to get electricity while at the same time lowering prices of electricity for you and could be very substantial for all of you cities and towns.

01:22:48.000 You're going to see some good things happen over the next number of years.

01:22:51.000 Another pillar of the American dream that has been under attack is homeownership.

01:22:57.000 With us tonight is Race O'Wiggins, a mom of two from Houston. 1.00

01:23:02.000 She placed bids on 20 homes and lost all of those bids to gigantic investment firms that bypassed inspection, paid all cash, and turned those houses into rentals, stealing away her American dream. 0.96

01:23:15.000 She was devastated.

01:23:16.000 Stories like this are why last month I signed executive order to ban large Wall Street investment firms from buying up in the thousands single-family homes.

01:23:39.000 And now I'm asking Congress to make that ban permanent because homes for people, really, that's what we want.

01:23:47.000 We want homes for people, not for corporations.

01:23:50.000 Corporations are doing just fine.

01:23:52.000 Racelle, thank you very much.

01:23:53.000 Good luck with your home.

01:23:54.000 You'll get one soon.

01:24:04.000 We're also working to make it easier for Americans to save for retirement.

01:24:09.000 And under this administration, we will always protect Social Security and Medicare.

01:24:14.000 They are not protecting it for our seniors.

01:24:17.000 will always protect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.

01:24:27.000 Since I took office, the typical 401k balance is up by at least $30,000.

01:24:36.000 It's a lot of money.

01:24:38.000 We have millions and millions of people because the stock market has done so well setting all those records.

01:24:44.000 Your 401ks are way up.

01:24:46.000 Yet half of all of working Americans still do not have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions from an employer.

01:24:54.000 To remedy this gross disparity, I'm announcing that next year my administration will give these often-forgotten American workers, great people, the people that built our country, access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker.

01:25:09.000 We will match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year.

01:25:14.000 As we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising stock market, let's also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information.

01:25:47.000 They stood up for that.

01:25:49.000 I can't believe it.

01:25:53.000 I can't believe it.

01:25:56.000 Did Nancy Pelosi stand up if she's here?

01:26:00.000 Doubt it.

01:26:02.000 Pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay.

01:26:19.000 I wasn't sure if anybody even on this side was going to applaud for that.

01:26:23.000 I was very impressed.

01:26:24.000 Thank you.

01:26:25.000 I'm very impressed.

01:26:26.000 But when it comes to the corruption that is plundering, really, it's plundering America.

01:26:33.000 There's been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer. 1.00

01:26:46.000 Oh, we have all the information.

01:26:48.000 And in actuality, the number is much higher than that.

01:26:51.000 And California, Massachusetts, Maine, and many other states are even worse.

01:26:57.000 This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation, and we are working on it like you wouldn't believe.

01:27:04.000 So tonight, although started four months ago, I am officially announcing the war on fraud to be led by our great Vice President, JD Vance.

01:27:34.000 He'll get it done.

01:27:37.000 Find enough of that fraud.

01:27:40.000 We will actually have a balanced budget overnight.

01:27:44.000 It'll go very quickly.

01:27:45.000 That's the kind of money you're talking about.

01:27:47.000 We'll balance our budget.

01:27:49.000 The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the work where corruption and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception. 1.00

01:28:01.000 Importing these cultures through unrestricted immigration and open borders brings those problems right here to the USA. 0.98

01:28:09.000 And it is the American people who pay the price in higher medical bills, car insurance rates, rent, taxes, and perhaps most importantly, crime.

01:28:19.000 We will take care of this problem.

01:28:21.000 We're going to take care of this problem.

01:28:22.000 We are not playing games.

01:28:24.000 Delilah, Delilah Coleman was only five years old in June 2024 when a 18 wheel tractor trailer plowed into her stopped car traveling at 60 miles an hour or more.

01:28:54.000 The driver was an illegal alien, led in by Joe Biden and given a commercial driver's license by open borders politicians in California.

01:29:05.000 Doctors said Delilah would never be able to walk or talk, have a good life. 0.99

01:29:11.000 She wouldn't even be able to eat again.

01:29:13.000 But against all odds, she is now in the first grade learning to walk.

01:29:18.000 And she's here this evening with her dad, Marcus, a fantastic man.

01:29:22.000 Delilah, please, you are a great inspiration.

01:29:25.000 Please stand up.

01:29:56.000 Thank you, Delilah.

01:29:58.000 Many, if not most, illegal aliens do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger, or location.

01:30:08.000 That's why tonight I'm calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Delilah law barring any state from granting commercial driver's licenses to illegal aliens. 0.66

01:30:33.000 And yesterday, as you probably saw at the White House, I hosted a ceremony with Americans who lost their treasured loved ones to the scourge of illegal immigration.

