LIVE: President Trump delivers State of the Union address

. PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL tout his economic agenda as many Americans struggle to make ends meet. He'll also face off with the Supreme Court justices who struck down most of his global tariffs and a man without a plan.

Affordable Care Act subsidies expiring earlier this year with no alternative, skyrocketing premiums for millions of Americans and on the brink of war with Iran. Trump touting America's global dominance.

>> AMERICAN STRENGTH IS BACK ON THE WORLD STAGE.

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>> THE WORLD IS BACK.

>> TO LOOKING AT AMERICA AS THE LEADER.

>> Launching strikes in Yemen, Nigeria and Iran, taking out alleged drug trafficking vessels and capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Now, as he claims, victories abroad. President Trump facing trouble at home. Tonight's speech comes as most Americans disapprove of his performance in the Oval.

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It's one of the most important speeches a US President will give. Good evening, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. Tonight, the State of the Union. President Trump will address Congress and the American people, taking a victory lap in laying out his plan for the next three years. A live look now inside the U.S. Capitol. The President's theme tonight: America at 250, Strong, Prosperous and Respected. But as Americans struggle with affordability, he's also expected to announce new measures, including a program requiring technology companies to pay for increased electricity costs. Immigration will be top of mind for many Americans, especially communities like Minneapolis, where we witnessed deadly encounters with ICE. And what will that moment be like when Supreme Court justices come face to face with the President just days after they struck down most of his tariffs, a centerpiece of his economic plan? Our ABC News correspondents in the field and Republican and Democratic lawmakers all standing by. Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott joins us now. Rachel, this is a pivotal moment for President Trump to sell his agenda to both Congress and the nation ahead of the November midterms. What's the strategy tonight?

>> YEAH. AND, WELL, KYRA, EVEN REPUBLICANS WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THIS REALLY ISN'T THE TYPE OF State of the Union address that maybe the President had envisioned, because this comes just off of the heels of that critical, high stakes decision from the United States Supreme Court declaring most of the President's tariffs unconstitutional. And so you mentioned it there. I will be inside of the chamber today sitting up in the gallery, and my eyes are going to be closely following which Supreme Court justices end up showing up tonight, what the interactions are between the President and the Supreme Court justices, especially those that he appointed and the justices that are conservative, that ended up siding with the liberal justices in this case. We all remember that moment from last year where the President conveyed to the Chief Justice, John Roberts, telling him, thank you. Shaking his hand. That was caught on a hot mic. What exactly happens tonight that is going to be very interesting. And aside from that, you are right. The message here is going to be critical for Republicans heading into this critical midterm election year. I will tell you, up here on Capitol Hill, many Republicans want the President to continue that focus on the economy, on affordability. They believe that is going to be the winning message in November. And Democrats are trying to challenge that.

>> All right. Well, from the message to the guests, walk us through the list for tonight's address. Who should we be watching out for?

>> OH MY GOODNESS. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A PACKED HOUSE. I WILL SAY THIS ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS KEEP OUR EYE ON, THOUGH, OF COURSE, IS DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS COMING TOGETHER, WHO'S SITTING ALONG THE AISLE, WHO'S TRYING TO SHAKE THE PRESIDENT'S HAND RIGHT NOW? OUR TEAM HAS BEEN KEEPING A VERY CLOSE TALLY. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE MORE THAN 70 DEMOCRATS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO BE SHOWING UP FOR TONIGHT'S State of the Union address. SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE ATTENDING A COUNTERPROGRAMMING EVENT OVER ON THE NATIONAL MALL. WHO WILL BE THERE? WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE MAYBE, MAYBE SOME OF THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, OBVIOUSLY, MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENT'S CABINET AS WELL. AND THEN WE GO TO THE SPECIAL GUESTS. AND SO WE KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP INVITED THE MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM TO COME HERE TO THE State of the Union address tonight. WE ARE EXPECTING SOME MEMBERS OF THAT TEAM TO SHOW UP. DEMOCRATS REALLY TRYING TO SPOTLIGHT THE VICTIMS OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S ABUSE. WE ARE TOLD THEY WILL BE THERE TONIGHT AS WELL. AND THE PRESIDENT HAS A FEW SPECIAL GUESTS THAT HE PLANS TO HONOR IN HIS SPEECH TONIGHT AS HE SPEAKS TO THE NATION. KYRA.

>> OKAY, WE'LL BE TAKING IT ALL LIVE, AND YOU'LL BE WITH US FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE JOURNEY. RACHEL SCOTT, APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WELL, AS PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES HIS WAY TO THE HOUSE CHAMBER FOR HIS 2026 State of the Union address, he will walk through some of the most historic, statue-filled and heavily secured spaces in the U.S. Capitol. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy knows that route very well. He's walked it many times and now takes our Chief Washington Correspondent, Jon Karl, on the same journey for a behind-the-scenes look ahead as the President gets ready to walk onto the floor lined with lawmakers, aides and media who will line that route.

>> OKAY, SO.

>> WITH KEVIN MCCARTHY HERE NOW, YOU'VE BEEN A YOU WERE A LEADER HERE FOR A LONG TIME. OBVIOUSLY, YOU WERE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, BUT WHEN YOU WERE A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, YOU ESCORTED PRESIDENTS WHO GO RIGHT HERE BEFORE THE SPEECH STARTS. YES. THIS IS.

>> THIS IS THE.

>> CEREMONIAL OFFICE FOR THE SPEAKER.

>> DURING THE YEAR, YOU'LL MEET FOREIGN LEADERS AND OTHERS. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE State of the Union? THEY THEY NOMINATE AN ESCORT COMMITTEE. THOSE ARE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. HOUSE, SENATE. YOU GO IN THERE AND YOU GREET THE PRESIDENT. YOU TAKE A QUICK PICTURE, THEN YOU COME BACK INTO THIS HALLWAY.

>> AND YOU'VE DONE THIS WITH THREE PRESIDENTS.

>> OH, YEAH. THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THE PRESIDENT WILL START. AND EVERYBODY'S LAYING BEFORE THEY'RE NERVOUS. YOU COULD TELL WHEN IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME OR THEY'RE CONFIDENT YOU HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM BEFORE THEY GO DOWN. AN INTERESTING PART TOO IS AT INAUGURAL YOU KIND OF DO SOMETHING. SO I WAS STANDING JUST LIKE THIS BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP WALKING OUT TO THE INAUGURAL. I WAS THE LAST PERSON STANDING THERE. RIGHT. AND IT'S INTERESTING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP KNOWING HE'S DONE THIS BEFORE, I'M GOING TO GO. AND ALL THE MEMBERS ARE KIND OF LINING BEHIND. BUT YOU COULD TELL BASED UPON PARTY WHO WANTS TO PUSH UP, WHO WANTS TO PUSH BACK.

>> AND TRUMP HAS TOLD ME HE THINKS THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SPEECH BY ANY OTHER SPEECH. HE SAID, THIS IS, THIS IS IT. THIS IS OKAY.

>> ONCE YOU TURN HERE, IT'S LIKE THE SHOW IS GOING TO BEGIN, BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME YOU TURN.

>> THE HOUSE, CHAMBER'S RIGHT OVER HERE. THIS IS.

>> WE'RE JUST WALKING AROUND THE HOUSE CHAMBERS BECAUSE WHEN THAT NEXT DOOR IS OPEN IS WHEN AMERICA REALLY WATCHES IT. SO THE SERGEANT OF ARMS, BILL MCFARLAND, HE'S GOING TO GO OUT THERE.

>> THEY'RE GOING.

>> TO WORD. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO RISE UP. AND THEN YOU WALK DOWN THERE AND PEOPLE ARE JUST GRABBING YOU. YOU WANT TO SHAKE YOUR HANDS AND EVERYBODY'S EXCITED. IT IS THE SUPER BOWL. IT IS THE PROM. IT IS IMPORTANT TO EVERY SINGLE MEMBER.

>> WHAT'S TRUMP USUALLY LIKE AT THIS MOMENT WHEN HE'S COMING IN? I MEAN, HE YOU KNOW, HE SAID HE THINKS THIS IS HIS BIGGEST SPEECH. SO WHAT'S HE LIKE? YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY TO WALK IN.

>> LIKE WHEN THE FIRST TIME HE'S COMING DOWN HERE, I THOUGHT HE'D BE NERVOUS. I'M TRYING TO. HE'LL TALK. HE'LL STILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THINGS, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GET IN HIS HEAD ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. RIGHT. HE TURNED THE CORNER RIGHT HERE THE FIRST TIME, AND SOMEBODY WALKS UP AND HAS A DIET COKE. HE TAKES A SWIG, WASH HIS HANDS.

>> AND HE GOES, YEAH, YEAH. WOW. NOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIKE A LOT OF DEMOCRATS WHO ARE GOING TO BE BOYCOTTING THE SPEECH. YEAH. WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE.

>> BECAUSE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT LOOK, I'VE BEEN THERE. I AS SPEAKER, I'M SITTING AS A REPUBLICAN AND I'VE GOT A VICE PRESIDENT, A DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT. EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT YOU. AND THE DIFFERENCE PART, WHEN YOU'RE SITTING UP THERE AS SPEAKER, YOU CAN HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS, EVEN THOUGH THE TELEVISION PEOPLE.

>> DON'T REALIZE I'VE BEEN IN THE.

>> OH, YOU HEAR.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU HEAR THEIR COMMENT. YEAH. BUT THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN THEY GET ABOUT RIGHT HERE. YEAH, THESE DOORS WILL OPEN AND THEN THOSE DOORS RIGHT THERE, THEY'LL KEEP THEM CLOSED JUST LIKE THAT. THE PRESIDENT WILL BE STANDING THERE. THE REST OF THE ESCORT COMMITTEE WILL BE DOWN THE STAIRS AND THEY OPEN THAT UP. IF YOU LOOK DIRECTLY FROM THAT DOOR ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE OTHER DOOR, YOU'LL SEE IS THE DOOR TO THE SENATE. AND WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS THIS IS THE HOUSE. BUT THE SENATE GETS TREATED SPECIAL. THE SENATE GETS THE FIRST THREE ROWS. THE HOUSE MEMBERS HAVE TO SIT BACK. MEMBERS WILL GO IN THERE AS SOON AS THEY CAN TO RESERVE THE SEATS AND SIT THERE JUST SO THEY COULD BE ON TELEVISION, WHICH TO ME.

>> NOW, THE WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE SPEAKER IS THAT THOSE EMPTY SEATS OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T GOING TO GO THIS YEAR, THEY CAN'T BE FILLED BY STAFF. HE SAID.

>> WELL, WHAT HAPPENS?

>> SO ARE WE GOING TO SEE EMPTY SEATS? I MEAN, ACTUALLY.

>> I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BECAUSE NORMALLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I WAS SPEAKER AND OTHERS LIKE WHEN WE WOULD HAVE DIGNITARIES COME SPEAK, WE ALSO BRING IN.

>> BUT THAT'S NOT A STATE OF THE UNION.

>> BUT AMBASSADORS STILL COME TO STATE. LIKE IF YOU LOOK OVER TO THE SIDE, A LOT OF AMBASSADORS ARE THERE AND THEY COME FILL IN. I STILL THINK WHEN YOU'RE THINKING YOU GOT ALL THE HOUSE AND ALL THE SENATE, IF THERE'S 20 SOME BOYCOTT, YOU'LL NEVER EVEN KNOW IT.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY'LL BE THEY'LL BE MISSING.

>> OUT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A PACKED CHAMBER ANYWAY.

>> AND WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN THE CHAMBER, THEY'RE COOLING IT DOWN. THEY'RE PUTTING THESE LIGHTS UP BECAUSE IT GETS WARMER. THEY'RE MAKING SURE.

>> DOES IT GET HOT IN THERE AFTER I MEAN, HE MIGHT GO TWO HOURS TONIGHT.

>> OH, HE'S GOING TO SET A RECORD.

>> IT WAS AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES LAST TIME AROUND. NOW YOU'RE HEARING KEVIN MCCARTHY SAYING HE'S GOING TO SET A RECORD. THAT MEANS MORE THAN AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES TONIGHT. JOINING US NOW CHAIR OF THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN PETE AGUILAR. THAT'S A LOT OF TIME TO HOPEFULLY HEAR WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR. CONGRESSMAN. YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT IS COMING IN TO THIS NIGHT WITH REALLY LOW APPROVAL, BUT YOUR PARTY ISN'T DOING MUCH BETTER. WHEN ASKED WHO THEY TRUST TO HANDLE AMERICA'S BIGGEST PROBLEMS, 33% OF AMERICANS SAY PRESIDENT TRUMP, ONLY 31% SAY DEMOCRATS. SO HOW DOES YOUR PARTY PLAN TO SHOW VOTERS WHY THEY SHOULD TRUST YOU MORE THAN TRUMP?

>> WELL, I THINK THIS IS CLEARLY.

>> ABOUT A CONTRAST RIGHT NOW.

>> DONALD TRUMP DOES NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BECAUSE EVERYTHING HE IS DOING IN POLICY IS MAKING LIFE DIFFICULT AND MAKING LIFE MORE UNAFFORDABLE. SO DEMOCRATS WILL OFFER A RESPONSE, AND OUR RESPONSE THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR ABIGAIL SPANBERGER. AND SHE'S GOING TO DO AN AMAZING JOB. BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY MESSAGE, WHERE THE PRESIDENT HAS NOTHING TO RUN ON, BECAUSE FOR THE LAST YEAR, ALL HE'S DONE IS WREAK HAVOC AND TO RAISE PEOPLE'S COSTS ON HEALTH CARE, ON GROCERIES, AND ON SO MANY ESSENTIAL GOODS, FROM SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO HOLIDAY SHOPPING, AMERICANS HAVE SEEN THEIR PRICES SKYROCKET. AND EACH AMERICAN, IT'S ABOUT $1,700 MORE YOU'RE PAYING THIS YEAR UNDER DONALD TRUMP'S PRESIDENCY. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT THOSE APPROVAL RATINGS ARE ABOUT. AND THAT'S WHAT THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS WILL BE ABOUT.

>> WELL, YOU'RE MENTIONING A LOT OF REASONS WHY FOLKS SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR TRUMP. WHY SHOULD THEY VOTE FOR YOU?

>> BECAUSE WE WILL PRIORITIZE AND AFFORDABILITY AGENDA BECAUSE WE HAVE TIME AND TIME AGAIN PROVEN THAT WE ARE THE PARTY OF HEALTH CARE. REPUBLICANS ARE THE PARTY OF KICKING PEOPLE OFF OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. WHAT THEY DID WAS ELIMINATE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR 13 MILLION PEOPLE, TO PROVIDE TAX CUTS TO THEIR BILLIONAIRE FRIENDS. WE WON'T DO THAT. WE DON'T STAND FOR THE BILLIONAIRE CLASS. WE STAND FOR HEALTH CARE AND THE PEOPLE. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED TO HAVE POLICIES AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THAT MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING. MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE AMERICAN DREAM. MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO LOWER UTILITY COSTS. WE WANT TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR EVERYDAY AMERICANS AND THEIR KIDS, AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEIR KIDS HAVE A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED IN THIS ECONOMY AND IN THIS WORLD THAN THEY DID. AND RIGHT NOW, FOR SO MANY FAMILIES, THAT'S NOT THE CASE. AND DEMOCRATS WILL PRIORITIZE THAT.

>> LET ME ASK YOU, A LOT OF YOUR HOUSE DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE SKIPPING THE SPEECH TONIGHT, POSSIBLY 50 TO 100. WHY AREN'T YOU?

>> YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT. I WANT TO BE HERE. I WANT TO BE HERE AND LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT. I WANT TO HEAR AND CALL HIM OUT WHEN HE LIES. I WANT TO HEAR AND UNDERSTAND IF HE OFFERS AN ACTUAL VISION FOR THIS COUNTRY, OR IF IT'S JUST GOING TO BE HIM, YOU KNOW, TALKING PLATITUDES AND TALKING ABOUT A BUNCH OF THINGS, TAKING CREDIT FOR THINGS THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DID OR JUST MAKING THINGS UP ON THE FLY. THIS IS A GUY WHO CALLED THE AFFORDABILITY AGENDA A HOAX, A DEMOCRATIC HOAX, AND NOW HE'S GOING TO COME INTO THIS CHAMBER AND HE'S GOING TO TRY TO TAKE CREDIT FOR LOWERING THE COST THAT PEOPLE HAVE. I MEAN, THAT'S RIDICULOUS, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO. LOOK, I THOUGHT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE HERE. LEADER JEFFRIES HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN A BULLY COMES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU DON'T LEAVE YOUR BLOCK, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET KNOCKED OFF OUR BLOCK BY BY DONALD TRUMP. WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE. WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENT. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR HIM OUT, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RESPECTFUL. AND FOR THOSE MEMBERS WHO FEEL THAT THEY THAT THEY NEEDED TO GO AND NOT BE IN THIS CHAMBER, WE RESPECT THAT DECISION AS WELL.

>> YOU MENTIONED HEALTH CARE. YOUR GUEST TONIGHT IS A DOCTOR FROM YOUR DISTRICT WHO SAYS HER PREMIUMS AND THOSE OF HER PATIENTS HAVE SKYROCKETED. WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT, CONGRESSMAN, ON MAKING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE DOCTOR CARTER AND THOSE SHE CARES FOR?

>> YEAH. DOCTOR CARTER IS AN AMAZING PEDIATRICIAN FROM MY COMMUNITY. AND WHAT I HOPE THE PRESIDENT TALKS FOR IS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS. THIS IS SOMETHING HE COULD HAVE LED ON AND THE PRESIDENT LET IT EXPIRE. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE PRESIDENT. WE PUT A PLAN FORWARD, THREE YEAR PLAN FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS. IT'S JUST SITTING THERE IN THE SENATE. JOHN THUNE HASN'T BROUGHT IT UP. DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SUPPORT IT. 17 REPUBLICANS ALONE ON THE HOUSE SIDE SUPPORTED THIS BILL TO SEND IT OVER. WE HOPE HE TALKS ABOUT THAT. WE HOPE HE TALKS ABOUT BRINGING THESE BACK AND MAKING HEALTHCARE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BLAMING DEMOCRATS, WHICH I'M SURE HE WILL DO. THIS IS ABOUT HOW WE MAKE HEALTHCARE MORE AFFORDABLE. THAT'S WHAT DOCTOR CARTER WANTS TO HEAR. THAT'S WHAT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WANT TO HEAR.

>> CONGRESSMAN PETE AGUILAR FROM CALIFORNIA, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, SIR.

>> THANKS, KARA.

>> STRAIGHT AHEAD. WILL TRUMP'S SPEECH HELP REPUBLICANS AVOID A MIDTERM BLOWOUT? FLORIDA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS JOINS ME TO GIVE US HIS PITCH. PLUS THE DEMOCRATS THAT ARE DITCHING THE SPEECH. WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW THEY'RE MARKING TRUMP'S FIRST YEAR ON THE NATIONAL MALL.

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>> I'VE LEARNED.

>> SOME.

>> REALLY HARD TRUTHS THE HARD WAY.

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>> WAS LITTLE, WATCHING AMERICAN IDOL, I WAS SURE THAT I WAS GONNA FIND A WAY ONTO THAT STAGE.

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THIS AUDITION IS THE FIRST PAGE OF MY STORY.

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>> I BELIEVE IN MYSELF.

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>> TONIGHT FROM THE NATION'S CAPITAL. PRESIDENT TRUMP, BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORLD. THE STATE OF THE UNION TONIGHT ON ABC AND STREAM ON DISNEY+ AND HULU.

>> TRUMP DELIVERING A HUGE VICTORY FOR HIS PARTY LAST ELECTION, BUT NOW A SINKING APPROVAL RATINGS. REPUBLICANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT VICTORY IN NOVEMBER'S MIDTERMS. JOINING ME NOW, REPUBLICAN FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS. CONGRESSMAN GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. SO PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID TODAY, QUOTE, THE COUNTRY IS ABOUT TO HAVE THE BEST YEARS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY. ECONOMICALLY IT'S ALREADY STARTED, BUT THE POLLS AND THE PEOPLE SAY OTHERWISE. WILL THE PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGE TONIGHT THAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IS STILL STRUGGLING? I MEAN, MOODY'S ANALYTICS SAY THE TYPICAL HOUSEHOLD IS SPENDING AN EXTRA $167 A MONTH COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.

>> LOOK, I THINK.

