President Trump delivered a significant moment during his State of the Union address, catching the Democrats off guard in front of a vast audience with a strategic question.

“If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support,” he challenged. “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens…”

This statement sparked a chaotic reaction. Republicans erupted into the loudest applause of the evening, rising to their feet and clapping enthusiastically, while Democrats remained seated, refusing to join in. Trump, observing the divided response, shook his head with a smile.

“How can you not stand?” he questioned, expressing his disappointment. “You should be ashamed of yourselves for not standing. You should be ashamed.”

Among those who remained seated was Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, who gestured animatedly and shouted at the president, visibly upset. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona slouched in his chair, avoiding eye contact with Trump, appearing deep in thought.

This confrontation was the most intense among several unscripted episodes where Trump openly criticized the Democrats during his speech.

President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026

Now on a tear, Trump went on to declare that ‘these people are crazy,’ calling them ‘sick people.’

Later, he lambasted them again for not standing to honor the families of victims of illegal immigrants, whose families were in the chamber.

In a rare moment of unity Democrats did stand when Trump announced he would give the Medal of Freedom to Team USA’s Olympic hockey goalie.

His speech brought other moments of drama too, including when helicopter pilot, Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, wounded in the raid that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

‘Even as he was gushing blood, which was flowing back down the aisle, the helicopter lands at a steep angle,’ Trump recounted in graphic description of the raid.

‘Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat, saving the lives of his fellow warriors.’ 

Amid the drama there were also tributes to a 100-year-old former fighter pilot, and Erika Kirk, the widow of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

A potential flashpoint passed without incident when Trump addressed a recent Supreme Court ruling that declared his global tariffs, a cornerstone of his economic vision, illegal.

President Trump spoke for 108 minutes and launched a series of attacks on Democrats

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Amy Coney Barrett at Trump’s speech

Only three of the six justices who knocked down his policy braved turning up, including Amy Coney Barrett, who was nominated by Trump.

They awaited the president’s wrath like schoolchildren outside the principal’s office. 

Ultimately, having gone nuclear on Democrats, Trump instead limited himself to calling it an ‘unfortunate ruling,’ but there was an unmistakable air of menace in his voice.

In all, Trump was ringmaster for 108 minutes, a record length for a State of the Union address, and the most notable moments – including his eviscerations of Democrats – came when he abandoned his teleprompter.

But at the heart of his performance was a speech carefully designed to capitalize on what was expected to be his biggest TV audience of the year, with an estimated 40 million viewers.

Trump had entered the chamber for the first official State of the Union address of his second term at a particularly perilous time for his administration and the world.

The president’s back is to the wall with his approval rating near an all-time low, many voters frustrated by the cost of living, and some of his own supporters getting restless.

Republicans face a potential stake to the heart in the midterm elections in November, which could see them lose control of the House just as 2018’s blue wave led to a block in Trump’s first administration.

Representative Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, heckles the president after refusing his request to stand up

Ivanka Trump and Barron Trump react as the State of the Union

The honeymoon after his 2024 triumph seems long over.

As always when backed into a corner, Trump came out swinging and attempted to verbally batter his detractors into submission.

He has been frustrated behind the scenes because he believes his achievements are not being communicated well enough to the public, resulting in bad polls.

The substance of his speech was about reclaiming the mantle on two major issues that propelled him to victory in 2024, which have since become liabilities – the economy and immigration.

A CNN poll released on the eve of his address showed 65 percent of Americans now disapprove of his handling of inflation, and 58 percent do so on immigration, making them the areas in which he is now most unpopular. It has been a stunning reversal for the president.

In response, Trump reeled off his achievements on immigration – the ‘most secure border in history,’ ‘zero illegal aliens admitted,’ slashing fentanyl coming in to the country, a murder rate at the lowest in over 100 years.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover receives the Medal of Honor at the State of the Union

First lady Melania Trump presents the Congressional Medal of Honor to World War II Navy pilot Capt. Royce Williams

On the economy, he touted the lowest inflation in five years, gas averaging $2.30 a gallon, the price of eggs down 60 per cent, the lowest mortgage rates in four years, $18 trillion inward investment secured, natural gas production at all-time high, 2.4 million Americans removed from food stamps, prescription drug prices slashed, no tax on tips or overtime, and the introduction of Trump accounts for children.

Blaming the ‘affordability’ crisis on Democrats, he pointed at them angrily and said: ‘You caused that problem. We are doing really well, those prices are plummeting downward. Hold on a little while, we’re getting it down.’

His first year had seen economic ‘turnaround for the ages’ that had made America the ‘hottest country’ and ushered in a ‘golden age,’ he said.

‘The roaring economy is roaring like never before,’ he added.

As evidence, above all, he touted the Dow hitting 50,000 for the first time.

However, many Americans, especially those who do not own stocks, clearly do not feel the same way.

Members of the United States’ Olympic hockey team attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address

Erika Kirk, the widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was President Donald Trump’s special guest

Growth is lagging behind expectations, interest rates remain stubbornly high, and household budgets across America are straining.

Prices for groceries, housing, insurance and utilities remain significantly higher than they were a few years ago.

And new figures released on Friday showed the economy slowed more than expected last quarter while inflation accelerated.

Trump’s speech was partly a test run for the economic message Republicans will run on in the midterms in November, seeking to assuage voters worried about their pockets.

‘His job, for the sake of his party, is to show the silver lining,’ Jeff Shesol, a former speechwriter for Democratic President Bill Clinton, said. ‘But if he’s going to insist that the silver lining is gold, no one’s buying it. And it will be a very difficult position on the campaign trail for Republicans to defend.

‘Trump has always believed, going back to his real estate days, that he can sell anyone on anything. He’s still doing that. But the problem is, you can’t tell somebody who has lost their job and can’t get a new one that things are going great.’

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had warned Democrats to display ‘decorum’ and not to make any ‘unforced errors,’ but some could not contain themselves.

Democratic Texas congressman Al Green was ejected for the second year in a row.

Members of the House Democratic Women’s Caucus and their guests, including survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse, wore white. Trump made no mention of the Epstein files.

More than 40 Democrats skipped the speech to attend rival events in Washington, including a rally on the National Mall.

They also ended up having three separate responses – the official one by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, a Spanish-language one, and a progressive one – a move that may leave voters questioning if the party has a coherent alternative message.

President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivers the Democratic response

The choice of Spanberger was a clear sign that the cost of living will be central to the midterm campaign, after she sailed to an unexpectedly easy double-digit victory in Virginia last November by focusing on that issue.

Like his first year in office, Trump spent much of the speech on foreign policy. He lauded the audacious capture of Maduro, and the brokering of a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas.

He is far from the first president to campaign on a domestic agenda and then become heavily embroiled in foreign affairs, but polls who some supporters are becoming vexed.

As Trump spoke, two US aircraft carriers are loitering near Iran amid the build up of the largest American military presence in the Middle East since the Iraq invasion.

Polls show many voters want him to focus on other issues. The CNN poll showed only 82 percent of Republicans approving of his performance compared to 90 percent a year ago.

However, his speech, with its aggressive attacks on Democrats and justifications of his economic record, appeared to have resonated with them.

Patrick McHenry, the Republican former North Carolina congressman, said: ‘He nailed the Republican base and brough them back in the fold with a solid message on the economy.’