01:30:46.000 People came into our country, how we allowed this to happen with our open borders. 1.00

01:30:51.000 These are the angel moms and families that for decades our government betrayed and our media totally ignored.

01:30:59.000 It was terrible.

01:31:00.000 Hard to believe, actually.

01:31:02.000 In 2023, a 16-year-old high school cheerleader named Lisbeth Medina was supposed to perform in her town's Christmas parade, but she never arrived.

01:31:13.000 Her mother, Jacqueline, went home to look for her, and she found her lying dead in a bathtub, bleeding profusely after being stabbed 25 times.

01:31:24.000 Lizbeth's killer was a previously arrested illegal alien who had broken in and just brutally extinguished the brightest light in her family's life violently and viciously.

01:31:41.000 Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals to our country at record numbers, and we're getting them the hell out of here fast. 1.00

01:31:54.000 We don't want Thank you very much, Jacqueline.

01:32:20.000 Thank you.

01:32:21.000 We can never forget that many in this room not only allowed the border invasion to happen before I got involved, but indeed they would do it all over again if they ever had the chance.

01:32:36.000 If they ever got elected, they would open up those borders to some of the worst criminals anywhere in the world.

01:32:43.000 The only thing standing between Americans and a wide open border right now is President Donald J. Trump and our great Republican patriots in Congress.

01:32:52.000 Thank you.

01:33:03.000 As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

01:33:12.000 It's all cut off.

01:33:13.000 It's all cut off.

01:33:15.000 They have instituted another Democrat shutdown, the first one costing us two points on GDP.

01:33:22.000 Two points we lost on GDP, which probably made them quite happy, actually.

01:33:28.000 Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers.

01:33:34.000 Tonight I'm demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for the border security, homeland security of the United States and also for helping people clean up their snow.

01:33:48.000 We have no money because of the Democrats and it would be nice.

01:33:52.000 You'd love to give your hand at cleaning it up, but you gave no money.

01:33:56.000 Nobody's getting paid.

01:33:57.000 It's a shame.

01:33:58.000 So you have to think about it.

01:34:00.000 We have, in case you didn't know, pretty large snowstorm out there.

01:34:04.000 One of the great things about the state of the union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe.

01:34:14.000 So tonight I'm inviting every legislature to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle.

01:34:21.000 If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support.

01:34:27.000 The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. 0.61

01:36:24.000 Isn't that a shame?

01:36:26.000 You should be ashamed of yourself not standing up.

01:36:29.000 You should be ashamed of yourself.

01:36:32.000 That is why I'm also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens, in many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country.

01:36:49.000 They're blocking the removal of these people out of our country.

01:36:54.000 And you should be ashamed of yourself.

01:37:23.000 And perhaps most importantly, I'm asking you to approve the Save America Act to stop illegal aliens and others who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections. 0.77

01:37:48.000 That cheating is rampant in our elections.

01:37:51.000 It's rampant.

01:37:53.000 It's very simple.

01:37:55.000 All voters must show voter ID.

01:38:13.000 All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote.

01:38:26.000 And no more crooked mail-in ballots except for illness, disability, military, or travel.

01:38:34.000 None.

01:38:39.000 And this should be an easy one.

01:38:40.000 And by the way, it's polling at 89%, including Democrats.

01:38:54.000 And even the new communist mayor of New York City, I think he's a nice guy, actually.

01:38:59.000 Speak to him a lot.

01:39:01.000 Bad policy, but nice guy.

01:39:03.000 Just said they want people to shovel snow.

01:39:07.000 They got hit hard.

01:39:08.000 Wants them to shovel snow, but if you apply for that job, you need to show two original forms of ID at a Social Security card.

01:39:18.000 Yet they don't want identification for the greatest privilege of them all, voting in America.

01:39:24.000 No, it's no good.

01:39:26.000 No good.

01:39:27.000 Both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree on the policy that we just enunciated.

01:39:35.000 And Congress should unite and enact this common sense, country-saving legislation right now, and it should be before anything else happens.

01:40:06.000 And the reason they don't want to do it, why would anybody not want voter ID? 0.66

01:40:10.000 One reason, because they want to cheat.

01:40:13.000 There's only one reason.

01:40:15.000 They make up all excuses.

01:40:17.000 They say it's racist.

01:40:19.000 They come up with things, you almost say, what imagination they have.

01:40:22.000 They want to cheat.

01:40:24.000 They have cheated.

01:40:25.000 And their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat.

01:40:30.000 And we're going to stop it.