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A SITUATION WHERE THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT TO FILE THEIR TAXES, THEY'RE GOING TO GET MUCH LARGER TAX REFUNDS SPECIFIC TO MOODY'S. MOODY'S ALWAYS LIKES TO SEE MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, MORE EXPANSIVE GOVERNMENT. IF I'VE LOOKED AT MOODY'S ANALYTICS AND A LOT OF THEIR RESEARCH FOR YEARS, EVEN WHEN MY TIME BEING IN THE FINANCIAL SPACE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY LIKE TO SEE, THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE A GOVERNMENT THAT'S ACTUALLY BEGINNING TO TRIM DOWN FROM FEDERAL SPENDING AND EXPANDING THE ACTUAL ECONOMY SO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS CAN BUILD BETTER BUSINESSES, MAKE MORE MONEY, PAY THEIR PEOPLE MORE, AND IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY KEEP THEIR MONEY, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN NEW YORK, WHERE YOU HAVE MAYOR MAMDANI, WHO WANTS TO TAX THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK AS OPPOSED TO LETTING THEM KEEP MORE OF THEIR MONEY. AND SO WE KEEP HAVING THIS DANCE BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, WHEN PEOPLE KEEP MONEY IN THEIR POCKET, THEY ARE BETTER OFF. DONALD TRUMP'S ECONOMY IS GOING TO IS GOING TO DELIVER THAT. AND LOOK, THE NUMBER ONE MEASURE. I ALWAYS LOOK AT WAGES ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION. THEY ARE UP UNDER DONALD TRUMP. WAGES ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION. COMPARE THAT TO THE TRACK RECORD OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS UNDER JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS. VERY DIFFERENT ECONOMICS.

>> YOU STARTED BY ANSWERING MY QUESTION WITH REGARD TO GOVERNMENT SPENDING. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS THAT CAN'T PAY FOR GAS, FOR GROCERIES, THE RENT. ARE YOU SAYING THAT THAT PRICES ARE NOT TOO HIGH RIGHT NOW?

>> I'M SAYING THAT PRICES HAVE STABILIZED FROM THE OUTRAGEOUS INFLATION CREATED BY JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS. THAT IS A FACT. INFLATION HAS STABILIZED. SECOND THING, GAS PRICES IN AMERICA ARE DOWN ALL ACROSS AMERICA. THIRD THING, WAGES. WHAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO TAKE HOME WHAT THEY'RE EARNING, ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION IS ACTUALLY UP. YOU COMBINE THAT WITH NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, THE LARGEST TAX CUT FOR SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS IN AMERICA'S HISTORY. WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO KEEP MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET WILL LEAD TO THE AFFORDABILITY. BUT I ALSO THINK THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO TOUCH ON AFFORDABILITY AND NEW POLICIES HE WANTS TO SEE ENACTED IN ORDER FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE MONEY, SAVE MORE MONEY AND BUILD WEALTH HERE IN AMERICA.

>> I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WAITING TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE. ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND SURVIVORS OF THE CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER. THEY WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT. GUESTS OF SOME DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS FOLLOWING THE UK ARREST OF FORMER PRINCE ANDREW AND THE FORMER UK AMBASSADOR TO THE US, PETER MANDELSON. YOUR COLLEAGUE, GOP REPRESENTATIVE NANCY MACE, SAID WHO'S NEXT? AND THAT NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. THE PRESIDENT DECLINED TO MEET WITH SURVIVORS EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOULD HE ADDRESS THEM TONIGHT, CONGRESSMAN?

>> WELL, LOOK, I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE WHAT HE CAMPAIGNED ON ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THOSE FILES HAVE NOW BEEN RELEASED. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE SOME PEOPLE WANT TO JUST SEE THEM COMPLETELY UNREDACTED. AND THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THAT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WRIT LARGE. BUT THE TRUTH IS THE PRESIDENT HAS RELEASED THOSE FILES. LOOK, IF MEETING WITH THE SURVIVORS, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING FOR THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM TO DECIDE. BUT LET'S BE VERY CLEAR. THOSE FILES HAVE BEEN RELEASED. PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW HAVING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THAT'S A GOOD THING, BECAUSE WHAT WAS DONE TO THOSE WOMEN IS UNCONSCIONABLE AND REPREHENSIBLE, AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

>> YEAH, YOU'RE SAYING THAT. BUT BY THE WAY, THE PRESIDENT WAS FORCED TO RELEASE THOSE DOCUMENTS. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS, SHOULD THE PRESIDENT ADDRESS THOSE SURVIVORS TONIGHT AND SAY, I AM SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

>> LOOK, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO DO. BUT AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT AND HIS TEAM THERE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COVER. LET'S BE VERY CLEAR. THOSE FILES WERE RELEASED. DONALD TRUMP SIGNED. HE SIGNED THE BILL THAT CAME TO HIS DESK, SIGNED IT IMMEDIATELY. AND THAT STARTED THE PROCESS OF RELEASING THOSE FILES. THAT IS THE FACT YOU CAN SAY THAT CONGRESS HAD TO VOTE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE. THE FACTS ARE THOSE FILES ARE NOW RELEASED.

>> CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS OF FLORIDA, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS DECIDING TO SKIP THE ADDRESS TONIGHT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE EMPTY SEATS IN THE HOUSE CHAMBER. MANY OF THOSE LAWMAKERS WILL INSTEAD BE ON THE NATIONAL MALL FOR AN EVENT SPONSORED BY THE PROGRESSIVE GROUP MOVEON THAT IS NOW UNDERWAY. AND THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OUR JAY O'BRIEN. OKAY. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE EVENT? WHAT HAVE WE HEARD SO FAR? TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THIS HOUR.

>> YEAH. AND BEHIND ME ON THE STAGE RIGHT NOW IS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY OF CONNECTICUT, WITH HIS GUEST FOR THE State of the Union. HE IS ONE OF, BY OUR COUNT, MORE THAN 70 DEMOCRATS WHO ARE SKIPPING THAT SPEECH, MANY OF THEM HERE AT THIS EVENT ON THE NATIONAL MALL. YOU CAN SEE THE STAGE BEHIND ME. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAMERA IS THE CROWD, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT A GROUP OF ABOUT 100 OR SO, A LITTLE OVER 100. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE UNPRECEDENTED NATURE KYRA OF THE NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS WHO ARE BOYCOTTING THIS SPEECH WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS OPPOSITION PARTIES BOYCOTT OF STATE OF THE UNION, IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO RICHARD NIXON. BUT THOSE NUMBERS ARE USUALLY IN A DOZEN OR SO. 14 IT HAPPENED A FEW TIMES IN THE TRUMP ERA, BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS, WITH DOZENS OF MEMBERS BOYCOTTING THE STATE OF THE UNION. AND SOME OF THESE MEMBERS ON STAGE HERE HAVE ALREADY ADDRESSED THE POLITICAL REALITY HERE. THEY KNOW THEY ARE BREAKING A NORM, AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE POTENTIALLY SETTING A PRECEDENT HERE IN WHICH AN OPPOSITION PARTY, IN LARGE PART DOESN'T SHOW UP FOR A STATE OF THE UNION. CHRIS MURPHY ADDRESSED THAT BY SAYING, IN HIS VIEW, PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T, QUOTE UNQUOTE, DESERVE AN AUDIENCE. AND THEN OTHER MEMBERS SAYING THAT THEY ARE BREAKING A NORM IN ORDER TO KEEP WITH THEIR VALUES.

>> KYRA SO HOW ARE REPUBLICANS FEELING ABOUT THEIR MIDTERM CHANCES, GIVEN THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATING AT THIS MOMENT?

>> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, THE DEMOCRATS I'VE TALKED TO ON THE FIRST PAGE FEEL THEY DO HAVE MOMENTUM HERE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD FROM REPUBLICANS IS THAT THEY WANT A UNIFYING MESSAGE OUT OF THE PRESIDENT TONIGHT, NOT JUST WITH THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE IN THE CHAMBER AND THE GUESTS THE PRESIDENT IS INVITING AND THE POSSIBILITY, THE LIKELIHOOD OF OF THE MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM OR REPRESENTATIVES OF IT BEING THERE, ETCETERA, ETCETERA. BUT THEY ALSO WANT A UNIFYING MESSAGE ON ISSUES LIKE WHAT YOU JUST TALKED WITH CONGRESSMAN DONALDS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. AND WE'VE SEEN IN RECENT WEEKS AND MONTHS CRACKS IN THE PRESIDENT'S USUALLY FIRM GRIP ON CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS. THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE MIDTERMS, WITH A NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WILLING TO BREAK WITH HIM ON SOME KEY ISSUES AND SOME CRUCIAL VOTES ON THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE FLOOR ON TARIFFS, ON WAR POWERS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THAT MASSIVE, MASSIVE, SIGNIFICANT POLITICAL DEFEAT OF THE EPSTEIN FILES VOTE WHERE THE PRESIDENT LONG CAMPAIGNED REPUBLICANS AGAINST THAT. ULTIMATELY, WHEN THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL THAT REPUBLICANS IN DROVES WERE GOING TO VOTE TO RELEASE THOSE FILES, THE PRESIDENT ULTIMATELY CHANGING HIS VIEW HERE. BUT POINT IS, WE'VE HEARD FROM REPUBLICANS WHO SAY THEY WANT THAT UNITY OF THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THEY WANT THAT UNITY OF THE EARLY MONTHS, THAT PARTY UNITY, THAT REPUBLICAN UNITY OF THE EARLY MONTHS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND TERM BACK. AND THEY'RE HOPING TONIGHT CAN BE A RESET OF THAT POINT. AND IN KEEPING WITH SOME OF THE UNITY THAT THOSE IN THE PARTY FEEL, BUT ALSO TRYING TO BUILD BACK AND MEND SOME OF THOSE CRACKS THAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IN REPUBLICAN RESOLVE.

>> JAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT HOW MANY DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO DITCH THE ACTUAL STATE OF THE UNION AND AND BE IN THE SEATS OF THE HOUSE CHAMBER. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE INSIDE YET OR GET A REALLY CLEAR PICTURE OF HOW MANY DEMOCRATS WILL NOT ATTEND. THERE'S BEEN ESTIMATES OF 50 LAWMAKERS TO 100. WHAT'S THE SENSE OF WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW? SMALL CROWD, BIG CROWD. DO YOU SEE A LARGE NUMBER OF LAWMAKERS THAT MAYBE MADE THE CHOICE TO NOT ATTEND THE EVENT IN THE HOUSE CHAMBER, BUT BE THERE WHERE YOU ARE ON THE NATIONAL MALL?

>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT UPWARDS OF 70 DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO MISS GENERALLY HERE ON THIS STAGE. WE'VE SEEN MAYBE 30 OR SO SO FAR. SO THEY'RE NOT ALL COMING DIRECTLY HERE TO THIS EVENT. POINT IS, KYRA THE OVERALL QUESTION OF WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP GETS TO THE SPEAKER'S ROSTRUM AND LOOKS OUT ON THAT CROWD IS REALLY GOING TO BE A GAME TIME THING, WE WON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE VISUALS LOOK LIKE UNTIL THE LIGHTS GO UP IN THAT CHAMBER, BECAUSE REPUBLICANS DO HAVE SOME MEANS OF FILLING THOSE SEATS FOR THOSE DOZENS OF DEMOCRATS WHO WILL BE SKIPPING. AND SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU CAN FILL THOSE SEATS WITH A US AMBASSADORS. THERE'S A POSSIBILITY YOU CAN FILL THOSE SEATS WITH FORMER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO STILL HAVE FLOOR PRIVILEGES. OBVIOUSLY, KNOWING PRESIDENT TRUMP, AS ALL OF US DO, AND HIS VARIOUS DYNAMICS AS ALL AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING AN EMPTY ROOM OR HALF EMPTY ROOM OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT IS NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO SEE. BUT EXACTLY HOW MANY QUOTE UNQUOTE EMPTY SEATS WILL BE IN THAT ROOM. WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL REALLY IT BEGINS TO ROLL IN AROUND, YOU KNOW, 830 AS WE GET TOWARDS THAT SPEECH AT 9:00.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE'LL KEEP US UPDATED. JAY O'BRIEN WILL STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH. AND WE ARE GETTING WORD THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MAY NOT BE FAR FROM LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE AND HEADING THERE TO CONGRESS. HE'S GETTING READY TO MAKE HIS WAY TO THE HOUSE CHAMBER. AS WE MENTIONED, FOR HIS 2026 State of the Union address. WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST SHY OF 30 MINUTES THAT HE WILL LEAVE THE WHITE HOUSE HERE AND HEAD TO THE ROTUNDA, AND THEN HE WILL WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST HISTORIC, STATUE-FILLED AND HEAVILY SECURED SPACES IN THE US CAPITOL. YOU SAW THE LIVE PICTURE THERE MOMENTS AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ABLE TO BRING UP A SORT OF A TOOLBOX OF WHERE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE LEAVING THERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND THEN ARRIVING TO THE HALL. BUT YOU WILL SEE ALREADY THAT PEOPLE ARE LINED UP FROM LAWMAKERS TO AIDES TO MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA THAT HAVE GATHERED AROUND THAT ROUTE. SO AS WE WAIT, LET'S TURN TO OUR SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, SELENA WANG. AND I GUESS WE'LL HOLD ON THIS LIVE PICTURE, SELENA, AND WAIT TO SEE IF WE CAN SEE THE PRESIDENT. LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT BE RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND SCHEDULE, BUT THEN AGAIN, HE'S GOT A MOTORCADE. IT WON'T TAKE HIM LONG TO GET TO THE CAPITOL. HE KNOWS HE HAS TO BE ON TIME. YOU KNOW. WHAT ARE REPUBLICANS HOPING TO HEAR TONIGHT? SELENA.

>> YEAH. KIARA. WELL, LOOK, THE.

>> BIG THING FOR REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS AND FOR THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISERS IS THAT THE PRESIDENT STAY ON MESSAGE. BUT AS YOU AND I KNOW, THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO LOVES TO GO OFF SCRIPT. SO THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT HE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO STICK TO WHAT THEY HAVE PRACTICED AND REHEARSED. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS REALLY WANT THE PRESIDENT TO SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TONIGHT THAT HE IS FOCUSED ON THEIR TOP CONCERN, AND THAT IS AFFORDABILITY. WE'VE GOTTEN THIS PREVIEW FROM THE WHITE HOUSE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE SOME POLICY INITIATIVES ADDRESSING THOSE COST OF LIVING ISSUES. THE PRESIDENT IS ALSO EXPECTED TO TOUT SOME OF HIS INITIATIVES THIS YEAR, INCLUDING THOSE CHILDREN'S SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, AS WELL AS HIS EFFORTS TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS AND SOME OF THOSE TAX CUTS IN HIS MEGA BILL. BUT AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT HAS A PENCHANT FOR GOING OFF SCRIPT. SO THE QUESTION IS, IS HE GOING TO LEAN INTO OLD GRIEVANCES, OR WILL HE SEIZE ON THIS MOMENT TO EMPATHIZE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FEELING THOSE ECONOMIC GAINS, AND TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR MANY, MANY AMERICANS AND ALSO THE PRESIDENT. HE'S GOING TO BE ENTERING THAT CHAMBER. KYRA IN A VERY DIFFERENT POSITION THAN A YEAR AGO. I MEAN, THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO IS MORE ON DEFENSE, TRYING TO DEFEND HIS POLICIES, AS NEW POLLING HAS SHOWS THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS RIGHT NOW, THEY DISAPPROVE OF HOW THE PRESIDENT IS HANDLING SOME OF HIS SIGNATURE ISSUES, FROM THE ECONOMY TO IMMIGRATION.

>> SO, SELENA, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE SEEING, OKAY, WE'RE NOW MONITORING THE WHITE HOUSE THERE. WE WILL SEE THE PRESIDENT LEAVING AT ANY MOMENT. AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU CAN SEE WHERE HE WILL BE ARRIVING THERE ON CAPITOL HILL, WALKING THROUGH THE HALLS AS HE ENTERS THE CHAMBER FOR HIS SPEECH TONIGHT, AS WE MONITOR BOTH LIVE PICTURES RIGHT NOW, WE ALSO KNOW THAT SURVIVORS OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN WILL BE SITTING IN THE GALLERY. GUESTS OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS. DO YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THEM SPECIFICALLY? I HAD A CHANCE TO ASK REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM FLORIDA, BYRON DONALDSON, ABOUT THAT. AND AT FIRST HE SORT OF DEFLECTED FROM THE QUESTION AND THEN ACTUALLY SAID HE HOPES THAT HE DOES SAY SOMETHING. WE'RE ALSO GETTING WORD THAT NANCY PELOSI APPARENTLY HAS DECIDED TO SHOW UP TONIGHT TO SHOW SOLIDARITY FOR EPSTEIN'S SURVIVORS. SO I GUESS BRINGING IT BACK TO MY INITIAL QUESTION, YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT SURVIVORS ATTENDING TONIGHT? AND DO YOU THINK THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL ADDRESS THEM?

>> YEAH, KIRA. I MEAN, LOOK, FROM THE START OF THE PRESIDENT'S PRESIDENCY, I MEAN, SOMETHING HE HAS NOT WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THE EPSTEIN CONTROVERSY. BUT DEMOCRATS CLEARLY WANT TO ENSURE THAT AMERICANS WATCHING TONIGHT DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THIS ISSUE. YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHY SO MANY HOUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE BROUGHT EPSTEIN SURVIVORS AS THEIR GUESTS TO MAKE A VERY POINTED STATEMENT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PRESIDENT AS HE'S GIVING THAT SPEECH. AND SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, KIRA, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WEARING WHITE PINS THAT READ, QUOTE, STAND WITH SURVIVORS, RELEASE THE FILES. NOW, THE BACKDROP HERE, OF COURSE, IS THAT THE PRESIDENT AS WELL AS HIS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THEY'VE BEEN UNDER FIERCE SCRUTINY FOR HOW THEY'VE HANDLED THE ENTIRE CONTROVERSY AND THE RELEASE OF THE FILES. THEY ARE THEY'VE BEEN ACCUSED BY DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS FOR DELAYING THE RELEASE, FOR WITHHOLDING DOCUMENTS, FOR NOT PROPERLY REDACTING SENSITIVE INFORMATION AND KYRA. SOMETHING ELSE TO WATCH FOR IS TWO HOUSE DEMOCRATS HAVE INVITED THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF VIRGINIA GIUFFRE AND EPSTEIN SURVIVOR WHO DIED BY SUICIDE. HER FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE SITTING IN THE GALLERY. THE MESSAGE FROM DEMOCRATS IS VERY CLEAR TRUMP WANTS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO MOVE ON FROM THIS, BUT THEY DO NOT.

>> STARTING TO GET, OH, THERE'S CAROLINE. YEP. SIOUXSIE WILES, THE PRESIDENT'S CLOSEST ADVISER. ALSO CAROLINE LEAVITT, THE PRESS SECRETARY, COMING OUT THE DOORS THERE, WHICH MEANS THE PRESIDENT WILL NOT BE FAR BEHIND. SELENA, YOU KNOW, THIS SPEECH ALSO. OKAY, NOW THE DOORS ARE FORMALLY BEING OPENED. WE WILL PROBABLY SEE AT ANY MOMENT NOW, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE TO HEAD TO THE HILL. AND WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS ADDRESS IS ALSO COMING AS A WAR WITH IRAN IS LOOMING. SELENA, ARE WE EXPECTING ANY NEWS ON THAT FRONT FROM THE PRESIDENT, YOU THINK?

>> WELL, LOOK, THE ENTIRE WORLD IS GOING TO BE WATCHING HERE TO SEE ANYTHING THAT HE MIGHT SAY ON IRAN, BECAUSE HE HAS ALREADY SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT COULD BE THE BIGGEST DECISION OF HIS PRESIDENCY SO FAR, WHETHER OR NOT TO GO TO WAR WITH IRAN, AS THE U.S. HAS BEEN AMASSING THIS MASSIVE MILITARY FORCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS YET TO EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHY HE IS CONSIDERING ANOTHER MILITARY. OH, AND THERE WE GOT PICTURES HERE RIGHT NOW OF THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY MELANIA. THEY ARE WALKING INTO THE MOTORCADE LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE. WE CAN JUST SEE THOSE IMAGES THERE. BUT GOING BACK TO THIS FOREIGN POLICY SIDE OF THIS, HE HAS NOT EXPLAINED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE YET WHY HE IS CONSIDERING ANOTHER MILITARY STRIKE. NO ONE IN HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CLEAR AS TO WHAT THE END GOAL IS HERE. IS IT ABOUT REACHING A NUCLEAR DEAL? IS IT ABOUT REGIME CHANGE? THE PRESIDENT DID TELL REPORTERS TODAY THAT, QUOTE, IRAN WANTS A DEAL MORE THAN I DO. THEY JUST CAN'T SAY THE MAGIC PHRASE, WE WON'T BUILD NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BUT LOOK, THIS ALSO COMES AS, OF COURSE, TRUMP HAD CAMPAIGNED ON ENDING WARS, BRINGING TROOPS HOME. BUT WE HAVE SEEN HIM OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR BE VERY AGGRESSIVE AND ASSERTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO INTERVENING FROM THE OPERATION TO CAPTURE NICOLAS MADURO, FROM VENEZUELA TO STRIKES LAST YEAR, TARGETING THOSE NUCLEAR, NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN IRAN. AND WE JUST SAW THE PRESIDENT THERE WAVING. HE'S NOW MOTORCADE TO THE CAPITAL, NOT TO MENTION THE PRESIDENT'S THREATS TOWARDS GREENLAND, REALLY PUTTING OUR NATO ALLIES ON EDGE. SO, I MEAN, THIS IS A SPEECH, OF COURSE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL BE LISTENING TO, BUT REALLY, THE WORLD WILL BE ON EDGE TO READ ANY OF THE TEA LEAVES IN TERMS OF WHAT DIRECTION HE MOVES IN ON IRAN.

