President Donald Trump delivered the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, Feb. 24, outlining his administration’s positions on the economy, international trade, healthcare, and immigration. The speech was followed by the Democratic Party’s official response, delivered by the governor of Virginia.
In his address, President Trump spoke on the state of the U.S. economy, attributing recent growth to his administration’s tariff policies. He referred to a recent Supreme Court decision that limited his authority to implement certain tariffs as “unfortunate,” but said his administration was pursuing alternatives under Section 122 of the Trade Act. The president stated these new tariffs would be “even stronger than before.”
On healthcare, Trump addressed prescription drug costs, mentioning a new website, TrumpRx, intended to provide discounts on medications. He also stated his commitment to protecting Medicaid. The Congressional Budget Office previously released a report estimating that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a tax policy law, would reduce federal Medicaid spending over the next decade.
The president also called on lawmakers to pass the Save America Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. He commented on what he described as widespread irregularities in U.S. elections. A report from the non-partisan Center for Election Innovation and Research on the 2024 general election in Michigan found 16 instances of non-citizens voting, which were referred to the state’s attorney general.
In the Democratic response, the governor of Virginia discussed the economic impact of the administration’s policies, stating that tariffs had “forced American families to pay more than $1,700 each.” She also pointed to recent Democratic electoral victories in state-level elections as evidence of a shift in the political landscape ahead of the November midterm elections. Senator Alex Padilla of California delivered the party’s Spanish-language response.
Several Democratic members of Congress did not attend the address. Counter-events were held, including one where former Trump administration press secretary Stephanie Grisham spoke to attendees.
A CNN poll conducted in the days leading up to the speech reported the president’s approval rating at 36%. The poll also found that 32% of respondents believed the president had the right priorities for the country.
Guests in the House chamber for the address included individuals invited by both the president and members of Congress. Among them was Annie Farmer, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, who attended as a guest of Representative Robert Garcia. In a statement following the speech, Farmer said she and other survivors were “met with silence” and that questions regarding the investigation into Epstein remain unanswered.