01:40:31.000 We have to stop it, John.

01:40:44.000 And here is one more opportunity to show common sense in government.

01:40:50.000 In the gallery tonight are Sage Blair and her mother, Michelle.

01:40:55.000 In 2021, Sage was 14 when school officials in Virginia sought to socially transition her to a new gender, treating her as a boy and hiding it from her parents.

01:41:09.000 Hard to believe, isn't it?

01:41:11.000 Before long, a confused Sage ran away from home after she was found in a horrific situation in Maryland.

01:41:20.000 A left-wing judge refused to return Sage to her parents because they did not immediately state that their daughter was their son.

01:41:31.000 Sage was thrown into an all-boys state home and suffered terribly for a long time. 1.00

01:41:37.000 But today, all of that is behind them because Sage is a proud and wonderful young woman with a full ride scholarship to Liberty University.

01:41:48.000 Sage and Rochelle, please stand up.

01:42:12.000 And thank you for your great bravery.

01:42:14.000 And who can believe that we're even speaking about things like this?

01:42:18.000 15 years ago, if somebody was up here and said that, they'd say, what's wrong with him?

01:42:24.000 But now we have to say it because it's going on all over numerous states without even telling the parents.

01:42:31.000 But surely we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents' arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents' will.

01:42:41.000 Who would believe that we're even talking about?

01:42:43.000 We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately.

01:42:57.000 Look, nobody stands up.

01:42:59.000 These people are crazy, I'm telling you.

01:43:02.000 They're crazy.

01:43:13.000 Amazing.

01:43:14.000 Incredible.

01:43:16.000 Boy, oh boy.

01:43:18.000 We're lucky we have a country.

01:43:19.000 With people like this, Democrats are destroying our country, but we've stopped it just in the nick of time, didn't we?

01:43:37.000 No one cares more about protecting America's youth than our wonderful First Lady, now a movie star. 0.96

01:43:44.000 She's a movie star. 1.00

01:43:45.000 Can you believe it?

01:43:48.000 Who would have believed that?

01:43:50.000 Over the past year, she has had an incredible impact, championing AI legislation, advancing a landmark executive order on foster care, and helping secure $30 million to launch the Melania Trump Foster Youth to Independence Initiative.

01:44:07.000 It's a tremendous, really a tremendous thing that happened and had a lot of bipartisan support.

01:44:13.000 She gets much better bipartisan support than I do.

01:44:16.000 I get none.

01:44:17.000 She gets a lot.

01:44:19.000 Someday you're going to have to tell me how you did that.

01:44:23.000 And students and educators in every state have joined the First Lady's efforts in the presidential AI challenge, keeping America's next generation positioned to succeed and strongly succeed in the future.

01:44:38.000 Tonight we welcome two young people whose lives reflect the First Lady's impact: Sierra Burns and Everest Nevermont.

01:44:47.000 Thank you both, and Melania, thank you.

01:44:50.000 I know how hard you worked on it.

01:45:16.000 I'm very proud to say that during my time in office, both the first four years and in particular this last year, there has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity and belief in God.

01:45:45.000 This is especially true among young people, and a big part of that had to do with my great friend, Charlie Kirk, a great guy, a great man.

01:46:05.000 So last year Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin and martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs.

01:46:14.000 His wonderful wife, Erica, is with us tonight.

01:46:18.000 Erica, please stand.

01:46:39.000 Thank you, Erica.

01:46:42.000 Been through a lot.

01:46:43.000 In Charlie's memory, we must all come together to reaffirm that America is one nation under God, and we must totally reject political violence of any kind.

01:47:06.000 We love religion, and we love bringing it back.

01:47:10.000 And it's coming back at levels that nobody actually thought possible.

01:47:14.000 It's really a beautiful thing to see.

01:47:17.000 Above all, unleashing America's promise requires keeping our communities safe.

01:47:22.000 We have made incredible strides, yet dangerous repeat offenders continue to be released by pro-crime Democrat politicians again and again.

01:47:32.000 We are honored to be joined tonight by a woman who's been through hell, Anya Zaretzka.

01:47:39.000 In 2022, she and her beautiful daughter, so beautiful, what a beautiful young woman, Irina fled war-turn, war-torn Ukraine to live with relatives near Charlotte, North Carolina.

01:47:54.000 And by the way, what's going on with Charlotte?

01:47:57.000 Last summer, 23-year-old Irina was riding home on the train when a deranged monster who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no cash bail stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body.

01:48:15.000 No one will ever forget, there were people on that train.

01:48:20.000 No one will ever forget the expression of terror on Irina's face as she looked up at her attacker in the last seconds of her life.