>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN RIGHT AFTER THE SPEECH. SO AS YOU SAW, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP GETTING INTO THE BEAST, THEY HAVE NOW LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE MOTORCADE IN TOW ON THEIR WAY TO THE CAPITOL. AND WHY, WHILE SO MANY AMERICANS ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO PAY FOR GROCERIES AND GAS, OUR ELIZABETH SCHULTZ IS WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY. LIVE PICTURES FROM THE HILL. NOW, AS THE PRESIDENT IS NOT FAR FROM ARRIVING THERE AT THE ROTUNDA AND THEN WILL MAKE HIS WAY THROUGH THE HALLS THERE WHERE YOU SEE MEMBERS, MOSTLY MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, MANY AIDES AND STAFFERS AWAITING THE PRESIDENT, THE SUPREME COURT, ELIZABETH, STRIKING DOWN 70% OF TRUMP'S TARIFFS, A HUGE BLOW TO THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ECONOMIC POLICY. NOW THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING HE'S GOING TO IMPOSE AN ADDITIONAL 10 OR 15%. SO HOW THE HECK IS THIS GOING TO WORK?

>> AND THERE ARE SOME HUGE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. KYRA AFTER THAT LANDMARK DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT TO STRIKE DOWN THE HEART OF THE PRESIDENT'S AGENDA ON ECONOMIC POLICY, FOREIGN POLICY, 70% OF HIS TARIFFS. AND KIRA, HOW FASCINATING WILL IT BE TO SEE THE PRESIDENT FACE TO FACE DURING THIS SPEECH WITH SOME OF THOSE JUSTICES WHO CHIEF ROBERTS WROTE IN HIS OPINION THAT THOSE TARIFFS, THE PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE POLICY, ARE ATTACKS ON BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES, SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DISPUTED. WE KNOW THAT THE WHITE HOUSE IS DOUBLING DOWN ON TARIFFS DESPITE THAT DECISION FROM THE SUPREME COURT. SO, AS YOU SAY, AS OF TODAY, THERE IS NOW A NEW 10% TARIFF ON MOST IMPORTS COMING INTO THE US. IN EFFECT, THE PRESIDENT WANTED THAT TO GO UP TO 15%. THE WHITE HOUSE TELLS US THAT'S STILL IN THE WORKS. BUT JUST AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE SUPREME COURT WITH BASICALLY STRUCK DOWN THOSE TARIFFS, THE WHITE HOUSE IS DOUBLING DOWN. THE PRESIDENT LIKELY TO HIGHLIGHT THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THEY SAY THAT THIS IS CREATING JOBS, THOUGH OF COURSE, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE US DID LOSE MANUFACTURING JOBS LAST YEAR. ABOUT 80,000 MANUFACTURING JOBS LOST. SO THE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH MORE DOES HE ISSUE ADDITIONAL TARIFF THREATS? KIRA, WE KNOW HE'S USING OTHER LEGAL AUTHORITIES NOW TO TRY TO IMPOSE THESE NEW TARIFFS. SOME OF THAT, THOUGH, EVEN IN QUESTION AND NOT THE SAME KIND OF SECURITY AND BROAD BASED THREAT AS BEFORE.

>> ALL RIGHT. SO ELIZABETH, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THESE OUR FIRST LIVE PICTURES. NOW, ELIZABETH, THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE CHAMBER, THE LIGHTS HAVE COME UP. SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON HAS MADE THE CALL, CALLED THE HOUSE TO ORDER UPON THE ARRIVAL OF THE SENATE. YOU CAN SEE NOW, VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE WILL IS IS ENTERING THE CHAMBER. NOT LONG AFTER THAT, WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE JOINT CHIEFS AS WELL. IN ADDITION TO SECOND LADY USHA VANCE. THAT SHOULD BE NOT FAR BEHIND THE VICE PRESIDENT THERE. SO, ELIZABETH, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP CAMPAIGNED ON LOWER PRICES, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT WHAT AMERICANS ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.

>> IT'S NOT. AND A LOT OF WHAT WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE AREAS. I EXPECT KYRA THAT WE DO SEE PRICES DOWN. SO GAS PRICES ARE LOWER. WE DO SEE THE STOCK MARKET AT RECORD HIGHS, SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT REGULARLY TALKS ABOUT. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE OTHER DAY TO DAY COSTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY FEELING THOSE COSTS CHILD CARE, GROCERIES, HOUSING, UTILITY BILLS, THOSE ARE UP. AND IT'S NOTABLE HERE AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES OF VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE, YOU SEE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN THUNE COMING IN THESE NEW TARIFFS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED. IT'S ESTIMATED BY THE YALE BUDGET LAB HERE. IT WILL STILL COST AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS MORE THAN $1,000 PER YEAR. THE THESE TARIFFS ALSO EXPIRE KYRA AFTER 150 DAYS. AT THAT POINT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED BY CONGRESS. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF THOSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE LOOKING AT. THERE HAVE EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT ADDITIONAL TARIFFS. THEY HAVE BASICALLY SAID IT'S UP TO THE PRESIDENT TO DO THAT. SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW MUCH HE CALLS ON MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THIS SPEECH TO SUPPORT THAT PART OF HIS ECONOMIC AGENDA. NOW.

>> THE MEMBERS WALKING ONTO THE HOUSE FLOOR THERE, ELIZABETH, STAY WITH US. WE WANT TO BRING IN ONE OF OUR NATION'S FOREMOST EXPERTS ON THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY. HE HAS INTERVIEWED PRESIDENTS, CHRONICLED THEIR STORIES. OUR CONTRIBUTOR AND PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN, MARK UPDEGRAFF. JOINING ME NOW FOR A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF JUST HOW THESE DEFINING MOMENTS AND SPEECHES CAN SHAPE THE NEXT THREE YEARS. YOU KNOW, MARK, DOZENS OF DEMOCRATS ARE POISED TO SKIP THE ADDRESS TONIGHT, OPTING FOR THIS COUNTER PROGRAM ON THE NATIONAL MALL WHERE WE FOUND OUR JAY O'BRIEN. YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT TELL US? JUST ABOUT THE STATE OF POLITICS IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK IT REFLECTS THE POLITICAL DYSFUNCTION THAT HAS BECOME A REGULAR PART OF 21ST CENTURY LIFE. AT THIS POINT, IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT THEY HAVE SKIPPED THIS. IT'S IT'S DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE OUR GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS BEST WHEN WE HAVE BIPARTISANSHIP, WHEN WE HAVE COMITY AND CONSENSUS AMONG THE THE TWO PARTIES IN CONGRESS. AND CERTAINLY WE'RE NOT SEEING THIS IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. I THINK THERE'S LITTLE CHANCE OF THIS, BUT THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY THAT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD SOUND A MESSAGE OF UNITY TONIGHT. THAT'S WHAT STATE OF THE UNIONS OFTEN OFFER A PRESIDENT THE CHANCE TO DO. AND WE'LL SEE WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE HE SENDS TONIGHT. BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS VERY MUCH REFLECTIVE OF WHERE WE ARE, NOT ONLY POLITICALLY BUT AS A SOCIETY TODAY, WITH THE POLARIZATION THAT THAT IS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT AMERICA.

>> KYRA AND WE'RE SEEING THE VICE PRESIDENT GREET, YOU KNOW, MILITARY LEADERS THERE, INCLUDING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS, DAN CANE, AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT A LOOMING WAR WITH IRAN, WONDERING IF INDEED WE WILL HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. MARK, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE STATE OF THE UNION AND ADDRESSES THAT HAVE UNIFIED OUR COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN THINK ABOUT GEORGE W BUSH AFTER NINE OVER 11. YOU AND I REMEMBER THAT. WELL, RONALD REAGAN AFTER THE CHALLENGER EXPLOSION, THOSE CHALLENGING MOMENTS GAVE OUR PRESIDENTS A CHANCE TO BOOST OUR SOLIDARITY, TO UNITE US. IS THERE NO SUCH THING AS A UNIFYING EVENT IN WASHINGTON ANYMORE? BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT SURE FEELS LIKE WE ARE SO DIVIDED THAT THINKING ABOUT UNIFICATION IS IS A PIPE DREAM.

>> YOU KNOW? YOU'RE SO RIGHT, KYRA. THOSE YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE GREAT SPEECHES GIVEN BY OUR PRESIDENTS DURING TIMES OF CRISIS. FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT COMES TO MIND AFTER THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, WHICH DREW US INTO WORLD WAR TWO AND HIS DAY OF INFAMY SPEECH. YOU TALKED ABOUT GEORGE W BUSH IN THE WAKE OF NINE OVER 11. THOSE WERE EXISTENTIAL CRISES THAT WE WERE FACING. WE DON'T HAVE ONE, THANKFULLY, AT THIS MOMENT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT A PRESIDENT CAN'T USE THE BULLY PULPIT TO SOMEHOW SOUND A MESSAGE OF UNITY. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT FROM FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. TEMPERAMENTALLY, IT DOESN'T SEEM CONSISTENT WITH WITH WHO HE IS AS A PERSON AND AND WHAT HE DOES AS A LEADER. BUT BUT THESE STATES OF THE UNION OFFER THE PRESIDENCY OR THE PRESIDENT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO JUST THAT? I THINK, WITHOUT QUESTION. KYRA AND WE HEARD THIS EARLIER. HE HAS TO SEND A MESSAGE ABOUT THE ECONOMY. WE'RE SEEING HIS APPROVAL RATING SLIP TO 39%. AMERICANS ELECTED DONALD TRUMP IN THE PRESIDENCY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED HE WAS THE BETTER CANDIDATE TO GET OUR ECONOMY MOVING AGAIN. WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TOLD US HOW GOOD IT IS, BUT I THINK HE HAS TO SHOW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY'RE FEELING AND THE THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT IS PLAYING OUT. HE HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE KNOWS WHAT AMERICANS ARE GOING THROUGH.

>> KYRA WELL, MARK, I'M JUST GETTING EXCERPTS. EXCERPTS FROM HIS STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH. SO STAY WITH ME, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THE THEME WE WERE TOLD EARLIER FROM FROM SOURCES THERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THE THEME WOULD BE AMERICA 250, STRONG, PROSPEROUS AND RESPECTED, OF COURSE, IN REFERENCE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY. MARK. AND NOW I'M JUST BRIEFLY LOOKING AT SOME OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO SAY TONIGHT FROM 1776 TO TODAY, EVERY GENERATION OF AMERICANS HAS STEPPED FORWARD TO DEFEND LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. FOR THE NOW IT'S OUR TURN. TOGETHER, WE ARE BUILDING A NATION WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS THE CHANCE TO REACH HIGHER AND GO FARTHER, WHERE GOVERNMENT ANSWERS TO THE PEOPLE, NOT NOT THE POWERFUL, AND WHERE THE INTERESTS OF HARD WORKING AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE ALWAYS OUR FIRST AND ULTIMATE CONCERN. THIS SOUNDS GREAT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT HOW EXACTLY HE IS MAKING HARD WORKING AMERICAN CITIZENS FIRST. AND HIS ULTIMATE CONCERN WHEN WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR WEEKS NOW, OUR ELIZABETH SCHULTZ JUST LAID THIS OUT, AND I DON'T KNOW, ELIZABETH, ARE YOU STILL WITH ME? OKAY, WE'LL BRING ELIZABETH BACK. BUT, MARK, THAT'S WHAT WE HAD A FEELING THAT THIS IS PROBABLY HOW HIS SPEECH WOULD START OUT. BECAUSE AFFORDABILITY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING AND YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE, THAT IS WHAT IS ON THE MINDS OF AMERICANS RIGHT NOW, HOW THEIR 401 K IS DOING, HOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CAN THEY ARE THEY ABLE TO SAVE MONEY? CAN THEY PAY THE RENT? CAN THEY FILL UP THE GAS TANK? CAN THEY BUY GROCERIES? SO IT'S INTERESTING JUST LOOKING AT THE FIRST TWO GRAPHS OF HIS SPEECH THAT HE'S DIVING RIGHT INTO, THAT.

>> YOU'RE YOU'RE SO RIGHT. AND AGAIN, IT'S AFFORDABILITY THAT'S ON THE MINDS OF AMERICANS. IT'S THE ECONOMY. STUPID. RIGHT. SOMETHING THAT JAMES CARVILLE SAID BACK IN 1992 THAT HELPED TO WIN BILL CLINTON, THE PRESIDENCY OVER THE INCUMBENT, GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH. SO BUT BUT IT'S ONE THING. AND PARDON THE CLICHE HERE,

BUT IT'S ONE THING TO TO TALK THE TALK. YOU'VE GOT TO WALK THE WALK. HE HAS TO TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICANS, THINGS THAT HE IS DOING TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS. AND I THINK YOU WERE ALLUDING TO THAT IN THIS PARAGRAPH, THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE AMERICAN DREAM FOR SO MANY AMERICANS, THEY DON'T SEE THAT. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE RAMPANT INFLATION THAT WE ARE THAT WE ARE FACING, RIGHT? THE UNAFFORDABILITY OF HEALTHCARE, THE AFFORDABILITY OF OF HOUSING. SO HE HAS TO ADDRESS THIS WITH CONCRETE SOLUTIONS, I THINK, IN ORDER TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THE APPROVAL RATING THAT IS RIGHT NOW RELATIVELY ANEMIC.

>> KYRA JUST A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE SHOT. IT HAPPENED SORT OF QUICKLY, BUT THE U.S. CAPITOL HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAD TOLD US THAT SPEAKER JOHNSON WOULD DISPLAY GEORGE WASHINGTON'S GAVEL DURING THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, AND WE DID JUST SEE A SHOT OF THAT, CLEARLY A NOD TO AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY. SO THEY ARE PLAYING UP THIS THEME OF A STRONG AMERICA 250 YEARS LATER. ALSO, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT THREATS TO THE UNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES I'M SEEING HERE. AS PRESIDENT. I WILL MAKE PEACE WHEREVER I CAN, BUT I WILL NEVER HESITATE TO CONFRONT THREATS TO AMERICA, WHEREVER WE MUST. WE ARE 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. FOR YEARS, LARGE SWATHS OF TERRITORY IN OUR REGION, INCLUDING LARGE PARTS OF MEXICO, HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED BY MURDEROUS DRUG CARTELS.

WHY DON'T WE BRING IN OUR POLITICAL DIRECTOR, AVERY HARPER AVERY? WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT JUST THE IMPACT OF TRUMP'S SPEECH TONIGHT AS A WAR WITH IRAN DOES LOOM. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING IRAN SO FAR IN THESE EXCERPTS WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE SPEECH, BUT DEFINITELY THE PRESIDENT SAYING HE WANTS TO MAKE PEACE WHEREVER HE CAN, AND HE IS ADDRESSING THOSE THREATS, WHICH WE CLEARLY HAVE SEEN HIM ADDRESS, WHETHER IT'S TAKING CAPTURING NICOLAS MADURO, GOING AFTER ALLEGED DRUG BOATS OR TAKING OR, I GUESS, SUPPORTING MEXICO'S PRESIDENT AS SHE HAD HER MILITARY TAKE DOWN ONE OF THE MOST NOTORIOUS LEADERS OF A DRUG DRUG CARTEL IN MEXICO. EL MENCHO, YOUR THOUGHTS AS THE PRESIDENT IS NOT FAR INTO THE SPEECH, BRINGING UP WHAT HE IS DESCRIBING AS RESTORING AMERICAN SECURITY AND DOMINANCE IN THE WEST AND WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

>> I DEFINITELY. >> THINK THAT THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT KNOWS THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD WATCHING THIS FOR INDICATIONS OF WHAT COULD COME NEXT WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THOSE FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS THAT HE'S HE'S GOING TO MAKE. AND THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAR IN THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE LATER ON TONIGHT FROM VIRGINIA GOVERNOR ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, WHO HAS A NATIONAL SECURITY LENS, AS SOMEONE WHO WAS A FORMER CIA OFFICER WHO'S GOING TO BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE ON THE FOREIGN STAGE, FROM TARIFFS TO SOME OF THESE OTHER FOREIGN POLICY MOVES THAT MIGHT HIT AMERICANS ECONOMICALLY. AND I DO THINK THAT AT THE HEART OF THESE REMARKS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR HIM TRY TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF AFFORDABILITY. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS A TENDENCY TO GO OFF SCRIPT. SO WHILE WE DO HAVE MANY OF THE EXCERPTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN MENTIONING AND READING OFF OF, IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT WE SEE THE PRESIDENT GO OFF SCRIPT. AND THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF THE TONE OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT MIGHT SAY TONIGHT. TONIGHT DOES DOUBLE AS A CAMPAIGN SORT OF SPEECH BECAUSE THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR. WE'RE STANDING ON THE EVE OF MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THE FIRST PRIMARIES ARE COMING ON TUESDAY. AND SO WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS HERE HAS THE CAPACITY TO EITHER BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE FOLD FOR REPUBLICANS, OR IT COULD MOBILIZE MORE VOTERS TO GO AND VOTE WITH DEMOCRATS. IT ALL REMAINS TO BE SEEN. AND SO THE TONE OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS TONIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY.

>> OKAY. SOMETHING ELSE WE'RE WATCHING FOR DEVIN DWYER. YOU COVER THE SUPREME COURT FOR US. APPARENTLY, THE PRESIDENT HAS ARRIVED THERE AT THE CAPITOL, WHICH MEANS IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE WE SEE HIM ENTER THE HOUSE CHAMBER. ARE YOU NOTICING WHAT I'M NOTICING? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE SEEN A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE YET ARRIVE TO THE CHAMBER, AM I RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT. THEY'RE NOT IN THE ROOM JUST YET, KYRA. BUT THEY ADVANCED THE PRESIDENT. SO THEY WILL GO DOWN THAT AISLE IN A SHORT TIME. WE KNOW FROM THE TIKTOK THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED, AND THEY WILL TAKE A SEAT FRONT AND CENTER, JUST STEPS FROM THAT PODIUM WHERE THE PRESIDENT WILL DELIVER HIS ADDRESS. THIS IS A HIGH PRESSURE AND HIGHLY UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENT FOR THE JUSTICES. I'VE SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF THEM WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IN THE PAST, AND THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE GOING TO THIS EVENT. GIVEN HOW MUCH OF A POLITICAL PEP RALLY IT'S BECOME. BUT THOSE THAT DO BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN REPRESENTING THE JUDICIAL BRANCH AS A CO-EQUAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. THE COURTS ARE ONE OF THEM. AND SO THEY WANT TO SHOW UP, AND THEY KNOW THAT SO MANY AMERICANS CAN'T EVEN PULL THEM OUT OF A LINEUP. SO TONIGHT, JUST HAVING THAT CHANCE TO SEE THEM IN THE FRONT ROW, DESPITE ALL THE RHETORIC AND THE DIVISION THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH SOME OF THE GUESTS, THEY WILL BE THERE TONIGHT SITTING, AS JUSTICE ALITO HAS PUT IT, LIKE POTTED PLANTS, TRYING VERY HARD NOT TO MAKE ANY FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AS THE PRESIDENT TALKS.

>> A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE THAT FOR THE VERY REASON OF ALL THE SCRUTINY DOESN'T GO RIGHT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING TODAY, PERHAPS ANTICIPATING THAT THE PRESIDENT MIGHT, YOU KNOW, SHED THROW SOME SHADE, IF YOU WILL, AT THE JUSTICES IN FRONT OF HIM.

>> WELL, HE DID IT LAST WEEK.

>> AND HE'S BEEN DOING IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> YES, HE HAS.

>> THAT EVER HAPPENED BEFORE? AND OF COURSE IT HAS. IN FACT, IN PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FINAL STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS IN 2024, HE POINTED FINGERS AT THE JUSTICES. SO DID BARACK OBAMA. AND THAT'S WHEN SAMUEL ALITO MADE A FACE.

LET'S LISTEN IN TO THE SPEAKER.

>> FROM LOUISIANA. MR. SCALISE, THE GENTLEMAN FROM MINNESOTA, MR. EMMER, THE GENTLEWOMAN FROM MICHIGAN, MRS. MCLEAN, THE GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA, MR. HUDSON, THE GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA, MR. RESCHENTHALER, THE GENTLEMAN FROM UTAH. MR. MOORE, GENTLEWOMAN FROM INDIANA. MRS. HOUCHIN, THE GENTLEMAN FROM OKLAHOMA. MR. HEARN, GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK. MR. JEFFRIES, THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA. MR. AGUILAR, THE GENTLEMAN FROM CALIFORNIA. MR. LIU, GENTLEWOMAN FROM WASHINGTON. MRS. DELBENE, GENTLEWOMAN FROM MICHIGAN. MRS. DINGELL. THE PRESIDENT.

>> OF THE SENATE, AT THE DIRECTION OF THAT BODY, APPOINTS THE FOLLOWING SENATORS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PART OF THE SENATE TO ESCORT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES INTO THE HOUSE CHAMBER. THE SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA. MR. THUNE. THE SENATOR FROM WYOMING. MR. BARRASSO, THE SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS. MR. COTTON, THE SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA. MRS. CAPITO, THE SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA. MR. LANKFORD, THE SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, MR. SCOTT, THE SENATOR FROM NEW YORK, MR. SCHUMER, THE SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS, MR. DURBIN AND THE SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA. MISS. KLOBUCHAR.