01:48:28.000 She died instantly.

01:48:30.000 She had escaped a brutal war only to be slain by a hardened criminal, set free to kill in America, came in through open borders.

01:48:40.000 Mrs. Zaretska, tonight I promise you we will ensure justice for your magnificent daughter, Irina.

01:49:10.000 How do you not stand?

01:49:12.000 How do you not stand?

01:49:13.000 I'm asking this Congress to pass tough legislation to ensure that violent and dangerous repeat offenders are put behind bars, and importantly, that they stay there.

01:49:37.000 Starting last summer, I deployed our National Guard and federal law enforcement to restore law and order to our most dangerous cities, including Memphis, Tennessee.

01:49:50.000 Big success.

01:49:51.000 New Orleans, Louisiana, big success.

01:49:55.000 and our nation's capital itself, Washington, D.C., where we have almost no crime anymore in Washington, D.C. did that happen?

01:50:14.000 In fact, crime in Washington is now at the lowest level ever recorded and murders in D.C. this January were down close to 100 percent from a year ago.

01:50:39.000 They don't like to hear that.

01:50:41.000 One of the sick people, one of the brave service members who helped achieve this stunning turnaround was 20-year-old West Virginia Army National Guard specialist Sarah Beckstrom.

01:50:55.000 After a four-month deployment, she voluntarily extended her service and her rank was going to be lifted.

01:51:03.000 She was doing so well.

01:51:04.000 They were so proud of her.

01:51:06.000 But the very next day, she was on patrol near the White House when she was ambushed and shot in the head by a terrorist monster from Afghanistan. 0.97

01:51:17.000 Shouldn't have been in our country.

01:51:19.000 And all because she wore the uniform of our nation, she was shot.

01:51:24.000 He traveled here because he didn't like people wearing our uniform.

01:51:28.000 He was sick and deranged.

01:51:29.000 Shouldn't have been in our country.

01:51:32.000 Sarah Bextrom died in order to defend our capital, and we are honored to be joined by her wonderful parents, Gary and Eva Lee.

01:51:42.000 Your daughter was a true American patriot, and she will be greatly missed.

01:51:46.000 She was a great person.

01:51:47.000 I saw reports on her.

01:51:48.000 They've never seen anything like it.

01:52:14.000 So sorry.

01:52:15.000 Thank you very much.

01:52:18.000 A great young lady.

01:52:19.000 I saw reports that were like, perfect.

01:52:21.000 She was perfect.

01:52:23.000 Serving alongside Sarah that day was Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolf.

01:52:28.000 The terrorist shot Andrew in the head, and no one thought he could possibly make it.

01:52:35.000 The two of them, Sarah and Andrew, both shot violently in the head.

01:52:40.000 Neither was expected to make it.

01:52:42.000 They weren't even given a chance, except his wonderful mother named Melody, who I spoke to the same night, and she was so positive.

01:52:54.000 The doctors thought that Andrew was gone, but his mother said, no, no, Mr. President, Andrew will be fine.

01:53:00.000 He's going to make it.

01:53:01.000 I've never seen anything like it.

01:53:02.000 I mean, he was given almost no chance.

01:53:07.000 She said, I have no doubt, sir, he's going to be okay.

01:53:10.000 This was a conversation that I had with her that night with her son laying helplessly in bed, blood all over.

01:53:19.000 Everybody is praying, she said, sir, he will be okay.

01:53:23.000 The doctors didn't understand what she was saying.

01:53:27.000 And after looking at the results of the damage done, neither did I.

01:53:31.000 She was so strong and conclusive that even Andrew's great father felt she didn't really understand the gravity of the situation.

01:53:41.000 But she turned out to be right, right, Melody?

01:53:44.000 out to be right.

01:54:25.000 Amazing, actually.

01:54:27.000 I said, Where does this woman come from? 1.00

01:54:29.000 She's the most positive person I've ever met.

01:54:32.000 With God's help, Andrew has battled back from the edge of death, and we're talking about the edge of death, on his way to a miraculous recovery.

01:54:44.000 He's got a little work to do, but he's doing great.

01:54:47.000 Nice to see you.

01:54:48.000 He's a good-looking guy.

01:54:49.000 Nice to see you.

01:54:50.000 Thanks, Andrew.

01:54:52.000 Thank you very much.

01:55:12.000 So, Andrew, while you're up, now I'm going to ask a highly respected General James Seward to present Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe and the great family of Sarah Beckstrom with the award created by our late, great President George Washington himself.

01:55:31.000 It's called The Purple Heart.

01:55:33.000 We love

01:56:24.000 you all.

01:56:25.000 Love you.