>> THE MEMBERS OF THE ESCORT COMMITTEE WILL EXIT THE CHAMBER THROUGH THE LOBBY DOORS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO ARE WE GOING TO SEE SUPREME COURT? SUPPOSED TO SEE SAYS ENTER BEFORE THE PRESIDENT? BUT YOU JUST HEARD THE HOUSE SPEAKER ANNOUNCE THE ESCORT COMMITTEE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. SO IF WE SEE THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES ENTER THE FLOOR, LET'S LISTEN.

>> TO THE SUPREME COURT. JUSTICES ARE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, AND THEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. SO WE DO HAVE A FEW MORE STOPS ON THE ON THE WAY.

>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE.

>> JUST.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING.

>> THAT WE'RE.

>> WATCHING VERY CLOSELY. OKAY. THEY'RE A LITTLE BEHIND SCHEDULE. UNDERSTOOD. WHY DON'T WE BRING IN HEIDI HEITKAMP AND FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISOR DANIELLE ALVAREZ. SO, DANIELLE, PRESIDENT TRUMP PROMISED A LOT OF THINGS WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. HE TOLD AMERICANS HE'S GOING TO HELP THEM FINANCIALLY, THAT HE IS GOING TO KEEP THE ECONOMY STRONG, THAT FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS, THEIR GROCERIES, THEIR GAS. WHAT DOES HE NEED TO SAY TONIGHT OR IS IT TOO LATE?

>> TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE THE STORY ABOUT A GREAT CONTRAST.

>> THE PRESIDENT INHERITED A MESS THAT WAS CREATED BY DEMOCRATS IN THE FAILURES OF JOE BIDEN, AND IN THE YEAR THAT HE HAS BEEN IN OFFICE, WE HAVE SEEN ECONOMIC INDICATORS TRENDING IN THE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PRESIDENT TO DO TONIGHT IS TO TOUT THOSE WINS. BUT OF COURSE, LAY OUT THE VISION FOR THE YEAR AHEAD. AND CERTAINLY THAT IS CRITICAL AS WE HEAD INTO THESE MIDTERMS, AS WE DISCUSS ABOUT HOW REPUBLICAN GOVERNANCE CAN CREATE WINS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND AS WE TRY TO PROSECUTE THE CASE THAT REPUBLICANS SHOULD MAINTAIN A MAJORITIES IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE WORKING ALONGSIDE THE PRESIDENT. SO NOT ONLY WILL IT BE IMPORTANT WITH ALL OF THESE EYEBALLS IN THIS ADDRESS, THAT HE TALKS ABOUT THE WINS THAT HE HAS DELIVERED, AGAIN, THE ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL, THE THE TAX CUTS FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES WILL BE VERY CRITICAL FOR HIM TO TALK ABOUT MOST FAVORED NATION DRUG PRICING TRUMP RX, BUT IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT AS HE LAYS OUT THE PATH FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.

>> AND AS HE LAYS OUT THAT PATH, HEIDI, WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT NEED TO SAY TO UNITE THIS COUNTRY TO GET BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS BELIEVING IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, AND THAT THEY WILL BE SOLID FOR EVERY AMERICAN?

>> WELL, I THINK ONE THING HE COULD DO IS ACTUALLY LAY OUT A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WHICH HE NEVER HAS. AND SO WHEN WE GO FORWARD, I THINK THAT IF THIS IS ABOUT WHAT A GREAT JOB I'M DOING, AND THAT'S ALL HE TALKS ABOUT, THIS IS DANGEROUS TERRITORY FOR REPUBLICANS. WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS OUTLINE A LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, CHALLENGE DEMOCRATS TO COME ALONG AND TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH AFFORDABILITY.

>> ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO BRING OUR DEVIN DWYER BACK IN, BECAUSE NOW WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. DEVIN, I'M GOING TO LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE. LET'S NAME THEM STARTING WITH JOHN ROBERTS.

>> AND YOU DO SEE THESE ARE THE FOUR JUSTICES, KYRA WHO ATTENDED LAST YEAR'S ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT. YOU SEE CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, HE HAS NEVER MISSED A STATE OF THE UNION IN 25 YEARS. ELENA KAGAN, THE ONLY LIBERAL IN THAT GROUP, BRETT KAVANAUGH, THE PRESIDENT'S SECOND NOMINATION TO THE COURT IN SOMEONE HE HAS PRAISED, KAVANAUGH WOULD HAVE UPHELD THE PRESIDENT'S TARIFFS IN THAT GROUP. AND AMY CONEY BARRETT, THE YOUNGEST CONSERVATIVE, SHE HAS TAKEN A LOT OF FIRE FROM CONSERVATIVES, GIVEN SOME SO FAR IN THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST YEAR OF HIS SECOND TERM, SHE VOTED AGAINST THE TARIFFS KYRA. BUT THERE SHE IS, HERE TO ATTEND THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST OFFICIAL STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.

>> ALL RIGHT. AND THE REASON WHY LET'S JUST, YOU KNOW, BE VERY CLEAR THAT WE HAVE OUR EYES SET ON THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES IS BECAUSE WE SAW AN UNPRECEDENTED JUST LASHING ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT WHEN HE DIDN'T GET WHAT HE WANTED FROM THE HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND. THEY THEY STRUCK DOWN 70% OF HIS TARIFFS. AND HE WAS NOT HAPPY CALLING JUSTICES DISLOYAL, UNPATRIOTIC, THAT THEIR FAMILIES SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES. SO WE'RE WONDERING, WILL HE?

>> WELL, HE DELIVERED IN PERSON.

>> YES. AND LOOKED THEM IN, IN THE EYES AND SAY THE SAME THING AS HE ADDRESSES THE NATION TONIGHT.

>> AND HE WILL WALK RIGHT PAST THEM ON HIS WAY UP TO GIVE THAT SPEECH. AND ON THE WAY OUT, HE'S SHAKING THEIR HANDS IN THE PAST. WE'LL SEE IF THEY DO THAT AGAIN. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, KYRA, AS WE WATCH THE SPEECH TONIGHT, THE PRESIDENT HAS HAD AN OVERWHELMINGLY SUCCESSFUL WINNING STREAK WITH THIS SUPREME COURT. IN FACT, OF THE UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF EMERGENCY APPLICATIONS TRUMP HAS MADE TO THE COURT, THEY'VE RULED IN HIS FAVOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME TO EXPEDITE IMMIGRANTS, TO FREEZE FEDERAL SPENDING, TO LAY OFF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKERS, TO DISCHARGE TRANSGENDER SERVICE MEMBERS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT DECISION IN 2024, WHEN THE COURT GAVE THE PRESIDENT SWEEPING IMMUNITY FROM CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND LIMITED THE ABILITY OF LOWER COURT JUDGES TO BLOCK HIS POLICIES. SO, AS MUCH AS HE MAY BE ANGRY AND AGITATED BY THE TARIFFS DECISION, HE CERTAINLY HAS GOTTEN A LOT OUT OF THESE JUSTICES, INCLUDING THE THREE THAT HE'S APPOINTED.

>> MARK, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE REACHING THE TOP OF THE HOUR AND WE ARE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, STEPPING UP TO THAT PODIUM AND ADDRESSING THE NATION WITH THE STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH TONIGHT. IN A TIME WHERE EVERYTHING IS SO POLITICAL, WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH DIVISION IN OUR COUNTRY, HOW DOES PRESIDENT TRUMP BREAK THROUGH TONIGHT?

>> WELL, I THINK PART OF IT IS IF HE'S GOING TO REACH ALL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, HE HAS TO SOUND A MESSAGE OF UNITY. HE HAS TO UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF ALL AMERICANS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE ISSUE. WE KEEP ON COMING BACK TO KYRIE, AND THAT IS AFFORDABILITY. DONALD TRUMP WILL OFTEN BEAT HIS CHEST AND TELL PEOPLE HOW GOOD THEY HAVE IT. BUT IF PEOPLE AREN'T FEELING THAT, IT DOESN'T MATTER. JOE BIDEN DID THE SAME THING. HE TALKED ABOUT HOW GREAT THE ECONOMY WAS AND HOW PEOPLE HAVE MONEY TO SPEND. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE WERE FEELING. AND THAT HURT BIDEN. WE SAW HIM HAVE APPROVAL RATINGS THAT WEREN'T MUCH HIGHER THAN, THAN THAN DONALD TRUMP'S AT THIS POINT IN HIS PRESIDENCY FOR THE SAME REASON. SO YOU'VE GOT TO YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE ON.

>> THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THE FIRST LADY COMING IN TO THE CHAMBER NOW, KISSING HER SON BARRON AND HER STEPDAUGHTER RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. AND NOW IT'LL BE OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE COMING IN JUST MOMENTS AWAY NOW. AND AS THEY ALL HAVE SPECIAL GUESTS AS WELL, WE KNOW THAT GUESTS OF THE PRESIDENT WILL BE ERICA KIRK, THE WIDOW OF CHARLIE KIRK, ALSO, AND GARY BECKSTROM, THE PARENTS OF ARMY SPECIALIST SARA BECKSTROM, THE WEST VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER WHO WAS KILLED IN THAT DC AMBUSH JUST A DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. THE FIRST LADY HAS A TEN YEAR OLD ALPHA SCHOOL STUDENT, AN AI ADVOCATE AND TEDX SPEAKER THAT WILL BE WITH HER AS. AND THEN WE SEE THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, SECRETARY BESSANT THERE THAT JUST WALKED IN. WE'RE SEEING OUR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY, ROBERT F KENNEDY JR. YOU SEE, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH. AND NOW MOMENTS AWAY, WE WILL SEE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, I THINK ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI, AS WELL, A LIVE LOOK AT THE HOUSE CHAMBER. WE ARE NOW MINUTES AWAY FROM THE START OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. THE PRESIDENT WILL MAKE HIS WAY THROUGH THE HALLS THERE, SOME OF THE MOST HISTORIC, STATUE FILLED AND

>> David: TONIGHT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. HIS HIGH-STAKES MESSAGE, A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR THE PRESIDENT IN THIS MIDTERM ELECTION YEAR. ABC NEWS LIVE COVERAGE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

>> Announcer: TONIGHT FROM THE NATION'S CAPITOL, PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE, AND THE FIRST VOTES IN THE CRUCIAL MIDTERM ELECTIONS ABOUT TO BE CAST, THE PRESIDENT ADDRESSING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS IS AN ABC NEWS SPECIAL, THE STATE OF THE UNION AND THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE. NOW, REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON, DAVID MUIR.

>> David: AND GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, FROM THE NATION'S CAPITOL. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US TONIGHT. WE ARE MOMENTS AWAY FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TO CONGRESS AND, OF COURSE, TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. I'M JOINED BY THE ABC NEWS POWERHOUSE POLITICAL TEAM BOTH RIGHT HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH ME AND RIGHT THERE IN THE CHAMBER TONIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP KNOWS MILLIONS WILL BE WATCHING TONIGHT AMID TOUGH NEW POLLS FOR HIM, AND IN THIS CRITICAL MOMENT, IN THIS MIDTERM ELECTION YEAR THE PRESIDENT'S ARRIVAL IN THE CHAMBER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ANY MINUTE HERE. HE'S EXPECTED TO DECLARE TONIGHT THAT THE STATE OF THE UNION IS STRONG, PROSPEROUS AND RESPECTED. WE, OF COURSE, HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE ARRIVALS OF MOMENTS AGO THE CABINET ARRIVING IN THAT CHAMBER. ONE OF THE NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES ABOUT THE CHAMBER TONIGHT, THE ABSENCE OF MANY OF THE DEMOCRATS WHO HAD DECIDED TO BOYCOTT THE STATE OF THE UNION, THE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, HAD SAID IF YOU CAN'T BEHAVE, HE WOULD RATHER YOU NOT BE IN THE CHAMBER, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SOLE STRATEGY HERE, LINSEY DAVIS. YOU TALKED WITH LEADERS WHO SAID THEY THOUGHT THEIR PURPOSE WOULD BE BETTER SUITED ELSEWHERE.

>> EXACTLY. FROM OUR ESTIMATE WE'RE HEARING AT LEAST 73 DEMOCRATS DECIDED NOT TO SHOW UP TONIGHT, THE BREAKDOWN ABOUT 59 IN THE HOUSE, 14 IN THE SENATE. EARLIER TODAY I HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK WITH DEMOCRAT CLARK WHO SAYS SHE FEELS THE FOCUS OF THE STATE OF THE UNION SHOULD BE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND SO SHE DESCRIBED NOT WANTING TO LISTEN TO MISINFORMATION FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP AND INSTEAD SPEAK TO HER OWN CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THE STATE OF THEIR UNION.

>> David: WE'LL WATCH THAT STRATEGY AS IT PLAYS OUT TONIGHT, MANY WONDERING WHETHER SHOWING UP AND BEING PART OF WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EXPECT EVERY YEAR FROM A PRESIDENT OUT OF THE JOINT ADDRESS OR THE STATE OF THE UNION, AS IT'S CALLED, ONCE YOU'RE IN YOUR SECOND YEAR AS PRESIDENT -- THERE WE SEE THE HEALTH SECRETARY, ROBERT F. KENNEDY, KRISTI NOEM, HOMELAND SECRETARY, FRONT AND CENTER, WITH IMMIGRATION POLICY. SUSAN LYLES, THE CHIEF OF STAFF, OF COURSE. THE TRUSTED ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT, ONE OF HIS FAVORITE PEOPLE INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE. THE TRUMP FAMILY UP THERE IN THE CHAMBER. YOU CAN SEE IVANKA, BARON AND THE FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP ARRIVE AS WELL. THE REST OF THE CABINET BEHIND KRISTI NOEM. THEIR POLICIES, THE ONES SHE HAS TO FRONT IN THIS COUNTRY, THE PRESIDENT'S POLICIES, THE I.C.E. POLICY, PLAYING OUT IN MINNEAPOLIS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO ADDRESS THAT TONIGHT, AND THIS WHITE HOUSE FULLY AWARE OF THE POLLING ON THIS, MARY BRUCE. THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF SUCCESS AT THE BORDER, BUT DEEPLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE IMAGES OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS WHEN IT COMES TO RENEE GOOD AND ALEX PRETTI.

>> THE PRESIDENT KNOWS HE IS BATTLING AGAINST THOSE POLL NUMBERS. OUR POLLS SHOW AMERICANS DISAPPROVE OF HIS HANDLING ON IMMIGRATION. OF COURSE ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT PROPELLED HIM BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE, AND HE IS GOING TO TRY TONIGHT, OR HAVE TO DO TONIGHT TO STRADDLE THAT BALANCE, TO TOUT HIS SUCCESSES AT THE BORDER WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING SOMEHOW AMERICANS' CONCERNS WITH THE WAY THAT HIS I.C.E. OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN ENFORCED ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND, OF COURSE, DAVID, IT COMES AS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, DEMOCRATS REFUSING TO FUND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY UNTIL THE PRESIDENT MAKES REFORMS TO HIS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TACTICS.

>> David: MANY OF THE DEMOCRATS DEMANDING I.C.E. AGENTS REMOVE THEIR MASKS, THAT THEY HAVE WARRANTS FOR THESE ARRESTS THAT THEY CARRY OUT AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AMONG THE OTHER DEMANDS, OF COURSE. AS YOU MENTIONED, MARY, THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, THE BACKDROP TO THIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE EMPTY SEATS HERE IN THE CHAMBER TONIGHT. I WANT TO SHOW YOU A KEY MOMENT THAT PEOPLE AT HOME -- YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ON THIS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, THE REBUKE FROM THE SUPREME COURT WHEN IT COMES TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TARIFFS. MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT RIGHT THERE IN THE CHAMBER TONIGHT, FOUR OF THE JUSTICES ARE STANDING, AND IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO WATCH THIS DYNAMIC BECAUSE, AS THE PRESIDENT IS STANDING BEFORE THAT CHAMBER, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE JUSTICES ARE REALLY ONLY A FEW FEET AWAY FROM HIM. IT WAS JUST A YEAR AGO WE REMEMBER SEEING THAT IMAGE OF JOHN ROBERTS, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, PRESIDENT TRUMP SHAKING HIS HAND, AND ACTUALLY MOUTHING THE WORDS "THANK YOU" TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE. THAT WENT VIRAL, IF YOU WILL, THROUGHOUT THE POLITICAL WORLD. BUT TONIGHT, IF WE CAN SHOW THE PICTURES OF THE JUSTICES STANDING IN THE FRONT WHEN THEY ARRIVED A SHORT TIME AGO, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, YOU CAN SEE IN THE CORNER OF YOUR FRAME, BUT FOUR OF THEM STANDING THERE TOGETHER.

>> Jonath JON KARL, IT WILL BE FASCINATING AFTER JUST BEING REBUKED FOUR DAYS AGO.

>> HIS WORDS AFTER THAT DECISION WERE BLISTERING TOWARDS THE SUPREME COURT. HE CALLED THE JUSTICES THAT RULED AGAINST HIS TARIFFS VERY UNPATRIOTIC. HE SAID THAT THEY WERE LAP DOGS OF THE RADICAL LEFT. HE SPOKE ABOUT THEM AS IF THEY WERE BEHOLDEN TO FOREIGN INTERESTS, REALLY QUITE A DISPLAY, SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER SEEN AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT TALK ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT THAT WAY. I GET THE SENSE THAT TONIGHT THE MESSAGE WILL BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT, DAVID. YOU AND I HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE LUNCH WITH THE PRESIDENT TODAY AS A PREVIEW TO THIS SPEECH. MY SENSE COMING OUT OF THAT IS THAT HE WANTS THIS TO BE A CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S 250th ANNIVERSARY, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HE SEES AS THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION, AND I THINK WILL PULL SOME OF THOSE PUNCHES TONIGHT.

>> David: THE DOORS ARE NOW OPENING TO THE CHAMBER. JON, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE EXPECTED TO HEAR THE ANNOUNCEMENT THE PRESIDENT HAS ARRIVED.

>> MR. SPEAKER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [ APPLAUSE ]

>> David: YOU SEE THE PRESIDENT HAS ENTERED THE CHAMBER. HE KNOWS THIS MOMENT IS A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR HIM. WE SHOULD POINT OUT, JON TOOK US BEHIND THE SCENES HERE, IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR THE ANCHORS OF THE NETWORKS AND SOME OF THE NEWS POSTS TO BE INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE, UNDER REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTS ON THE DAY OF THE STATE OF THE UNION. THE PRESIDENT INVITED A FEW OF US TO LUNCH, AND HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR HE WILL ADDRESS THE ECONOMY TONIGHT. OBVIOUSLY THE POLLS, THIS WHITE HOUSE VERY AWARE OF HIS HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY IN TERMS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT THE STOCK MARKET, BUT ALSO CAN LOOK AT THEIR GROCERY BILLS AND RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE NOT FEELING THIS QUITE YET. YOU CAN SEE THE VERY WARM WELCOME THAT HE'S GETTING FROM HIS REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES THERE IN THE CHAMBER. LET'S GO RIGHT TO RACHEL SCOTT, WHO IS ALSO IN THE CHAMBER TONIGHT. AND, RACHEL, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF WHAT YOU SEE SO FAR? ARE THERE EMPTY SEATS AS HAD BEEN PREDICTED BY MANY OF THE DEMOCRATS WHO SAID THEY MIGHT SIT THIS ONE OUT?

>> WELL, DAVID, I'VE COVERED SEVERAL STATE OF THE UNIONS FROM THIS VERY SEAT UP HERE IN THE GALLERY IN THE HOUSE CHAMBER. THERE ARE FAR FEWER DEMOCRATS TONIGHT THAN THERE HAVE BEEN IN YEARS PAST. AND, DAVID, WHAT IS NOTABLE RIGHT NOW AS I'M WATCHING THE PRESIDENT -- LOOK AT THIS, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, HOLDING UP A SIGN -- IT SAYS SOMETHING IN REFERENCE TO APES, BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT APES, AND REFERENCE TO THE POST THE PRESIDENT HAD ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT, THE POST THAT WAS OFFENSIVE, CLEARLY A SIGN OF PROTEST THERE. ALSO NOTABLE AS THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING HIS WAY DOWN TOWARD THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, DAVID, SOME DEMOCRATS DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO TURN AROUND AS THE PRESIDENT ENTERED THE HOUSE CHAMBER TONIGHT, AND DEMOCRATIC LEA LEADERSHIP, NOTABLY HAKEEM JEFFRIES, WAS SEATED.

>> David: WE JUST SAW THE PRESIDENT OBVIOUSLY SHAKE THE CHIEF JUSTICE'S HAND, JUSTICE KAGAN, KAVANAUGH, AMY CONEY BARRETT. OF COURSE HE CHOSE AMY CONEY BARRETT FOR THE BENCH, ONE OF THE JUSTICES WHO DID NOT VOTE IN HIS FAVOR AND DID NOT SHAKE HER HAND THERE. DID INTERACT WITH THE CHIEF JUSTICE BUT THEN WITH NONE OF THE OTHER JUSTICES. AND, JON KARL, THIS WAS A QUESTION FOR THE PRESIDENT TODAY, OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD, DIDN'T OFFER ANY ANSWER TO US, BUT IT WAS CLEAR TO US AT THE WHITE HOUSE THAT HE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW HOW HE WAS GOING TO HANDLE THE JUSTICES WHEN HE GOT THERE TONIGHT.