01:56:26.000 We're proudly restoring safety for Americans at home, and we are also restoring security for Americans abroad.

01:56:35.000 Our country has never been stronger.

01:56:37.000 My first 10 months, I ended eight wars, including Cambodia, isn't it funny? 1.00

01:56:45.000 Sick people, Cambodia and Thailand, Pakistan and India. 1.00

01:56:51.000 Would have been a nuclear war. 0.72

01:56:52.000 35 million people said the Prime Minister of Pakistan would have died if it were not for my involvement.

01:56:59.000 Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Congo and Rwanda, and of course the war in Gaza, which proceeds at a very low level.

01:57:15.000 It's just about there.

01:57:16.000 And I want to thank Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for your help.

01:57:22.000 Thank you, Jerry.

01:57:22.000 Thank you, Steve.

01:57:40.000 And I also want to thank the mandate report, too, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

01:57:47.000 Thank you.

01:57:47.000 Thank you, Michael.

01:58:06.000 People don't like you.

01:58:08.000 You know, Marco got 100% of the votes when he was in confirmation.

01:58:14.000 I think our next one was about 54%.

01:58:17.000 And some of the Democrats are now saying, I can't believe we approved that guy.

01:58:23.000 And he said it's an honor that they feel that way, right, Marco?

01:58:27.000 You have done a great job, great Secretary of State.

01:58:29.000 I think he'll go down as the best ever.

01:58:43.000 Under the ceasefire, I negotiated every single hostage, both living and dead, has been returned home.

01:58:50.000 Can you believe that?

01:59:04.000 Nobody thought it was possible.

01:59:07.000 Nobody thought that was possible.

01:59:10.000 Both living and dead.

01:59:11.000 And those parents who had a dead son, their boy, they'd always tell me their boy, they wanted him as much as though he were living.

01:59:19.000 It was an amazing period of time.

01:59:22.000 They came back.

01:59:23.000 And when we got all of the living hostages back, and many, many before then, but I always said those last 20 are going to be very tough.

01:59:29.000 But we got many, many more, hundreds.

01:59:33.000 But I said those last 20 are going to be tough.

01:59:35.000 We got them back.

01:59:36.000 But we only got back 14 or 15 of the dead of the 28.

01:59:43.000 And believe it or not, Hamas worked along with Israel, and they dug and they dug and they dug. 0.80

01:59:50.000 It's a tough thing to do, going through bodies all over, passing up 100 bodies sometimes for each one that they found.

02:00:02.000 Tough job.

02:00:03.000 And they finally got it back to 27.

02:00:07.000 And then Steve and Jared, they got it back to 28.

02:00:10.000 They found all 28.

02:00:12.000 Nobody thought that was possible, but we did it.

02:00:14.000 And I remember the family of the 28th, they were so grieved, but they were so happy, as happy as it's possible to be.

02:00:26.000 They had their boy back.

02:00:27.000 The mother said, sir, we have our boy back.

02:00:31.000 What a period of time that was, but we got them all back.

02:00:33.000 So thank you both very much.

02:00:48.000 And we're working very hard to end the Ninth War, the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month.

02:00:59.000 Think of that, 25,000 soldiers are dying a month.

02:01:05.000 A war which would have never happened if I were president.

02:01:08.000 It would have never happened.

02:01:10.000 As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must.

02:01:19.000 That's why in a breakthrough operation last June, the United States military obliterated Iran's nuclear weapons program with an attack on Iranian soil known as Operation Midnight Hammer. 0.66

02:01:46.000 For decades, it had been the policy of the United States never to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

02:01:53.000 Many decades.

02:01:55.000 Since they seized control of that proud nation 47 years ago, the regime and its murderous proxies have spread nothing but terrorism and death and hate.

02:02:06.000 They've killed and maimed thousands of American service members and hundreds of thousands and even millions of people with what's called roadside bombs.

02:02:17.000 They were the kings of the roadside bomb. 1.00

02:02:21.000 And we took out Soleimani.

02:02:23.000 I did that during my first term.

02:02:25.000 Had a huge impact.

02:02:27.000 He was the father of the roadside war.

02:02:39.000 And just over the last couple of months with the protests, they've killed at least, it looks like, 32,000 protests.

02:02:47.000 32,000 protesters in their own country.

02:02:52.000 They shot them and hung them.

02:02:55.000 We stopped them from hanging a lot of them with the threat of serious violence.

02:03:01.000 But this is some terrible people.

02:03:05.000 They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.

02:03:16.000 After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, in particular, nuclear weapons.

02:03:26.000 Yet they continue to starting it all over.

02:03:30.000 We wiped it out, and they want to start all over again, and are at this moment, again, pursuing their sinister ambitions.