>> INTERESTING THAT SHAKE, VERY QUICK SHAKE FOR JOHN ROBERTS AND GOING RIGHT BY AMY CONEY BARRETT WHO HE PUT ON THE COURT.

>> David: OF COURSE WE SHOULD POINT OUT CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT DECISION AS WELL.

>> HE WROTE THE DECISION.

>> David: CHOOSING TO INTERACT ONLY WITH THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

>> BUT TRUMP FELT PARTICULARLY BETRAYED BY THE JUSTICES HE PUT ON THE COURT, RULED AGAINST HIM.

>> David: NEIL GORSUCH INCLUDED IN THAT, JUSTICE GORSUCH NOT THERE THIS EVENING ALONG WITH THE OTHER JUSTICES WHO ARE NOT THERE. BY THE WAY, THE FOUR JUSTICES WHO DID COME FOR TONIGHT'S STATE OF THE UNION ARE THE SAME FOUR WHO WERE HERE A YEAR AGO FOR THE JOINT ADDRESS TO CONGRESS. MARY BRUCE, THIS PRESIDENT KNOWS THIS IS A CRITICAL MIDTERM ELECTION YEAR AND THAT THE REPUBLICANS HOLD VERY SLIM MAJORITIES IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

>> DAVID, TONIGHT IS THE PRESIDENT'S BEST CHANCE TO DEFEND HIS FIRST YEAR BACK AND TRY TO SWAY SKEPTICAL VOTERS TO BACK REPUBLICANS IN THE UPCOMING MIDTERMS. HE NEEDS TO CONVINCE AMERICANS THAT HE IS LASER FOCUSED ON THAT ISSUE THAT IS TOP OF MIND FOR THEM, THE COST OF LIVING. HE'S GOING TO ARGUE HIS POLICIES ARE WORKING, BUT, AS WE KNOW, THE POLLS SHOW SO MANY AMERICANS SIMPLY AREN'T FEELING THAT IN THEIR WALLETS. 57% DISAPPROVE OF HIS HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY AND, OF COURSE, AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, THIS COMES FOUR DAYS AFTER THE COURT DELIVERED THAT DEVASTATING BLOW RIGHT AT THE HEART OF HIS AGENDA.

>> David: THIS TERM, AFFORDABILITY, GETS UNDER HIS SKIN. HE HAS SAID ON THE ONE HAND, I'VE WON ON AFFORDABILITY. AND ON THE OTHER, HE SAYS THIS AFFORDABILITY CRISIS WAS CREATED BY MY PREDECESSOR, SO IT WILL BE CURIOUS HOW HE TACKLES AFFORDABILITY AND WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE FEELING AT THE GROCERY STORE AND COST OF UTILITIES AND HOUSING AND WHAT HAVE YOU. I JUST WANT TO POINT YOUR ATTENTION AT HOME --

>> MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, I HAVE THE HIGH PRIVILEGE AND DISTINCT HONOR OF PRESENTING TO YOU THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> David: THERE YOU HAVE IT, THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON'S GAVEL TONIGHT, INTRODUCING PRESIDENT TRUMP. LET'S LISTEN.

>> USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY. IT'S REALLY AN HONOR. SPEAKER JOHNSON, VICE PRESIDENT VANCE, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES -- [ APPLAUSE ] SECOND LADY OF THE UNITED STATES -- [ APPLAUSE ] MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND MY FELLOW AMERICANS, OUR NATION IS BACK BIGGER, BETTER, RICHER AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE. [ APPLAUSE ] LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS FROM NOW, OUR COUNTRY WILL CELEBRATE AN EPIC MILESTONE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR GLORIOUS AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. 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, AND YOU'VE SEEN NOTHING YET. WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER. THIS IS THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA. [ APPLAUSE ] 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, A WIDEOPEN BORDER, HORRENDOUS RECRUITMENT FOR MILITARY AND POLICE, RAMPANT CRIME AT HOME, AND WARS AND CHAOS ALL OVER THE WORLD. 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. IT IS, INDEED, A TURNAROUND FOR THE AGES. [ APPLAUSE ] AND WE WILL NEVER GO BACK TO WHERE WE WERE JUST A VERY SHORT TIME AGO. WE'RE NOT GOING BACK. TODAY OUR BORDER IS SECURE.

>> USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

>> THANK YOU. TODAY OUR BORDER IS SECURE, OUR SPIRIT IS RESTORED, INFLATION IS PLUMMETING, INCOMES ARE RISING FAST, THE ROARING ECONOMY IS ROARING LIKE NEVER BEFORE AND OUR ENEMIES ARE SCARED, OUR MILITARY AND POLICE ARE STACKED, AND AMERICA IS RESPECTED AGAIN PERHAPS LIKE NEVER BEFORE. [ APPLAUSE ] 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. [ APPLAUSE ] IN THE PAST NINE MONTHS, ZERO ILLEGAL ALIENS HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES. [ APPLAUSE ] BUT WE WILL ALWAYS ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN LEGALLY, PEOPLE THAT WILL LOVE OUR COUNTRY AND WILL WORK HARD TO MAINTAIN OUR COUNTRY. [ APPLAUSE ] THE FLOW OF DEADLY FENTANYL ACROSS OUR BORDER IS DOWN BY A RECORD 56% IN ONE YEAR. [ APPLAUSE ] AND LAST YEAR THE MURDER RATE SAW ITS SINGLE LARGEST DECLINE IN RECORDED HISTORY. THIS IS THE BIGGEST DECLINE -- THINK OF IT -- IN RECORDED HISTORY, THE LOWEST NUMBER IN OVER 125 YEARS, THE YEAR 1900. IN FACT, SUBSTANTIALLY BEFORE MY WONDERFUL FATHER -- I HAD A WONDERFUL FATHER -- FRED, BEFORE HE WAS BORN -- SUBSTANTIALLY BEFORE HE WAS BORN -- THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO. HE WOULDN'T LIKE ME TO SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND ITS ALLIES IN CONGRESS GAVE US THE WORST INFLATION IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, BUT IN 12 MONTHS, MY ADMINISTRATION HAS DRIVEN CORE INFLATION DOWN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, AND IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF 2025 IT WAS DOWN TO 1.7%. [ APPLAUSE ] GASOLINE, WHICH REACHED A PEAK OF OVER $6 A GALLON IN SOME STATES, UNDER PRMY PREDECESSOR,S NOW $2.32 A GALLON IN MOST STATES AND IN SOME PLACES $1.99 A GALLON. AND WHEN I VISITED THE GREAT STATE OF IOWA JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, I EVEN SAW $1.85 A GALLON FOR GASOLINE. [ APPLAUSE ] MORTGAGE RATES ARE THE LOWEST IN FOUR YEARS AND FALLING FAST, AND THE ANNUAL COST OF THE TYPICAL NEW MORTGAGE IS DOWN ALMOST $5,000 JUST SINCE I TOOK OFFICE. ONE YEAR. 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. WE WANT TO PROTECT THOSE VALUES. WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE VALUES UP. WE'RE GOING TO DO BOTH. [ APPLAUSE ] AND WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. THE STOCK MARKET HAS SET 53 ALL-TIME RECORD HIGHS SINCE THE ELECTION. THINK OF THAT, ONE YEAR, BOOSTING PENSIONS, 401(k)s AND RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS WITH THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ALL GAINING. EVERYBODY IS UP, WAY UP, IN FOUR LONG YEARS, THE LAST ADMINISTRATION GOT LESS THAN $1 TRILLION IN NEW INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. AND WHEN I SAY LESS, SUBSTANTIALLY LESS. IN 12 MONTHS I SECURED COMMITMENTS FOR MORE THAN $18 TRILLION POURING IN FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE. [ APPLAUSE ] THINK OF IT -- MUCH LESS THAN $1 TRILLION FOR FOUR YEARS VERSUS MUCH MORE THAN $18 TRILLION FOR ONE YEAR. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A PRESIDENT MAKES. [ APPLAUSE ] A SHORT TIME AGO WE WERE A DEAD COUNTRY. NOW WE ARE THE HOTTEST COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. THE HOTTEST. [ APPLAUSE ]

>> USA! USA!

>> AS THOUSANDS OF NEW BUSINESSES ARE FORMING, FACTORIES, PLANTS AND LABORATORIES ARE BEING BUILT, WE HAVE ADDED 70,000 NEW CONSTRUCTION JOBS IN JUST A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND STRONGER. NOBODY CAN BELIEVE WHAT THEY'RE WATCHING. 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. [ APPLAUSE ] AMERICAN NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH BECAUSE I KEPT MY PROMISE TO DRILL, BABY, DRILL. [ APPLAUSE ] MORE AMERICANS ARE WORKING TODAY THAN AT ANYTIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. THINK ABOUT THAT. ANYTIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, MORE WORKING TODAY, AND 100% OF ALL JOBS CREATED UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. [ APPLAUSE ] WE ENDED DEI IN AMERICA. [ APPLAUSE ] 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. [ APPLAUSE ] AND FOR ALL OF THESE REASONS I SAY TONIGHT, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE STATE OF OUR UNION IS STRONG. [ APPLAUSE ] OUR COUNTRY IS WINNING AGAIN. IN FACT, WE'RE WINNING SO MUCH THAT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE WINNING TOO MUCH. WE CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! WE'RE NOT USED TO WINNING IN OUR COUNTRY UNTIL YOU CAME ALONG, WE WERE JUST ALWAYS LOSING, BUT NOW WE'RE WINNING TOO MUCH. AND I SAY, NO, NO, NO, YOU'RE GOING TO WIN AGAIN. YOU'RE GOING TO WIN BIG. YOU'RE GOING TO WIN BIGGER THAN EVER. 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, THE MEN'S GOLD MEDAL OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM. COME ON IN. [ APPLAUSE ]

>> USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

>> THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN THEM GET UP AND ACTUALLY NOT ALL OF THEM DID GET UP, 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. [ APPLAUSE ] THEY WERE IN THE OVAL OFFICE BEFORE, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY A SECOND VERY BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM USA. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT -- AND I TOLD THEM THIS, WE TOOK A VOTE OF THE TEAM -- I SAID ANYBODY VOTES NO, I'M NOT DOING IT. SO THEY WEREN'T ABOUT TO SAY NO BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN A GOALTENDER PLAY AS WELL AS GOALIE CONNOR HELLEBUYCK. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] 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, DID YOU PRACTICE THAT OR WAS THAT A LITTLE LUCKY? HE REFUSED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. 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 -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- THAT I WILL SOON BE PRESENTING CONNOR WITH OUR HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR WE WILL BE GIVING AND HAS BEEN GIVEN TO MANY ATHLETES OVER THE YEARS, BUT WHEN I SAY MANY, NOT TOO MANY, LIKE 12, IT'S CALLED THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR IN OUR COUNTRY, THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM. [ APPLAUSE ] GREAT ATHLETES HAVE GOTTEN THAT, VERY GREAT, THE BEST, AND I THOUGHT HE DESERVED IT. AND I DID TAKE A VOTE. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, I SAID, I'M NOT GIVING IT IF ANYBODY GOES NO, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM RAPIDLY PUT UP THEIR HAND. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. WHAT A SPECIAL JOB YOU DID. WHAT SPECIAL CHAMPIONS YOU ARE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] 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, AND IT'S THE SUMMER VERSION RIGHT IN LOS ANGELES. WE'RE GOING TO DO A GOOD JOB IN LOS ANGELES. [ APPLAUSE ] AND LOS ANGELES IS GOING TO BE SAFE, JUST LIKE WASHINGTON, D.C., IS NOW ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. [ APPLAUSE ] AND THIS YEAR, I GOT THEM BOTH, I GOT THEM IN THE FIRST TERM AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK I'D BE THE PRESIDENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT STRANGE THINGS TOOK PLACE AND NOW I'VE GOT THEM BECAUSE I GOT THE OLYMPICS AND I GOT THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP, AND I WANTED TO CLAIM THE 250th BUT I DIDN'T GET AWAY WITH THAT ONE. I COULDN'T CLAIM THAT ONE FOR MYSELF, BUT WE'RE GETTING THE WORLD CUP SO WE HAVE THE WORLD CUP AND THE OLYMPICS COMING AND THAT IS EXCITING NEWS. [ APPLAUSE ] SO THIS WILL BE A YEAR TO CELEBRATE OUR COUNTRY AND THE HEROES WHO HAVE KEPT IT FREE, MEN LIKE BUDDY TAGGART, AT AGE 17, BUDDY VOLUNTEERED TO DEFEND AMERICA IN WORLD WAR II, SERVING IN THE PACIFIC UNDER THE GREAT GENERAL DOUGLAS McARTHUR. HE FOUGHT BRAVELY IN THE FAMOUS BATTLE OF MANILA, WORKED SO HARD AND WAS ALMOST KILLED BY ENEMY MACHINE GUNS. AND 81 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH HE LIBERATED THE LARGEST INTERNMENT CAMP IN THE PHILIPPINES, ONE OF THE LARGEST ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, 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. [ APPLAUSE ] SO, BUDDY, YOU'RE A BRAVE MAN AND WE SALUTE YOU. EVEN IN TIMES OF CHALLENGE, SETBACK AND IMMENSE HEARTACHE, THE SPIRIT OF 1776 HAS ALWAYS SHOWN THROUGH VERY BRIGHTLY. 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 -- I WAS THERE -- RISING 26 FEET IN THE MATTER OF MINUTES, TRAGICALLY CLAIMING MANY, MANY LIVES. YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT ONE. AS THE WATERS THREATENED TO SWEEP HER AWAY, 11-YEAR-OLD MILLIE KATE CLOSED HER EYES AND PRAYED TO GOD. SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DIE. THOSE PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED WHEN COAST GUARD RESCUE SWIMMER SCOTT RUSKIN DESCENDED FROM A HELICOPTER ABOVE. NOBODY KNEW WHERE HE CAME FROM. IT WAS SCOTT'S FIRST-EVER RESCUE MISSION, A YOUNG GUY BUT VERY BRAVE, VERY, VERY TOP, ALWAYS TOP IN HIS CLASS, AND HE LIFTED NOT JUST MILLIE KATE BUT 164 OTHERS TO SAFETY. [ APPLAUSE ] PEOPLE WATCHED SCOTT FROM A DISTANCE, AND THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY WERE SEEING, THE WINDS WERE BLOWING, THE RAIN WAS POURING, EVERYTHING WAS GOING AND THAT RAPID WATER, NOBODY HAD EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, THEY SAID, WOW, THAT'S SOMETHING. TONIGHT SCOTT AND MILLIE KATE ARE HERE TOGETHER, REUNITED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. THANK YOU, SCOTT, MILLIE KATE. [ APPLAUSE ] AND PETTY OFFICER RUSKIN, 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. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE MILITARY AIDE TO PLEASE COME DOWN AND TAKE CARE OF THIS SERVICE, MILITARY AIDE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TAKE CARE OF THAT VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FROM 1776 TO TODAY EVERY GENERATION OF AMERICANS STEP FORWARD TO DEFEND LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, AND THEY'RE REALLY DOING IT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, BUT NOW IT'S OUR TURN. 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 WITH THE INTERESTS OF HARD-WORKING AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE ALWAYS OUR FIRST AND ULTIMATE CONCERN. 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. 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. THANK YOU, REPUBLICANS. [ APPLAUSE ] ALL DEMOCRATS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, VOTED AGAINST THESE REALLY IMPORTANT AND VERY NECESSARY MASSIVE TAX CUTS. [ APPLAUSE ] THEY WANTED LARGE-SCALE TAX INCREASES TO HURT THE PEOPLE INSTEAD. 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 COUNTRY. [ APPLAUSE ] AND WE ALSO MADE INTEREST ON AUTO LOANS, TAX DEDUCTIBLE, THE FIRST TIME, BUT ONLY IF THE CAR IS MADE IN AMERICA. [ APPLAUSE ] RECENTLY IN PENNSYLVANIA I MET MEGAN HEMHOUSER, A DEVOTED MOM WHO HOME SCHOOLS HER CHILDREN, BEAUTIFUL, TWO CHILDREN. DURING THE DAY WHILE WAITING TABLES AT NIGHT AS HER HUSBAND WORKS OVERTIME OPERATING VERY HEAVY EQUIPMENT. 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 $5,000 EXTRA JUST FOR THE YEAR CUTTING HER TAX BILL IN MORE THAN HALF. [ APPLAUSE ] MEGAN, PLEASE STAND UP. WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOU, MEGAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEGAN. WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOU, MEGAN. UNDER OUR BILL PARENTS LIKE MEGAN CAN ALSO ACTIVATE THEIR CHILDREN'S BRAND-NEW TRUMP ACCOUNTS, AND I DIDN'T NAME IT. I DID NOT NAME THAT. [ APPLAUSE ] NOBODY BELIEVES ME BUT I DID NOT NAME IT. IT WAS NAMED BY A VERY TALL MAN SITTING RIGHT THERE IN THE THIRD ROW. NICE MAN, A GOOD MAN. TAX-FREE INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS FOR EVERY AMERICAN CHILD. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S SO SPECIAL AND HAS TAKEN OFF AND GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. MILLIONS WILL BE PREFUNDED COURTESY OF THE U.S. TREASURY AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS LIKE MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL WHO HAVE DONATED $6,250,000,000. THEY'RE GREAT PEOPLE. [ APPLAUSE ] AND I ASKED MICHAEL, HOW DO YOU MAKE ALL THAT MONEY? HE SAID I JUST SAT IN MY DORM AT SCHOOL AND MADE COMPUTERS AND WOULD SELL THEM TO PEOPLE, AND I JUST KEPT SELLING AND SELLING AND SELLING, AND PRETTY AMAZING STORY. THAT'S CALLED THE AMERICAN DREAM. HE SOLD A LOT OF COMPUTERS, A LOT OF THOSE LAPTOPS, SO I CONGRATULATE HIM ON THAT. BUT I REALLY THANK HIM AND SUSAN AS WELL AS OTHERS LIKE BRAD GERSHNER WHO WAS BEHIND IT FROM THE BEGINNING. THANK YOU, BRAD. [ APPLAUSE ] MODEST ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE'S ACCOUNTS COULD GROW TO OVER $100,000 OR MORE BY THE TIME THEY TURN 18. THINK OF IT, HOW MUCH MONEY IS THAT FOR SOMEBODY THAT STARTED WITH NOTHING? OVER 100,000, COULD BE MUCH MORE THAN THAT, TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE, GO TO TRUMPACCOUNTS.GOV. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING IT, SETTING EVERY RECORD IN THE BOOK. IT'S POPULAR. THEY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO -- WHAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE. I'M SO PROUD OF THEM. I'M SO PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOT IT STARTED. NOW IT'S JUST TAKEN OFF. ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS FOR OUR COUNTRY'S STUNNING ECONOMIC TURNAROUND, THE BIGGEST IN HISTORY WITH 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. 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. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING WELL, COUNTRIES THAT WERE RIPPING US OFF FOR DECADES ARE NOW PAYING US HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY WERE RIPPING US SO BADLY, YOU ALL KNOW THAT. EVERYBODY KNOWS IT. EVEN THE DEMOCRATS KNOW IT, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO SAY IT. AND YET THESE COUNTRIES ARE NOW HAPPY AND SO ARE WE. WE MADE DEALS. THE DEALS ARE ALL DONE. AND THEY'RE HAPPY. THEY'RE NOT MAKING MONEY LIKE THEY USED TO, BUT WE'RE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY. THERE WAS NO INFLATION, TREMENDOUS GROWTH, AND THE BIG STORY WAS HOW DONALD TRUMP CALLED THE ECONOMY CORRECTLY AND 22 NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS IN ECONOMICS DIDN'T. THEY GOT IT TOTALLY WRONG. THEY GOT IT REALLY WRONG. AND THEN JUST FOUR DAYS AGO AN UNFORTUNATE RULING FROM THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT -- IT JUST CAME DOWN -- IT CAME DOWN, VERY UNFORTUNATE RULING. [ APPLAUSE ] BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS ALMOST ALL COUNTRIES AND CORPORATIONS WANT TO KEEP THE DEAL THAT THEY ALREADY MADE, RIGHT, SCOTT? 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. SO, DESPITE THE DISAPPOINTING RULING, THESE POWERFUL COUNTRY SAVING. IT'S SAVING OUR COUNTRY THE KIND OF MONEY WE'RE TAKING IN, PEACE PROTECTING. MANY OF THE WARS I SETTLED WAS BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF TARIFFS. I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SETTLE THEM, WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNDER FULLY APPROVED AND TESTED ALTERNATIVE LEGAL STATUTES, AND THEY HAVE BEEN TESTED FOR A LONG TIME. THEY WERE A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PROBABLY BETTER, LEADING TO A SOLUTION THAT WILL BE EVEN STRONGER THAN BEFORE. CONGRESSIONAL ACTION WILL NOT BE NECESSARY. IT'S ALREADY TIME TESTED AND APPROVED. 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. [ APPLAUSE ] 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. I PUT AMERICA FIRST. I LOVE AMERICA. [ APPLAUSE ] DECADES BEFORE I CAME ALONG, WE HAD THE EXACT OPPOSITE FROM TRADE TO HEALTH CARE, FROM ENERGY TO IMMIGRATION, EVERYTHING WAS STOLEN AND RIGGED IN ORDER TO DRAIN THE WEALTH OUT OF THE PRODUCTIVE HARD-WORKING PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR COUNTRY GREAT, WHO MAKE OUR COUNTRY RUN. UNDER BIDEN AND HIS CORRUPT PARTNERS IN CONGRESS AND BEYOND, IT REACHED A BREAKING POINT WITH THE GREEN NEW SCAM, OPEN BORDERS FOR EVERYONE, THEY POURED IN BY THE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS FROM PRISONS, FROM MENTAL INSTITUTIONS, THERE WERE MURDERERS, 11,888 MURDERERS CAME INTO OUR COUNTRY. YOU ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN. AND RECORD-SETTING INFLATION THAT COST THE TYPICAL FAMILY $34,000 IN JUST A SPECK OF TIME. NOW THE SAME PEOPLE IN THIS CHAMBER WHO VOTED FOR THOSE DISASTERS SUDDENLY USED THE WORD AFFORDABILITY, A WORD THEY JUST USED IT, GAVE IT TO THEM, KNOWING FULL WELL THEY CAUSED AND CREATED THE INCREASED PRICES THAT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HAD TO ENDURE. YOU CAUSED THAT PROBLEM. YOU CAUSED THAT PROBLEM. [ APPLAUSE ] THEY KNEW THEIR STATEMENTS WERE A LIE. THEY KNEW IT. THEY KNEW THEIR STATEMENTS WERE A DIRTY, ROTTEN LIE. THEIR POLICIES CREATED THE HIGH PRICES. OUR POLICIES ARE RAPIDLY ENDING THEM. WE ARE DOING REALLY WELL. THOSE PRICES ARE PLUMMETING DOWNWARD. [ APPLAUSE ] THE PRICE OF EGGS IS DOWN 60%, MADAM SECRETARY, THANK YOU. THE COST OF CHICKEN, BUTTER, FRUIT, HOTELS, AUTOMOBILES, RENT IS LOWER TODAY THAN WHEN I TOOK OFFICE BY A LOT, AND EVEN BEEF, WHICH

WAS VERY HIGH, IS STARTING TO COME DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. HOLD ON A LITTLE WHILE, WE'RE GETTING IT DOWN. AND SOON YOU WILL SEE NUMBERS THAT FEW PEOPLE WOULD THINK WERE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE JUST A SHORT TIME AGO. NOBODY CAN BELIEVE WHEN THEY SEE THE KIND OF NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY ENERGY, WHEN THEY SEE ENERGY GOING DOWN TO NUMBERS LIKE THAT, THEY CANNOT BELIEVE IT. IT'S LIKE ANOTHER BIG TAX CUT.