02:03:38.000 We are in negotiations with them.

02:03:39.000 They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words.

02:03:43.000 will never have a nuclear weapon.

02:03:47.000 My preference, my preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy.

02:04:09.000 But one thing is certain.

02:04:10.000 I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon.

02:04:17.000 can't let that happen.

02:04:32.000 And no nation should ever doubt America's resolve.

02:04:36.000 We have the most powerful military on earth.

02:04:39.000 I rebuilt the military in my first term.

02:04:43.000 We're going to continue to do so.

02:04:45.000 Also, we just approved a trillion-dollar budget.

02:04:48.000 We have no choice.

02:04:48.000 We have to be strong because hopefully we will seldom have to use this great power that we built together.

02:04:57.000 It's really called peace through strength, and it's been very, very effective.

02:05:14.000 So thanks to Republicans in Congress who are investing that record number of dollars, have no choice, in the United States Armed Forces.

02:05:25.000 Also creating a lot of jobs, but we're not even doing it for that reason.

02:05:30.000 Because as I said, we have more jobs, more people working today than ever before in the history of our country.

02:05:35.000 And NATO countries, our friends and allies, they are.

02:05:38.000 They're our friends and they're our allies, have just agreed, at my very strong request, to pay 5% of GDP for military defense rather than the 2% which they weren't paying.

02:05:51.000 We were paying for almost all of NATO.

02:05:54.000 Now they're paying five as opposed to not paying two.

02:06:05.000 And getting that 5% was something which everyone said would never be done, could not happen.

02:06:10.000 We got it really easily.

02:06:12.000 One meeting.

02:06:13.000 And big difference between 2% that's not paid.

02:06:17.000 We were paying the freight of many of them.

02:06:19.000 Very few were paid up.

02:06:21.000 Now 5%, then they're paid.

02:06:23.000 And everything we send over to Ukraine is sent through NATO, and they pay us in full.

02:06:29.000 They pay us totally in full.

02:06:32.000 Every branch of our armed forces is setting records for recruitment.

02:06:38.000 This is so exciting.

02:06:39.000 And every service member recently received a warrior dividend of $1,776.

02:07:11.000 You know, they put it on my desk.

02:07:12.000 We got the money from tariffs and other things.

02:07:14.000 A lot of money we have.

02:07:15.000 We have much more money than people understand.

02:07:17.000 Have to rebuild that program a little bit, but it won't take long.

02:07:21.000 But we got the money, and it was $1,775, and they wanted my approval.

02:07:27.000 And I said, what's the number?

02:07:29.000 $1,775.

02:07:32.000 I said, wait a minute.

02:07:33.000 one more dollar we can have 1776 it's going to i said we're going to figure that out I never asked anybody if we could afford it.

02:07:40.000 One more dollar.

02:07:41.000 I said $1,776.

02:07:44.000 And I said, that's good.

02:07:45.000 And I'll tell you what, our military, that was four months ago, our military, I never see a person in the military that doesn't thank me for it, so we're honored to do it.

02:07:53.000 They deserve it.

02:07:54.000 And we call it 1776.

02:07:57.000 It was great.

02:07:58.000 And we love our military.

02:08:00.000 We love our law enforcement.

02:08:02.000 We love our firemen.

02:08:03.000 You know, the firemen don't get mentioned enough.

02:08:05.000 We love our firemen.

02:08:06.000 We're also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism, and foreign interference.

02:08:35.000 For years, large swaths of territory in our region, including large parts of Mexico, really large parts of Mexico, have been controlled by murderous drug cartels.

02:08:48.000 That's why I designated these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and I declared illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction.

02:09:09.000 And with our new military campaign, we have stopped record amounts of drugs coming into our country and virtually stopped it completely coming in by water or sea.

02:09:19.000 You probably noticed that.

02:09:23.000 We very seriously damaged their fishing industry also.

02:09:27.000 Nobody wants to go fishing anymore.

02:09:30.000 We've also taken down one of the most sinister cartel kingpins of all.

02:09:35.000 You saw that yesterday.

02:09:37.000 In January, in January, elite American warriors carried out one of the most complex, spectacular feats of military competence and power in world history.

02:10:02.000 No one's seen anything like it.

02:10:03.000 Foreign leaders, I won't tell you who called me and they said, very impressive, very good.

02:10:09.000 They couldn't believe, they all watched.

02:10:11.000 They saw what happened.

02:10:13.000 This is a different fighting force than we had years ago when we fought to tie.

02:10:19.000 You know, it's a great fighting force.

02:10:21.000 I'm so proud of it.