I'M ALSO CONFRONTING ONE OF THE BIGGEST RIP-OFFS OF OUR TIMES, THE CRUSHING COST OF HEALTH CARE CAUSED BY YOU. SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE UNAFFORDABLE CARE ACT, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS OBAMACARE, BIG INSURANCE COMPANIES GOT RICH. IT WAS MEANT FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, NOT FOR THE PEOPLE. WITH OUR GOVERNMENT GIVING THEM HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR, AS THEIR STOCK PRICES SOARED, $1,000, $1,200, AND EVEN 1,700%. THAT'S WHY I INTRODUCED THE GREAT HEALTH CARE PLAN. 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

IN ADDITION, MY PLAN REQUIRES MAXIMUM PRICE TRANSPARENCY. THAT'S A BIG DEAL. IT SOUNDS SO SIMPLE, SO BIG. 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. 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. I'M ALSO ENDING THE WILDLY INFLATED COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS LIKE HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

OTHER PRESIDENTS TRIED TO DO IT, BUT THEY NEVER COULD. THEY TRIED. MOST DIDN'T TRY, ACTUALLY. BUT THEY TRIED. THEY SAID THEY TRIED. THEY COULDN'T DO IT. THEY DIDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE. THEY WERE ALL TALK AND NO ACTION, BUT I GOT IT DONE. UNDER MY JUST ENACTED MOST FAVORED NATION AGREEMENTS, AMERICANS, WHO 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 -- ANYWHERE -- THE LOWEST PRICE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

SO IN MY FIRST YEAR OF THE SECOND TERM, SHOULD BE MY THIRD TERM -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN. I TOOK PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, A VERY BIG PART OF HEALTH CARE, FROM THE HIGHEST PRICE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD TO THE LOWEST. THAT'S A BIG ACHIEVEMENT. THE RESULT IS PRICE DIFFERENCES OF 300, 400, 500, 600% AND MORE, ALL AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW AT A NEW WEBSITE CALLED TRUMPRX.GOV. I DIDN'T NAME THAT ONE EITHER, BY THE WAY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

HERE TONIGHT IS THE VERY FIRST CUSTOMER EVER TO GET THAT BIG DISCOUNT, AND IT IS BIG, KATHERINE RAINER. FOR YEARS SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAVE STRUGGLED WITH INFERTILITY AND THEY TURNED TO IVF. ONE DRUG HAS BEEN COSTING KATHERINE $4,000 TO PURCHASE, BUT A FEW WEEKS AGO SHE LOGGED ONTO THE TRUMPRX WEBSITE AND GOT THE SAME DRUG THAT COST $4,000, GOT IT FOR UNDER $500, A REDUCTION OF MUCH MORE, ACTUALLY, THAN $3,500. KATHERINE, WE ARE ALL PRAYING FOR YOU, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT MOM.

[ APPLAUSE ]

SO NOW I'M CALLING ON CONGRESS TO CODIFY MY MOST FAVORED NATION PROGRAM INTO LAW. NOW THE ONE THING I'M NOT SURE 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%, BUT JOHN AND MIKE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CODIFY IT ANYWAY. THEY MAY DO IT. CODIFY IT ANYWAY. THANK YOU.

MANY AMERICANS ARE ALSO CONCERNED THAT ENERGY DEMAND FROM A.I. DATA CENTERS COULD UNFAIRLY DRIVE UP THEIR ELECTRIC UTILITY BILLS. TONIGHT I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I HAVE NEGOTIATED THE NEW RATE PAYER PROTECTION PLEDGE. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS. WE'RE TELLING THE MAJOR TECH COMPANIES THAT THEY HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR OWN POWER NEEDS. THEY CAN BUILD THEIR OWN POWER PLANTS AS PART OF THEIR FACTORY SO THAT NO ONE'S PRICES WILL GO UP AND, IN MANY CASES, PRICES OF ELECTRICITY WILL GO DOWN FOR THE COMMUNITY AND VERY SUBSTANTIALLY DOWN. THIS IS A UNIQUE STRATEGY NEVER USED IN THIS COUNTRY BEFORE. WE HAVE AN OLD GRID THAT COULD NEVER HANDLE THE KIND OF NUMBERS, THE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY THAT'S NEEDED. SO I'M TELLING THEM, THEY CAN BUILD THEIR OWN PLANT, THEY CAN PRODUCE THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY. 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. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME GOOD THINGS HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF YEARS.

ANOTHER PILLAR OF THE AMERICAN DREAM THAT HAS BEEN UNDER ATTACK IS HOME OWNERSHIP. WITH US TONIGHT IS A MOM OF TWO FROM HOUSTON. 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. SHE WAS DEVASTATED. 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND NOW I'M ASKING CONGRESS TO MAKE THAT BAN PERMANENT, BECAUSE HOMES FOR PEOPLE, REALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT HOMES FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR CORPORATIONS. CORPORATIONS ARE DOING JUST FINE. RESELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD LUCK. YOU'LL GET ONE SOON.

[ APPLAUSE ]

WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR AMERICANS TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT, AND UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION WE WILL ALWAYS PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE. THEY ARE NOT PROTECTING IT FOR OUR SENIORS. WE WILL ALWAYS PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, MEDICAID.

[ APPLAUSE ]

SINCE I TOOK OFFICE, THE TYPICAL 401(K) BALANCE IS UP BY AT LEAST $30,000. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE THE STOCK MARKET HAS DONE SO WELL, SETTING ALL THOSE RECORDS, YOUR 401(K)S ARE WAY UP, YET HALF OF ALL WORKING AMERICANS STILL DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A RETIREMENT PLAN WITH MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM AN EMPLOYER. TO REMEDY THIS GROSS DISPARITY, I AM ANNOUNCING THAT NEXT YEAR MY ADMINISTRATION WILL GIVE THESE OFTEN FORGOTTEN AMERICAN WORKERS, THE GREAT PEOPLE WHO BUILT OUR COUNTRY, ACCESS TO THE SAME TYPE OF RETIREMENT PLAN OFFERED TO EVERY FEDERAL WORKER. WE WILL MATCH YOUR CONTRIBUTION WITH UP TO $1,000 EACH YEAR AS WE ENSURE THAT ALL AMERICANS CAN PROFIT FROM A RISING STOCK MARKET. LET'S ALSO ENSURE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS CANNOT CORRUPTLY PROFIT FROM USING INSIDER INFORMATION.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THEY STOOD UP FOR THAT. I CAN'T BELIEVE. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. DID NANCY PELOSI STAND UP, IF SHE'S HERE? DOUBT IT. PASS THE STOP INSIDER TRADING ACT WITHOUT DELAY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

I WASN'T SURE IF ANYBODY ON THIS SIDE WAS GOING TO APPLAUD FOR THAT. I'M VERY IMPRESSED. THANK YOU. I'M VERY IMPRESSED. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CORRUPTION THAT IS PLUNGING -- REALLY, IT'S PLUNDERING AMERICA. 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 -- OH, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, AND IN ACTUALITY THE NUMBER IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT, AND CALIFORNIA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, AND MANY OTHER STATES ARE EVEN WORSE. THIS IS THE KIND OF CORRUPTION THAT SHREDS THE FABRIC OF A NATION, AND WE ARE WORKING ON IT LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE. SO TONIGHT, ALTHOUGH IT STARTED FOUR MONTHS AGO, I AM OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCING THE WAR ON FRAUD TO BE LED BY OUR GREAT VICE PRESIDENT, JD VANCE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

HE'LL GET IT DONE. AND WE'RE ABLE TO FIND ENOUGH OF THAT FRAUD, WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET OVERNIGHT. IT WILL GO VERY QUICKLY. THAT'S THE KIND OF MONEY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE'LL BALANCE OUR BUDGET. THE SOMALI PIRATES WHO RANSACKED MINNESOTA REMINDED US THERE ARE LARGE PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE BRIBERY, CORRUPTION, AND LAWLESSNESS ARE THE NORM, NOT THE EXCEPTION. IMPORTING THESE CULTURES THROUGH UNRESTRICTED IMMIGRATION AND OPEN BORDERS BRINGS US PROBLEMS RIGHT HERE TO THE USA, AND IT IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO PAY THE PRICE IN HIGHER MEDICAL BILLS, CAR INSURANCE RATES, RENT, TAXES, AND PERHAPS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, CRIME. WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM -- WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. WE ARE NOT PLAYING GAMES.

[ APPLAUSE ]

GOLILAH WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD IN JUNE 2024 WHEN AN 18-WHEEL TRACTOR-TRAILER PLOWED INTO HER STOPPED CAR TRAVELING AT 60 MILES AN HOUR OR MORE. THE DRIVER WAS AN ILLEGAL ALIEN LET IN BY JOE BIDEN AND GIVEN A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE BY OPEN BORDERS, POLITICIANS, AND CALIFORNIA. THE DOCTOR SAID DELILAH WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK, TALK, HAVE A GOOD LIFE, OR BE ABLE TO EAT AGAIN. AGAINST ALL ODDS, SHE IS NOW IN THE FIRST GRADE LEARNING TO WALK, AND SHE IS HERE THIS EVENING WITH HER DAD, MARCUS, A FANTASTIC MAN. DELILAH, PLEASE, YOU ARE A GREAT INSPIRATION. PLEASE STAND UP.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU, DELILAH. 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. 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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, PEOPLE WHO CAME INTO OUR COUNTRY, HOW WE ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN WITH OUR OPEN BORDERS. THESE ARE THE ANGEL MOMS AND FAMILIES THAT FOR DECADES OUR GOVERNMENT BETRAYED AND OUR MEDIA TOTALLY IGNORED -- TOTALLY -- IT WAS TERRIBLE. HARD TO BELIEVE, ACTUALLY. IN 2023, A 16-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADER NAMED ELIZABETH MEDINA WAS SUPPOSED TO PERFORM IN HER TOWN'S CHRISTMAS PARADE, BUT SHE NEVER ARRIVED. 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. HER KILLER WAS A PREVIOUSLY ARRESTED ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO HAD BROKEN IN AND BRUTALLY -- JUST BRUTALLY EXTINGUISHED THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT IN HER FAMILY'S LIFE, VIOLENTLY AND VICIOUSLY. HER HEARTBROKEN MOTHER IS IN THE GALLERY TO REMIND EVERYONE IN THIS CHAMBER EXACTLY WHY WE ARE DEPORTING ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS FROM OUR COUNTRY IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND WE'RE GETTING THEM THE HELL OUT OF HERE FAST. WE DON'T WANT THEM.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JACQUELINE. THANK YOU. 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 -- IF THEY EVER GOT ELECTED, THEY WOULD OPEN UP THOSE BORDERS TO SOME OF THE WORST CRIMINALS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. 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. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AS WE SPEAK, DEMOCRATS IN THIS CHAMBER HAVE CUT OFF ALL FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. IT'S ALL CUT OFF. IT'S ALL CUT OFF. THEY HAVE INSTITUTED ANOTHER DEMOCRAT SHUTDOWN. THE FIRST ONE COSTING US TWO POINTS ON GDP -- TWO POINTS WE LOST ON GDP, WHICH PROBABLY MADE THEM QUITE HAPPY, ACTUALLY. NOW THEY HAVE CLOSED THE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM TERRORISTS AND MURDERERS. 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. WE HAVE NO MONEY BECAUSE OF THE DEMOCRATS, AND IT WOULD BE NICE -- WE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A HAND AT CLEANING IT UP, BUT YOU GAVE NO MONEY -- NOBODY IS GETTING PAID. IT'S A SHAME. SO YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. WE HAVE, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, A PRETTY LARGE SNOWSTORM OUT THERE.

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. SO TONIGHT I'M INVITING EVERY LEGISLATOR TO JOIN WITH MY ADMINISTRATION IN REAFFIRMING A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE. IF YOU AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT, THEN STAND UP AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. THE FIRST DUTY OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS TO PROTECT AMERICAN CITIZENS, NOT ILLEGAL ALIENS.

[ APPLAUSE ]

ISN'T THAT A SHAME? YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF NOT STANDING UP! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. 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. THEY'RE BLOCKING THE REMOVAL OF THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OUR COUNTRY, AND YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! >> AND PERHAPS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.

[ APPLAUSE ]

STOP ILLEGAL ALIENS AND OTHERS OR UNPERMITTED PERSONS FROM VOTING IN OUR SACRED AMERICAN ELECTIONS. CHEATING IS RAMPANT IN OUR ELECTIONS. IT'S RAMPANT. IT'S VERY SIMPLE, ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW VOTER I.D.

[ APPLAUSE ]

ALL VOTERS MUST SHOW PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP IN ORDER TO VOTE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND NO MORE CROOKED MAIL-IN BALLOTS EXCEPT FOR ILLNESS, DISABILITY, MILITARY, OR TRAVEL. NONE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND THIS SHOULD BE AN EASY ONE AND, BY THE WAY, POLLING AT 89% INCLUDING DEMOCRATS, 89%.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND EVEN THE NEW COMMUNIST MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY, I THINK HE'S A NICE GUY, ACTUALLY -- I SPEAK TO HIM A LOT -- BAD POLICY BUT NICE GUY -- JUST SAID THEY WANT PEOPLE TO SHOVEL SNOW -- THEY GOT HIT HARD -- WANTS THEM TO SHOVEL SNOW, BUT IF YOU APPLY FOR THAT JOB, YOU NEED TO SHOW TWO ORIGINAL FORMS OF I.D. AND A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD. YET THEY DON'T WANT IDENTIFICATION FOR THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE OF THEM ALL, VOTING IN AMERICA. NO, IT'S NO GOOD. IT'S NO GOOD. BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS OVERWHELMINGLY AGREE ON THE POLICY THAT WE JUST ENUNCIATED. AND CONGRESS SHOULD UNITE AND ENACT THIS COMMON SENSE COUNTRY SAVING LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW, AND IT SHOULD BE BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENS.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND THE REASON THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT, WHY WOULD ANYBODY NOT WANT VOTER I.D.? ONE REASON BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CHEAT. THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON. THEY MAKE UP OLD EXCUSES, IT'S RACIST, COME UP WITH THINGS, YOU WANT TO SAY WHAT IMAGINATION THEY HAVE. THEY WANT TO CHEAT. THEY HAVE CHEATED, AND THEIR POLICY IS SO BAD THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN GET ELECTED IS TO CHEAT, AND WE'RE GOING TO STOP IT. WE HAVE TO STOP IT, JOHN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND HERE IS ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW COMMON SENSE IN GOVERNMENT. IN THE GALLERY TONIGHT ARE SAGE, BLAIR AND HER MOTHER, MICHELLE. IN 2021, SAGE WAS 14 WHEN SCHOOL OFFICIALS IN VIRGINIA SOUGHT TO SOCIALLY TRANSITION HER TO A NEW GENDER, TREATING HER AS A BOY, HIDING IT FROM HER PARENTS. HARD TO BELIEVE, ISN'T IT? BEFORE LONG, A CONFUSED SAGE RAN AWAY FROM HOME AFTER SHE WAS FOUND IN A HORRIFIC SITUATION IN MARYLAND. A LEFT-WING JUDGE REFUSED TO RETURN SAGE TO HER PARENTS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT IMMEDIATELY STATE THAT THEIR DAUGHTER WAS THEIR SON. SAGE WAS THROWN INTO AN ALL-BOY STATE HOME AND SUFFERED TERRIBLY FOR A LONG TIME. 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. SAGE AND MICHELLE, PLEASE STAND UP.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT BRAVERY. AND WHO CAN BELIEVE THAT WE'RE EVEN SPEAKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS? 15 YEARS AGO IF SOMEBODY WAS UP HERE AND SAID THAT, THEY'D SAY, WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM? NOW WE HAVE TO SAY IT BECAUSE IT'S GOING ON ALL OVER, NUMEROUS STATES, WITHOUT EVEN TELLING THE PARENTS. 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. WHO WOULD BELIEVE WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT THIS? WE MUST BAN IT AND WE MUST BAN IT IMMEDIATELY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

LOOK, NOBODY STANDS UP. THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY, I'M TELLING YOU. THEY'RE CRAZY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AMAZING. BOY, OH, BOY. WE'RE LUCKY WE HAVE A COUNTRY WITH PEOPLE LIKE THIS. DEMOCRATS ARE DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY, BUT WE'VE STOPPED IT JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME.

[ APPLAUSE ]

NO ONE CARES MORE ABOUT PROTECTING AMERICA'S YOUTH THAN OUR WONDERFUL FIRST LADY, NOW A MOVIE STAR. SHE'S A MOVIE STAR, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? WHO WOULD HAVE BELIEVED THAT? OVER THE PAST YEAR SHE HAS HAD AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT CHAMPIONING A.I. LEGISLATION, ADVANCING A LANDMARK EXECUTIVE ORDER ON FOSTER CARE AND HELPING SECURE $30 MILLION TO LAUNCH THE MELANIA TRUMP FOSTER YOUTH TO INDEPENDENCE INITIATIVE. IT'S A TREMENDOUS -- REALLY A TREMENDOUS THING THAT HAPPENED AND HAD A LOT OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. SHE GETS MUCH BETTER BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THAN I DO. I GET NONE. SHE GETS A LOT. SOME DAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT. AND STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN EVERY STATE HAVE JOINED THE FIRST LADY'S EFFORTS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL A.I. CHALLENGE, KEEPING AMERICA'S NEXT GENERATION POSITIONED TO SUCCEED AND STRONGLY SUCCEED IN THE FUTURE. TONIGHT WE WELCOME TWO YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES REFLECT THE FIRST LADY'S IMPACT, SIERRA BURNS AND EVEREST NEVERMONT. THANK YOU BOTH. MELANIA, THANK YOU. I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORKED ON IT. THANK YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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. TREMENDOUS, REALLY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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. GREAT MAN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

SO LAST YEAR CHARLIE WAS VIOLENTLY MURDERED BY AN ASSASSIN AND MARTYRED FOR HIS BELIEFS. HIS WONDERFUL WIFE, ERIKA, IS WITH US TONIGHT. ERIKA, PLEASE STAND.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> CHARLIE! CHARLIE! CHARLIE! CHARLIE! CHARLIE! CHARLIE! >> THANK YOU, ERIKA. YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT. 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

WE LOVE RELIGION AND WE LOVE BRINGING IT BACK, AND IT'S COMING BACK AT LEVELS THAT NOBODY ACTUALLY THOUGHT POSSIBLE. IT'S REALLY A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE. ABOVE ALL, UNLEASHING AMERICA'S PROMISE REQUIRES KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. WE HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE STRIDES, YET DANGEROUS REPEAT OFFENDERS CONTINUE TO BE RELEASED BY PRO-CRIME DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS AGAIN AND AGAIN. WE ARE HONORED TO BE JOINED TONIGHT BY A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH HELL, ANJA. IN 2022, SHE AND HER DAUGHTER, SO BEAUTIFUL -- WHAT A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN -- IRINA, FLED WAR-TORN UKRAINE TO LIVE WITH RELATIVES NEAR CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. AND, BY THE WAY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CHARLOTTE? 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. NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET THERE WERE PEOPLE ON THAT TRAIN. 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. SHE DIED INSTANTLY. 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. I PROMISE YOU TONIGHT WE WILL ENSURE JUSTICE FOR YOUR MAGNIFICENT DAUGHTER IRINA.

[ APPLAUSE ]

HOW DO YOU NOT STAND? HOW DO YOU NOT STAND? 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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 -- BIG SUCCESS -- NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -- BIG SUCCESS -- AND OUR NATION'S CAPITAL ITSELF, WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE WE HAVE ALMOST NO CRIME ANYMORE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

[ APPLAUSE ]

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% FROM A YEAR AGO.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THEY DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THAT. WHAT 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. AFTER A FOUR-MONTH DEPLOYMENT, SHE VOLUNTARILY EXTENDED HER SERVICE AND HER RANK WAS GOING TO BE LIFTED. SHE WAS DOING SO WELL. THEY WERE SO PROUD OF HER. 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, SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN OUR COUNTRY. ALL BECAUSE SHE WORE THE UNIFORM OF HER NATION, SHE WAS SHOT. HE TRAVELED HERE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T LIKE PEOPLE WEARING OUR UNIFORM. HE WAS SICK AND DERANGED, SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN OUR COUNTRY. SARAH BECKSTROM DIED SUPPORTING OUR CAPITAL. HER WONDERFUL PARENTS GARY AND EVELI, YOUR DAUGHTER WAS AN AMERICAN PATRIOT AND WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. SHE WAS A GREAT PERSON. I SAW REPORTS ON HER, I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

[ APPLAUSE ]

I'M SO SORRY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A GREAT YOUNG LADY. I SAW REPORTS, PERFECT, SHE WAS PERFECT. SERVING ALONGSIDE SARAH THAT DAY WAS STAFF SERGEANT ANDREW WOLFE. THE TERRORIST SHOT ANDREW IN THE HEAD, AND NO ONE THOUGHT HE COULD POSSIBLY MAKE IT. THE TWO OF THEM, SARAH AND ANDREW, BOTH SHOT VIOLENTLY IN THE HEAD. NEITHER WAS EXPECTED TO MAKE IT. THEY WEREN'T EVEN GIVEN A CHANCE EXCEPT HIS WONDERFUL MOTHER NAMED MELANIE, WHO I SPOKE TO THE SAME NIGHT, AND SHE WAS SO POSITIVE. THE DOCTORS THOUGHT THAT ANDREW WAS GONE, BUT HIS MOTHER SAID, NO, NO, MR. PRESIDENT, ANDREW WILL BE FINE. HE'S GOING TO MAKE IT. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. HE WAS GIVEN ALMOST NO CHANCE. SHE SAID, I HAVE NO DOUBT, SIR. HE'S GOING TO BE OKAY. THIS WAS THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH HER THAT NIGHT WITH HER SON LAYING HELPLESSLY IN BED, BLOOD ALL OVER. EVERYBODY IS PRAYING, SHE SAID. SIR, HE WILL BE OKAY. THE DOCTORS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE WAS SAYING. AND AFTER LOOKING AT THE RESULTS OF THE DAMAGE DONE, NEITHER DID I. SHE WAS SO STRONG AND CONCLUSIVE THAT EVEN ANDREW'S GREAT FATHER FELT SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION. BUT SHE TURNED OUT TO BE RIGHT, RIGHT? SHE TURNED OUT TO BE RIGHT.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AMAZING, ACTUALLY. I SAID, WHERE DOES THIS WOMAN COME FROM? SHE'S THE MOST POSITIVE PERSON I'VE EVER MET. 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. HE HAS A LITTLE WORK TO DO, BUT HE'S DOING GREAT. NICE TO SEE HE'S A GOOD-LOOKING GUY. NICE TO SEE YOU. THANKS, ANDREW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[ APPLAUSE ]

SO, ANDREW, WHILE YOU'RE UP, NOW I'M GOING TO ASK A HIGHLY RESPECTED GENERAL 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. IT'S CALLED THE PURPLE HEART.

[ APPLAUSE ]

WE LOVE YOU ALL. LOVE YOU. WE'RE PROUDLY RESTORING SAFETY FOR AMERICANS AT HOME, AND WE ARE ALSO RESTORING SECURITY FOR AMERICANS ABROAD. OUR COUNTRY HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER. MY FIRST TEN MONTHS I ENDED EIGHT WARS, INCLUDING CAMBODIA -- ISN'T IT FUNNY? SOME SICK PEOPLE. CAMBODIA AND THAILAND, PAKISTAN AND INDIA -- WOULD HAVE BEEN A NUCLEAR WAR, 35 MILLION PEOPLE SAID THE PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN WOULD HAVE DIED IF IT WERE NOT FOR MY INVOLVEMENT. KOSOVO AND SERBIA, ISRAEL AND IRAN, EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA, ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN, THE CONGO AND RWANDA, AND PROCEEDS AT A VERY LOW LEVEL, IT JUST ABOUT THERE. I WANT TO THANK STEVE WITKOFF AND JARED KUSHNER FOR YOUR HELP. THANK YOU, STEVE. THANK YOU, JARED.

[ APPLAUSE ]

I WANT TO THANK THE MAN THEY REPORT TO, SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO. THANK YOU, MARCO.

[ APPLAUSE ]

PEOPLE LIKE YOU. MARCO GOT 100% OF THE VOTES WHEN HE WAS IN -- I THINK OUR NEXT ONE WAS ABOUT 54%. AND SOME OF THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOW SAYING, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE APPROVED THAT GUY. AND HE SAID, IT'S AN HONOR THAT THEY FEEL THAT WAY, RIGHT, MARCO? YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB, GREAT SECRETARY OF STATE. I THINK YOU'LL GO DOWN AS THE BEST EVER.

[ APPLAUSE ]

UNDER THE CEASEFIRE I NEGOTIATED, EVERY SINGLE HOSTAGE, BOTH LIVING AND DEAD, HAS BEEN RETURNED HOME. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?

[ APPLAUSE ]

NOBODY THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE. NOBODY THOUGHT THAT WAS POSSIBLE. BOTH LIVING AND DEAD. AND THOSE PARENTS WHO HAD A DEAD SON, THAT BOY, THEIR BOY, THEY WANTED HIM AS MUCH AS THOUGH HE WERE LIVING. THAT WAS AN AMAZING PERIOD OF TIME. THEY CAME BACK, AND WHEN WE GOT ALL OF THE LIVING HOSTAGES BACK, AND MANY, MANY BEFORE THEM, BUT I ALWAYS SAID THE LAST 20 ARE GOING TO BE VERY TOUGH, BUT WE GOT MANY, MANY MORE, HUNDREDS. BUT I SAID THOSE LAST 20 ARE GOING TO BE TOUGH. WE GOT THEM BACK. BUT WE ONLY GOT BACK 14 OR 15 OF THE DEAD OF THE 28, AND, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HAMAS WORKED ALONG WITH ISRAEL AND THEY DUG AND THEY DUG AND THEY DUG. IT'S A TOUGH -- IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO, GOING THROUGH BODIES ALL OVER, PASSING UP 100 BODIES SOMETIMES FOR EACH ONE THAT THEY FOUND. TOUGH JOB. AND THEY FINALLY GOT IT BACK TO 27, AND THEN STEVE AND JARED, THEY GOT IT BACK TO 28. THEY FOUND ALL 28. NOBODY THOUGHT THAT WAS POSSIBLE, BUT WE DID IT. I REMEMBER THE FAMILY OF THE 28TH, THEY WERE SO GRIEVED, BUT THEY WERE SO HAPPY, AS HAPPY AS IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE. THEY HAD THEIR BOY BACK. THE MOTHER SAID, SIR, WE HAVE OUR BOY BACK. WHAT A PERIOD OF TIME THAT WAS, BUT WE GOT THEM ALL BACK. SO THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. GREAT JOB.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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. THINK OF THAT, 25,000 SOLDIERS ARE DYING A MONTH. A WAR WHICH WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED IF I WERE PRESIDENT, WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. AS PRESIDENT, I WILL MAKE PEACE WHEREVER I CAN, BUT I WILL NEVER HESITATE TO CONFRONT THREATS TO AMERICA WHEREVER WE MUST. 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

FOR DECADES IT HAD BEEN THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES NEVER TO ALLOW IRAN TO OBTAIN A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MANY DECADES. SINCE THEY SEIZED CONTROL OF THAT PROUD NATION 47 YEARS AGO, THE REGIME AND MURDERER PROXIES SPREAD NOTHING BUT TERRORISM AND DEATH AND HATE. 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. THEY WERE THE KINGS OF THE ROADSIDE BOMB. AND WE TOOK OUT SOLEIMANI. HE WAS THE FATHER OF THE ROADSIDE BOMB.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND JUST OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH THE PROTESTS, THEY'VE KILLED AT LEAST, IT LOOKS LIKE, 32,000 PROTEST -- 32,000 PROTESTERS IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. THEY SHOT THEM AND HUNG THEM. WE STOPPED THEM FROM HANGING A LOT OF THEM WITH THE THREAT OF SERIOUS VIOLENCE, BUT THIS IS SOME TERRIBLE PEOPLE. 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. AFTER MIDNIGHT HAMMER, THEY WERE WARNED TO MAKE NO FUTURE ATTEMPTS TO REBUILD THEIR WEAPONS PROGRAM, IN PARTICULAR NUCLEAR WEAPONS, YET THEY CONTINUE STARTING IT ALL OVER. WE WIPED IT OUT AND THEY WANT TO START ALL OVER AGAIN AND AT THIS MOMENT ARE PURSUING THEIR SINISTER AMBITIONS. WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM. THEY WANT TO MAKE A DEAL, BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD THOSE SECRET WORDS, WE WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MY PREFERENCE --

[ APPLAUSE ]

MY PREFERENCE IS TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM THROUGH DIPLOMACY, BUT ONE THING IS CERTAIN, I WILL NEVER ALLOW THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE SPONSOR OF TERROR, WHICH THEY ARE BY FAR, TO HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

NO NATION SHOULD EVER DOUBT AMERICA'S RESOLVE. WE HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL MILITARY ON EARTH -- HE REBUILT THE MILITARY IN MY FIRST TERM. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SO, APPROVED A TRILLION DOLLAR BUDGET. WE HAVE NO CHOICE. WE HAVE TO BE STRONG BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE WILL SELDOM HAVE TO USE THIS GREAT POWER THAT WE BUILT TOGETHER. IT'S REALLY CALLED PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, AND IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

SO THANKS TO REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS, WE'RE INVESTING THAT RECORD NUMBER OF DOLLARS -- HAVE NO CHOICE -- IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. ALSO CREATING A LOT OF JOBS, BUT WE'RE NOT EVEN DOING IT FOR THAT REASON, BECAUSE, AS I SAID, WE HAVE MORE JOBS, MORE PEOPLE WORKING TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. AND NATO COUNTRIES ARE FRIENDS AND ALLIES, THEY'RE OUR FRIENDS AND 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, WE WERE PAYING ALMOST ALL OF THAT. NOW THEY'RE PAYING 5 AS OPPOSED TO NOT PAYING.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND GETTING THAT 5% WAS SOMETHING WHICH EVERYONE SAID WOULD NEVER BE DONE, COULD NOT HAPPEN. WE GOT IT REALLY EASILY, ONE MEETING, AND BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2% THAT'S NOT PAID, WE WERE PAYING THE FREIGHT OF MANY OF THEM. VERY FEW WERE PAID UP. NOW 5% AND THEY'RE PAID AND EVERYTHING WE SEND OVER TO UKRAINE IS SENT THROUGH NATO AND THEY PAY US IN FULL. THEY PAY US TOTALLY IN FULL. EVERY BRANCH OF OUR ARMED FORCES IS SETTING RECORDS FOR RECRUITMENT. THIS IS SO EXCITING. AND EVERY SERVICE MEMBER --

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND EVERY SERVICE MEMBER RECENTLY RECEIVED A WARRIOR DIVIDEND OF $1,776.

[ APPLAUSE ]

YOU KNOW, THEY PUT IT ON MY DESK, WE GOT THE MONEY FROM TARIFFS, A LOT OF MONEY WE HAVE. WE HAVE MUCH MORE MONEY THAN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE TO REBUILD THAT PROGRAM BUT IT WON'T TAKE LONG. BUT WE GOT THE MONEY, $1,776. THEY WANTED MY APPROVAL. I SAID WHAT'S THE NUMBER? $1,775. I SAID, FOR ONE MORE NUMBER WE CAN HAVE 1,776. I NEVER ASKED ANYBODY IF WE COULD AFFORD IT. ONE MORE THAT ARE, I SAID 1776. OUR MILITARY, THAT WAS FOUR MONTHS AGO, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PERSON IN THE MILITARY WHO DOESN'T THANK ME. THEY DESERVE IT. WE CALL IT 1776. IT WAS GREAT. AND WE LOVE OUR MILITARY. WE LOVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE LOVE OUR FIREMEN. YOU KNOW, THE FIREMEN DON'T GET MENTIONED ENOUGH. WE LOVE OUR FIREMEN. WE'RE ALSO --

[ APPLAUSE ]

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. FOR YEARS LARGE SWATHS OF TERRITORY IN OUR REGION, INCLUDING LARGE PARTS OF MEXICO -- REALLY LARGE PARTS OF MEXICO -- HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED BY MURDERERS, DRUG CARTELS. THAT'S WHY I DESIGNATED THESE CARTELS AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS AND I DECLARED ILLICIT FENTANYL AS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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. YOU PROBABLY NOTICED THAT.

[ LAUGHTER ]

VERY SERIOUSLY DAMAGED THEIR FISHING INDUSTRY, ALSO. NOBODY WANTS TO GO FISHING ANYMORE. WE'VE ALSO TAKEN DOWN ONE OF THE MOST SINISTER CARTEL KINGPINS OF ALL, YOU SAW THAT YESTERDAY.

[ APPLAUSE ]

ELITE AMERICAN WARRIORS CARRIED OUT ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX, SPECTACULAR FEATS OF MILITARY COMPETENCE AND POWER. NO ONE HAS SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. FOREIGN LEADERS CALLED ME AND SAID VERY IMPRESSIVE. THEY SAW WHAT HAPPENED. THIS IS A DIFFERENT FIGHTING FORCE THAN WE HAD YEARS AGO WHEN WE FOUGHT TO A TIE. LOOK AT SPACE FORCE. SPACE FORCE IS MY BABY. WE DID THAT. MY BABY. BECOMING SO IMPORTANT.

[ APPLAUSE ]

AND AMERICA'S ARMED FORCES OVERWHELMED ALL DEFENSES AND UTTERLY DEFEATED AN ENEMY, GOOD FIGHTERS, TO END THE REIGN OF OUTLAW DICTATOR NICOLAS MADURO AND BRING HIM TO FACE AMERICAN JUSTICE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

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. WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE NEW PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA, DELCY RODRIGUEZ, TO RESTORE GAINS AND BRING NEW HOPE TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED SO TERRIBLY. THEY REALLY DID SUFFER. WITH US TONIGHT IS ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ. SHE WAS ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO HER BELOVED UNCLE ENRIQUE, BUT AFTER ENRIQUE RAN FOR OFFICE AND OPPOSED MADURO, HE WAS KIDNAPPED BY MADURO'S SECURITY FORCES AND THROWN INTO THE REGIME'S REALLY INFAMOUS PRISON IN CARACAS. ALEJANDRO FEARED SHE WOULD NEVER SEE HER UNCLE AGAIN. SHE FEARED FOR HER OWN LIFE, ALSO. 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. ALEJANDRA, I'M PLEASED TO INFORM YOU NOT ONLY HAS YOUR UNCLE BEEN RELEASED BUT HE IS HERE TONIGHT. WE BROUGHT HIM OVER TO CELEBRATE HIS FREEDOM WITH YOU IN PERSON. ENRIQUE, PLEASE COME DOWN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU, ENRIQUE. HAVE A GOOD TIME. NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK, ENRIQUE. THERE WERE MANY HEROES ON THAT JANUARY RAID TO CAPTURE MADURO. REALLY GREAT HEROES. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. THEY KNEW WE WERE COMING. THEY WERE ALL SET. BUT THE DEEDS OF ONE WARRIOR THAT NIGHT WILL LIVE FOREVER IN THE ETERNAL CHRONICLES OF MILITARY VALOR. CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER FIVE ERIC SLOVER PLANNED THE MISSION AND WAS THE FLIGHT LEAD IN THE COCKPIT OF THE FIRST HELICOPTER, A BIG, BEAUTIFUL, POWERFUL HELICOPTER. IT WAS A MASSIVE SHINOOK CARRYING, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MANY, MANY AMERICAN WARFIGHTERS WEARING THE DOG TAGS HIS WIFE, AMY, HAD BLESSED WITH HOLY WATER BEFORE HE LEFT. SHE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A ROUGH ONE. ERIC STEERED THE CHINOOK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT AND DESCENDED SWIFTLY UPON MADURO'S HEAVILY PROTECTED MILITARY FORTRESS. THIS WAS A MAJOR MILITARY INSTALLATION. PROTECTED BY THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS AND GUARDED BY RUSSIAN AND CHINESE MILITARY TECHNOLOGY -- HOW DID THAT WORK OUT? NOT TOO GOOD.

[ LAUGHTER ]

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. HE ABSORBED FOUR AGONIZING SHOTS, SHREDDING HIS LEG INTO NUMEROUS PIECES, AND YET, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE USE OF HIS LEGS WAS VITAL TO SUCCESSFUL HELICOPTER FLIGHT, THE 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. THEN, EVEN AS HE WAS GUSHING BLOOD, WHICH WAS FLOWING BACK DOWN THE AISLE, THE HELICOPTER LANDS AT A STEEP ANGLE, THE MACHINE GUN STOOD RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM -- THEY WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, TWO MACHINE GUNNERS -- ESCAPED THE WRATH OF THE PREVIOUS PLANES. 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. ONLY AFTER SAFELY LANDING THE HELICOPTER WITH ALL THE WARRIORS ABOARD IN THE EXACT RIGHT SPOT WHICH WAS VITAL TO THE MACHINE, PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CANCELED THE MISSION IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, ERIC TOLD HIS CO-PILOT, ALSO WOUNDED BUT NOT AS GRAVELY, TO TAKE OVER. I'M ABOUT READY TO PASS OUT. THE SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE MISSION AND THE LIVES OF HIS FELLOW WARRIORS HINGE ON ERIC'S ABILITY TO TAKE THE SEARING PAIN THAT WAS UNBELIEVABLE WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HIS LEGS OF THE BULLETS AND KEEP ON FLYING AND LANDING AND PEOPLE KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING. EVERYBODY IN THE BACK OF THE HELICOPTER KNEW BECAUSE THEY SAW THE BLOOD POURING DOWN THE AISLE. 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 AND AMY, COME ON IN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! >> SO WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR ERIC AND AMY. IN RECOGNITION OF ERIC'S ACTIONS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ASK GENERAL JONATHAN BRAGGE TO PRESENT CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER SLOVER WITH OUR NATION'S HIGHEST MILITARY AWARD, THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR.