02:10:23.000 Look at Space Force's My Baby, because we did that.

02:10:28.000 my baby is becoming so important.

02:10:48.000 And America's armed forces overwhelmed all defenses and utterly defeated enemy, good fighters, to end the reign of outlawed dictator Nicolas Maduro and bring him to face American justice.

02:11:13.000 And this was an absolutely colossal victory for the security of the United States, and it also opens up a bright new beginning for the people of Venezuela.

02:11:23.000 We're working closely with the new president of Venezuela, Del C. Rodriguez, to unleash extraordinary economic gains for both of our countries and to bring new hope to those who have suffered so terribly.

02:11:36.000 They really did suffer.

02:11:38.000 With us tonight is Alejandro Gonzalez.

02:11:41.000 She grew up in a tight-knit Venezuelan family and was especially close to her beloved uncle Enrique.

02:11:49.000 But after Enrique ran for office and opposed Maduro, he was kidnapped by Maduro security forces and thrown into the regime's really infamous prison in Caracas.

02:12:01.000 Alejandro feared she would never see her uncle again.

02:12:05.000 She feared for her own life also.

02:12:08.000 But since the raid, we have worked with the new leadership and they have ordered the closure of that vile prison and released hundreds of political prisoners already, with more to come.

02:12:20.000 Alejandro, I'm pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here tonight.

02:12:28.000 We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person.

02:12:31.000 Enrique, please come down.

02:13:14.000 Thank you, Enrique.

02:13:16.000 Have a good time.

02:13:18.000 Nice to have you back, Enreque.

02:13:22.000 There were many heroes on that January raid to capture Maduro, really great heroes.

02:13:28.000 It was very dangerous.

02:13:29.000 They knew we were coming.

02:13:30.000 They were all set.

02:13:32.000 But the deeds of one warrior that night will live forever in the eternal chronicles of military valor.

02:13:40.000 Chief Warrant Officer 5, Eric Slover, planned the mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter, a big, beautiful, powerful helicopter.

02:13:56.000 It was a massive Chinook carrying, as you can imagine, many, many American warfighters.

02:14:05.000 Wearing the dog tags his wife Amy had blessed with holy water before he left.

02:14:11.000 She knew it was going to be a rough one.

02:14:13.000 Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of night and descended swiftly upon Maduro's heavily protected military fortress.

02:14:21.000 This was a major military installation, protected by thousands of soldiers and guarded by Russian and Chinese military technology.

02:14:31.000 How did that work out?

02:14:32.000 Not too good.

02:14:36.000 While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another.

02:14:47.000 He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.

02:14:53.000 And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to successful helicopter flight, legs are the most important part of flying a helicopter, to deliver the many commandos who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about.

02:15:13.000 Then even as he was gushing blood, which was flowing back down the aisle, helicopter lands at a steep angle, the machine gun stood right in front of him, right in front of him, two machine gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes.

02:15:29.000 Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat, turned the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.

02:15:51.000 Only after safely landing the helicopter with all the warriors aboard in the exact right spot which was vital to the mission, we probably would have had to maybe cancel the mission if that didn't happen.

02:16:05.000 Eric told his co-pilot, also wounded, but not as gravely, to take over.

02:16:13.000 I'm about ready to pass out.

02:16:16.000 The success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinge on Eric's ability to take the searing pain.

02:16:24.000 It was unbelievable what's happened to his legs of the bullets and keep on flying and landing.

02:16:34.000 People knew what was happening.

02:16:35.000 Everybody in the back of the helicopter knew because they saw the blood pouring down the aisle.

02:16:41.000 Chief Warrant Officer Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds, but I'm thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife Amy, Eric.

02:16:52.000 And Amy, come on in.

02:17:45.000 So we have a surprise, Farrakh and Amy.

02:17:49.000 In recognition of Eric's actions above and beyond the call of duty, I would now like to ask General Jonathan Braga to present Chief Warrant Officer Slover with our nation's highest military award, Congressional Medal of Honor.

02:19:22.000 Well thank you very much Eric and Amy.

02:19:26.000 Great to get to know you.

02:19:28.000 I met with them and with a lot of their fellow warriors at Fort Bragg recently.

02:19:33.000 You notice the name Fort Bragg?

02:19:34.000 We have it back.

02:19:35.000 We brought it back.

02:19:36.000 We won the First World War with it, the Second World War with it. 0.95

02:19:39.000 And then they decided to change the name.

02:19:42.000 So we changed it back.

02:19:45.000 Everybody wanted to change back too.

02:19:47.000 And ten of Eric's fellow warriors from that incredible night of victory will also be receiving medals at a private ceremony that will soon be held at the White House.

02:19:58.000 And Eric will be there.

02:20:23.000 Thank you, Eric.

02:20:25.000 That's a big one.

02:20:27.000 Tonight we've celebrated many truly extraordinary American patriots, but there is one last living legend to honor before we go.

02:20:36.000 He is one more heroic American aviator, Navy fighter pilot.

02:20:42.000 Royce Williams served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, flying more than 220 missions.

02:20:50.000 In disguise over Korea in 1952, Royce was in the dogfight of a lifetime, legendary dogfight, flying through blizzard conditions.

02:21:02.000 His squadron was ambushed by seven Soviet fighter planes.

02:21:06.000 It was his first aerial combat of the war, and despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned, Royce led the takedown of four enemy jets and almost destroyed the others, vanquishing his adversaries while taking 263 bullets to his own plane and being seriously hurt.

02:21:26.000 His story was secret for over 50 years.

02:21:28.000 He didn't even want to tell his wife, but the legend grew and grew.

02:21:33.000 But tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

02:21:42.000 He was a legend long before this evening.

02:21:46.000 Royce, please stand up, and I will ask the First Lady of the United States to present Captain Royce Williams with his Congressional Medal of Honor.

02:24:05.000 Thank you, Royce, and thank you, Eric.

02:24:08.000 I've always wanted the Congressional Medal of Honor, but I was informed I'm not allowed to give it to myself, and I wouldn't know why I'd be taking it, but if they ever open up that law, I will be there with you someday.

02:24:21.000 But you know, that's our highest honor, Congressional Medal of Honor, and that's a big thing.

02:24:25.000 And it's an honor to be in the same room with you.

02:24:28.000 Thank you both very much, Eric.

02:24:30.000 Thank you. Thank you.

02:24:50.000 250 years is a long time in the life of a nation, but in another sense, it's really a mere moment in the eye of history.

02:25:00.000 Two of the gentlemen we met in the gallery this evening took their first breaths one century ago, 100 years before that on July 4th, 1826, the author of the Declaration of Independence, brilliant, Thomas Jefferson drew his last breath.

02:25:20.000 Just a single long human lifespan separates the giants who declared and won our independence from the heroes who stand among us tonight.

02:25:30.000 Everything our nation has done, everything we have achieved, has been the work of those few great lifetimes.

02:25:38.000 In those brief chapters, Americans built this nation from 13 humble colonies into the pinnacle of human civilization and human freedom, the strongest, wealthiest, most powerful, most successful nation in all of history.

02:25:54.000 Americans ventured out across the daunting and dangerous continent. 0.92

02:25:59.000 We carved paths through an unforgiving wilderness, settled a boundless frontier, and tamed the beautiful but very, very dangerous wild west.

02:26:11.000 From empty marshes and wide open plains, we raised up the world's greatest cities.

02:26:18.000 Together, we mastered the world's mightiest industries and shattered history's monstrous tyrannies.

02:26:25.000 And we liberated millions from the chains of fascism, communism, oppression, and terror.

02:26:32.000 Americans lifted humanity into the skies on the wings of aluminum and steel.

02:26:37.000 And then we launched mankind into the stars on rockets powered by sheer American will and unyielding American pride.

02:26:46.000 We wired the globe with our ingenuity.

02:26:50.000 We captivated the planet with American culture.

02:26:54.000 And now we are pioneering the next great American breakthroughs that will change the entire world.

02:27:02.000 All of this and so much more is the enduring legacy, unmatched glory of the hardworking patriots who built and defended this country and who still carry the hopes and freedoms on all of humanity's backs.

02:27:18.000 For years they were forgotten, betrayed, and cast aside, but that great betrayal is over and they will never be forgotten again because when the world needs courage, daring, vision, and inspiration, it is still turning to America.

02:27:35.000 And when God needs a nation to work his miracles, he knows exactly who to ask.

02:27:43.000 There is no challenge Americans cannot overcome, no frontier too vast for us to conquer, no dream too bold for us to chase, no horizon too distant for us to claim.

02:27:57.000 For our destiny is written by the hand of Providence, and these first 250 years were just the beginning.

02:28:06.000 From the rugged border towns of Texas to the heartland villages of Michigan, from the sun-kissed shores of Florida to the endless fields of the Dakotas, and from the historic streets of Philadelphia to right here in our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., the golden age of America is upon us.

02:28:28.000 The revolution that began in 1776 has not ended.

02:28:33.000 It still continues because the flame of liberty and independence still burns in the heart of every American patriot, and our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before.

Loomer Unleashed - February 25, 2026

LIVE: Trump Delivers State Of The Union Address

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