[ APPLAUSE ]

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIC AND AMY. GREAT TO GET TO KNOW YOU. I MET WITH THEM AND WITH A LOT OF THEIR FELLOW WARRIORS AT FORT BRAGG RECENTLY. NOTICED THE NAME FORT BRAGG, WE HAVE IT BACK. WE WON THE FIRST WORLD WAR WITH IT. THE SECOND WORLD WAR WITH IT, AND THEN THEY DECIDED TO CHANGE THE NAME. SO WE CHANGED IT BACK. EVERYBODY WANTED IT CHANGED BACK. TEN OF ERIC'S FELLOW WARRIORS FROM THAT INCREDIBLE NIGHT OF VICTORY WILL ALSO BE RECEIVING MEDALS IN A PRIVATE CEREMONY THAT WILL SOON BE HELD AT THE WHITE HOUSE. ERIC WILL BE THERE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ERIC. THAT'S A BIG ONE. TONIGHT WE'VE CELEBRATED MANY TRULY EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN PATRIOTS, BUT THERE IS ONE LAST LIVING LEGEND TO HONOR BEFORE WE GO. HE IS ONE MORE HEROIC AMERICAN AVIATOR, NAVY FIGHTER PILOT ROYCE WILLIAMS. SERVED IN WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM, FLYING MORE THAN 220 MISSIONS. IN THE SKIES OVER KOREA 1952, ROYCE WAS IN THE DOGFIGHT OF A LIFETIME, LEGENDARY DOGFIGHT. FLYING THROUGH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS, HIS SQUADRON WAS AMBUSHED BY SEVEN SOVIET FIGHTER PLANES. 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. HIS STORY WAS SECRET FOR OVER 50 YEARS. HE DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO TELL HIS WIFE, BUT THE LEGEND GREW AND GREW. BUT TONIGHT AT 100 YEARS OLD, THIS BRAVE NAVY CAPTAIN IS FINALLY GETTING THE RECOGNITION HE DESERVES. HE WAS A LEGEND LONG BEFORE THIS EVENING. 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.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> THANK YOU, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR, BUT I WAS INFORMED I'M NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE IT TO MYSELF AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I WOULD BE TAKING IT, BUT IF THEY EVER OPEN UP THAT LAW I WILL BE THERE WITH YOU SOME DAY. THAT'S OUR HIGHEST HONOR, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[ APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU. 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. 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. JUST A SINGLE LONG HUMAN LIFE SPAN SEPARATES THE GIANTS WHO DECLARED AND WON OUR INDEPENDENCE FROM THE HEROES WHO STAND AMONG US TONIGHT. EVERYTHING OUR NATION HAS DONE, EVERYTHING WE HAVE ACHIEVED HAS BEEN THE WORK OF THOSE FEW GREAT LIFETIMES. 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. AMERICANS VENTURED OUT ACROSS THE DAUNTING AND DANGEROUS CONTINENT. WE CARVED PATHS THROUGH AN UNFORGIVING WILDERNESS, SETTLED A BOUNDLESS FRONTIER AND TAMED THE BEAUTIFUL BUT VERY, VERY DANGEROUS WILD WEST. FROM EMPTY MARSHES AND WIDE OPEN PLAINS, WE MASTERED THE WORLD'S MIGHTIEST INDUSTRIES AND SHATTERED HISTORIES, MONSTROUS TYRANNIES AND LIBERATED MANY FROM THE CHAINS OF FASCISM, COMMUNISM. AND AMERICANS LIFTED HUMANITY INTO THE SKIES ON THE WINGS OF ALUMINUM AND STEEL, AND THEN LAUNCHED MANKIND INTO THE STARS ON ROCKETS POWERED BY SHEER AMERICAN WILL AND UNYIELDING AMERICAN PRIDE. WE WIRED THE GLOBE WITH OUR INGENUITY. WE CAPTIVATED THE PLANET WITH AMERICAN CULTURE, AND NOW WE ARE PIONEERING THE NEXT GREAT AMERICAN BREAKTHROUGHS THAT WILL CHANGE THE ENTIRE WORLD. ALL OF THIS AND SO MUCH MORE IS THE ENDURING LEGACY, UNMATCHED GLORY, OF THE HARD-WORKING PATRIOTS WHO BUILT AND DEFENDED THIS COUNTRY AND WHO STILL CARRY THE HOPES AND FREEDOMS ON ALL OF HUMANITY'S BACKS. 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. AND WHEN GOD NEEDS A NATION TO WORK HIS MIRACLES, HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHO TO ASK. 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. FOR OUR DESTINY IS WRITTEN BY THE HAND OF PROVIDENCE, AND THESE FIRST 250 YEARS WERE JUST THE BEGINNING. 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. THE REVOLUTION THAT BEGAN IN 1776 HAS NOT ENDED. 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. THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.

LAWS MRAUS >> DAVID: AND THERE WE HAVE IT, PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE STATE OF THE UNION, 1:48. THAT'S A RECORD EVEN FOR THIS PRESIDENT. HE HAS GIVEN LONG STATES OF THE UNION BEFORE, JOINT ADDRESSES TO CONGRESS. THIS WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS HIS LONGEST YET. HE SPOKE TONIGHT, SHAKING THE HAND THERE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON AS WELL. THAT GAVEL THAT THE SPEAKER USED, GEORGE WASHINGTON, TO MARK THE 250th YEAR. THE PRESIDENT LOOKING OUT INTO THAT CHAMBER TONIGHT FILLED WITH REPUBLICANS AND MANY DEMOCRATS, THOUGH MANY DID NOT SHOW UP THIS EVENING. HE SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT THE ECONOMY, TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF INDICATORS AS HE SAW IT AS POSITIVES, INFLATION SLOWING, GAS PRICES DOWN, SOME GROCERY PRICES COMING DOWN. HE SAID BEEF IS FINALLY TURNING THE CORNER. HE SAID THE STOCK MARKET HIT MORE THAN 50 ALL-TIME HIGHS. HE SAID ONE OF THE REASONS FOR HIS ECONOMIC SUCCESS WERE HIS TARIFFS, POINTING TO THE DOW HITTING 50,000 FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SAID, BECAUSE OF HIS TARIFFS. HE TALKED ABOUT THE UNFORTUNATE RULING FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, THE DISAPPOINTING RULING, BUT WE SHOULD POINT OUT AS HE WALKED IN, HE'S PRETTY CLOSE TO THE JUSTICES, AGAIN, AS HE COMES DOWN TO THE FLOOR, HE DID SHAKE THEIR HAND THIS EVENING. THERE WERE A COUPLE SHOTS THAT THEY SHOWED, ONE OF THEM MAKING IT VERY CLEAR NOT ONLY DID HE SHAKE THE CHIEF JUSTICE'S HAND BUT THE OTHERS WHO HAD GATHERED THERE INCLUDING AMY CONEY BARRETT, WHO DID NOT RULE IN HIS FAVOR ON THE TARIFFS. HE DID APPOINT HER TO THE COURT. SHAKING ALL OF THEIR HANDS, AND IT WAS WONDERED GOING INTO THE EVENING WHETHER OR NOT HE WOULD ADDRESS THEM DURING THE SPEECH. HE DID BRING UP THE COURT. USED THE WORDS, DISAPPOINTING, UNFORTUNATE, BUT HE WOULD FIND OTHER WAYS TO IMPOSE THOSE TARIFFS. HE SAID THEY DO WORK AND THEM ALSO WORK ON A FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVE, HE SAID. HE SAID DEALS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH COUNTRIES AND THAT HE BELIEVES MANY OF THOSE DEALS WILL STILL BE HELD UP. EVEN WITH THIS SETBACK FROM THE COURT AS HE SEES IT. A LOT OF POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE TONIGHT, AWARDS GIVEN, MEDALS, HONORS. QUITE MOVING. QUITE A FEW TELEVISION MOMENTS. THE NAVY FIGHTER PILOT THERE AT THE END. HOW DO YOU BEAT THAT AT 100 YEARS OLD? AN HONOR WELL DESERVED. AND EVEN THOUGH THE SPEECH WAS 1:48, IT WAS JUST 12 MINUTES IN THE U.S. MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM, ANOTHER TELEVISION MOMENT THERE, RETURNING TO A HEROES' WELCOME CHEER IN THE CHAMBER AND THE COUNTRY. HE SAID THE GOALIE WILL RECEIVE THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM, CONNOR HELLEBUYCK. HE SAID THE WOMEN'S TEAM WILL BE COMING TO THE WHITE HOUSE SOON, WHICH, MARY BRUCE, YOU BELIEVED WAS THE CASE. WE AWAIT THE DATE OF THE TEAM'S ARRIVAL TO THE WHITE HOUSE. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR SOURCES? DID THE PRESIDENT DO WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO? >> THE PRESIDENT STAYED VERY MUCH ON MESSAGE AND IT WAS CLEAR HE WAS TRYING TO RECLAIM THE NARRATIVE ON THE TWO ISSUES THAT ARE TOP OF MIND FOR VOTERS AND WHERE POLLING HAS SHOWN HE IS SLIPPING AND LOSING GROUND AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS AND THAT'S THE ECONOMY AND IMMIGRATION. AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN HE TRIED TO DRAW SHARP CONTRAST WITH DEMOCRATS ON THOSE ISSUES. HE ARGUED THE DEMOCRATS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INFLATION, THAT HIS POLICIES ARE TURNING THINGS AROUND, AND HE URGED AMERICANS, IN HIS WORDS, TO HOLD ON A LITTLE WHILE. AS YOU NOTED, YES, SOME PRICES ARE COMING DOWN. GASOLINE, EGGS, BUT OVERALL WE KNOW THAT GROCERY PRICES AS A WHOLE ARE UP OVER THE PAST YEAR, BUT THE PRESIDENT URGING AMERICANS, ESSENTIALLY, TO GIVE HIM MORE TIME, BECAUSE WE KNOW SO MANY SIMPLY AREN'T FEEL THE IMPACT OF HIS POLICIES IN THE WALLET, AND IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM FOR HIM. AND ON IMMIGRATION, THAT MADE FOR TV MOMENT, COMMANDING THOSE IN THE CHAMBER TO STAND IF THEY BELIEVED THE FIRST MISSION OF THE U.S. IS TO PROTECT AMERICAN CITIZENS, HIGHLIGHTING CRIMES COMMITTED BY MIGRANTS, ARGUING THAT HE IS GOING TO KEEP AMERICANS SAFE. OF COURSE DEMOCRATS ARGUE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING BY DEMANDING REFORMS. >> DAVID: HE BELIEVES POLICIES HAVE WORKED WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING CITIES SAFER. HE DID NOT TALK ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS, AT LEAST I DID NOT HEAR TONIGHT. >> HE DID NOT. HE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THOSE TACTICS AS POLL NUMBERS SHOW AMERICANS DISAGREE WITH HIM, THAT THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION, SUCH A WINNING ISSUE FOR HIM, HE TOOK A HIT ON THAT ISSUE AFTER HIS AGGRESSIVE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TACTICS IN MINNESOTA WHERE, OF COURSE, TWO AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE KILLED. >> DAVID: LINSEY DAVIS, WERE YOU LISTENING WITH US, YOU ANCHOR ABC NEWS LIVE PRIME AND THE SUNDAY NIGHT EDITION OF "WORLD NEWS TONIGHT." THIS ECONOMY IS A TALL TASK. WE'VE SEEN THE POLLING GOING INTO THE STATE OF THE UNION. THE WHITE HOUSE, THE PRESIDENT AWARE.

OF THESE NUMBERS. Talked about the stock market hitting record highs. You can hear the joint session is dissolved. The President has left. Did he meet the mark in terms of connecting with the American people and many of his own supporters who have waited to feel some of this relief that he speaks of?

For the majority of Americans who went into this night, 60%, according to our most recent poll, they are not happy with the economy. You have to wonder if words matter tonight from the President when you hear him saying that this is the golden age of America and the economy is roaring like never before. Do their eyes matter more than their ears when they're hearing that the economy is strong? Does that overrule what they're seeing?

David: We'll get to everyone in the roundtable in a moment. When we come back, the Democratic.

The road to the Oscars comes through. Good morning, America. With Oscar nominees Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler right here. Yes, sir. Plus, Jon Hamm and Nate Bergetzy live. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This week only on Good Morning America.

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ABC News live because the news never stops. RJ Decker, I'm a private investigator.

♪ ♪

What happened to your eye? It's complicated.

♪ ♪

>> David: Welcome back. Just moments from now, Virginia's newly elected Governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to the President's State of the Union address. She's the first woman Governor of Virginia, former CIA intelligence officer. Let's listen to Governor Spanberger.

>> Good evening. Good evening and welcome to historic Williamsburg. We are gathered here in the chambers of the House of Burgesses. In 1705, the people of the Virginia Colony gathered here to take on the extraordinary task of governing themselves. Before there was a Declaration of Independence, a Constitution, or a Bill of Rights, there were people in this room. The people who served here ultimately dreamed of what a new nation, unlike anything the world had ever seen, could be. The United States was founded on the idea that ordinary people could reject the unacceptable excesses of poor leadership, band together to demand better of their government, and create a nation that would be an example for the world.

[ APPLAUSE ]

And this year, as we celebrate 250 years since America declared our independence from tyranny, I can think of no better place to speak to you as we reflect on the current state of our Union. Tonight, as we watched our nation's lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our President. So let's speak plainly and honestly, and let me ask you, the American people watching at home, three questions. Is the President working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the President working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? Is the President working for you?

As I campaigned for Governor last year, I traveled to every corner of Virginia, and I heard the same pressing concern everywhere. Costs are too high for housing, healthcare, energy, and childcare. And I know these same conversations are being had all across this country. Because since this President took office last year, his reckless trade policies have forced American families to pay more than $1,700 each in tariff costs. Small businesses have suffered, farmers have suffered, some losing entire markets. Everyday Americans are paying the price. And even though the Supreme Court struck these tariffs down four days ago, the damage to us, the American people, has already been done. Meanwhile, the President is planning for new tariffs, another massive tax hike on you and your family. And Republicans in Congress, they remain unwilling to assert their constitutional authority to stop him. They're making your life harder. They're making your life more expensive. They're even making it more difficult to see a doctor. Rural health clinics in Virginia and across the country are already closing their doors thanks to the so-called "One Big, Beautiful Bill," championed by the President and Republicans in Congress. And tonight, the President celebrated this law, the one threatening rural hospitals, stripping healthcare for millions of Americans, and driving up costs in energy, in housing, all while cutting food programs for hungry kids. But here in Virginia, I am working with our state legislature to lower costs and make the Commonwealth more affordable.

[ APPLAUSE ]

And it's not just me. Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability in our nation's Capitol and in state capitols across America. In the history of the world, Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night. Problems that dictate where you live, whether you can afford to start a business, or whether you have to skip a prescription in order to buy groceries. So I'll ask again: Is the President working to make life more affordable for you and your family? We all know the answer is no.

I grew up in a house of service. My mother was a nurse, and my father was a career law enforcement officer. I began my career by following in my father's footsteps as a federal agent working money laundering and narcotics cases. I worked side-by-side with local and state police to keep our community safe and to uphold and enforce the law. Law enforcement officers across the country know that it is a unique responsibility to do the serious work of investigating crimes, comforting victims, and making arrests. It's about building trust, and that requires an abiding sense of duty and commitment to community. And yet, our President has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans, and they have done it without a warrant. They have ripped nursing mothers away from their babies. They have sent children, a little boy in a blue bunny hat, children, to far-off detention centers. And they have killed American citizens in our streets. And they have done it all with their faces masked from accountability. Every minute spent sowing fear is a minute not spent investigating murders, crimes against children, or the criminals defrauding seniors of their life savings. Our President told us tonight that we are safer because these agents arrest mothers and detain children? Think about that. Our broken immigration system is something to be fixed, not an excuse for unaccountable agents to terrorize our communities.

[ APPLAUSE ]

After working in law enforcement, I continued my career of service as a CIA officer, working undercover to protect the United States and our allies from global threats, terrorism, nuclear weapons, and the aggression of adversarial nations around the globe. But as the President spoke of his perceived successes tonight, he continues to cede economic power and technical strength to Russia, bow down to China, bow down to a Russian dictator, and make plans for war with Iran. Here's the truth: Over the last year, through doge, mass firings, and the appointment of deeply unserious people to our nation's most serious positions, our President has endangered the long and storied history of the United States of America being a force for good. So I'll ask again: Is the President working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? We all know the answer is no.

In his speech tonight, the President did what he always does. He lied, he scapegoated, and he distracted, and he offered no real solutions to our nation's pressing challenges, so many of which he is actively making worse. He tries to divide us. He tries to enrage us, to pit us against one another, neighbor against neighbor. And sometimes he succeeds. And so you have to ask, who benefits from his rhetoric, his policies, his actions? The short list of laws he's pushed through this Republican Congress, somebody must be benefiting. He's enriching himself, his family, his friends. The scale of the corruption is unprecedented. There's the cover-up of the Epstein files, the crypto scams, cozying up to foreign princes for airplanes and billionaires for ballrooms, putting his name and face on buildings all over our nation's capital. This is not what our Founding Fathers envisioned, not by a long shot.

[ APPLAUSE ]

So I'll ask again: Is the President working for you? We all know the answer is no. But here's the special thing about America. On our 250th anniversary, we know better than any nation what is possible when ordinary citizens, like those who once dreamed right here in this room, reject the unacceptable and demand more of their government. We see it in the determination of students organizing school walkouts all across the country, whose voices are becoming so powerful that the Governor of Texas seeks to silence them. We see it in the bravery of Americans in Minnesota standing up for their communities, from peacefully protesting in subzero temperatures to car-pooling children to school so that their immigrant parents are not ripped away from them in the parking lot. As a mother of three school-aged daughters, I am inspired by their bravery, but I am sickened that it is necessary. And Americans across the country are taking action. They are going to the ballot box to reject this chaos. With their votes, they are writing a new story, a more hopeful story. In November, I won my election by 15 points.

[ APPLAUSE ]

And we won 13 new seats in our state legislature.

[ APPLAUSE ]

Because voters decided they wanted something different. Our campaign earned votes from Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and everyone in between because they knew, as citizens, they could demand more, that they could vote for what they believe matters, and that they didn't need to be constrained by a party or political affiliation. This is happening across the country. New Jersey elected Mikie Sherrill as Governor in a double-digit victory.

[ APPLAUSE ]

Democrats flipped state legislative seats in places like Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, and Texas. The list goes on and on. Ordinary Americans are stepping up to run in the spirit of our forefathers. They are running to demand more and to do more for their neighbors and communities. I know this story well. I first ran for office in 2018 alongside dozens of other Democrats who did the seemingly impossible, flipping 41 seats in Congress. In my case, I was the first Democrat elected in 50 years, swinging our district 17 points. Those who are stepping up now to run will win in November because Americans, you at home, know you can demand more, and that we are working to lower costs. We are working to keep our communities and our country safe, and we are working for you.

[ APPLAUSE ]

In his farewell address, George Washington warned us about the possibility of, quote, "cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men" rising to power. But he also encouraged us, all Americans, to unite in a common cause, to move this nation forward. That is our charge once more, and that is what we are seeing across the country. It is deeply American and patriotic to do so, and it is how we ensure that the state of our Union remains strong, not just this year, but for the next 250 years as well, because we, the people, have the power to make change, the power to stand up for what is right, the power to demand more of our nation.

[ APPLAUSE ]

May God bless the Commonwealth of Virginia, and may God bless the United States of America.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> David: And there you have it, Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, the first woman Governor of that state, winning in a decisive victory. Donna Brazile, I want to bring you in tonight. First of all, this is not the easiest job after the State of the Union, whatever party is not in power, to have to give the response. She did fairly well there tonight, and do Democrats believe that she holds a key playbook in the midterm?

>> There's no question Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill and many others, including the two Democrats who won in elections in Maine, and war heroes to everyday heroes going down and making his case by using these guests from Delilah to on the case of a illegal hitting her car and harming her. I think what he made the case though too, when he said about the economy, he raised the points of where he's been successful and then where it's just turning the corner. He's only been in one year. I think when you see this new tax bill and others moving, the economy is going to be much stronger than people even imagined.

>> Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy with us tonight as well. And just before we go, give the last word to Martha Raddatz. A lot of news in these last couple of days about this buildup in the Middle East, the warning to Iran from President Trump in recent days, saying, "We want a nuclear deal or risk US military action here." And he has said, and he alluded to it tonight, that he has not heard from Iran. "We will never build a nuclear weapon."

>> That's right. As we sit here tonight, there are 35,000 US forces in the Middle East prepared to possibly strike Iran. And what you heard the President say tonight, as you said, he will not allow them to have a nuclear weapon. He said they have been warned to make no further attempts for their nuclear weapons program. They continue and are at this moment pursuing sinister nuclear ambitions. But at the same time, David, we all heard him say that in June, and he said it again tonight, that they had obliterated Iran's nuclear program. This is going to be a very risky mission if they undertake it. And there's still a lot of questions about why.

>> A lot of questions in a story we'll be watching in the days ahead here. My thanks to the entire team gathered here in the studio, and of course, the team across town in the Capitol for us tonight, including Rachel Scott, who was in the chamber, our eyes and ears in the chamber. For many of you, it's your local news. Coming up next, I'm David Muir, and Good Morning America. First thing in the morning, from all of us here at ABC News. Good night.

>> Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.

[MUSIC]

>> Tonight, the President touts his successes and hashes out his gripes in his first State of the Union address of his second term.

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

>> The President's theme: America at 250, strong, prosperous, and respected. His address laser-focused on the economy.

>> Their policies created the high prices.

[MUSIC]

>> Our policies are rapidly ending them. We are doing really well. Those prices are plummeting downward. The price of eggs is down 60%.

[MUSIC]

>> Making mention of his tariffs struck down by Supreme Court justices just days ago, discussing his new plan for tariffs and a new program to require tech companies to cover increased electricity costs by AI centers.

>> Tonight, I'm pleased to announce that I have negotiated the new Ratepayer Protection Pledge. You know what that is? We're telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs.

>> International relations, top of mind, including the rising tensions with Iran. Trump proclaims America's global dominance.

>> In 12 months, I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion pouring in from all over the globe. Think of it: much less than $1 trillion for four years, versus much more than $18 trillion for one year. Our country has never been stronger. My first ten months, I ended eight wars, including Cambodia. Isn't it funny?

>> Immigration and DHS funding, a hot topic for the President and Congress.

>> 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. In the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States.

>> A moment for his guests, including Erica Kirk and the US Men's Hockey Team.

>> Here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud. The Men's Gold Medal Olympic Hockey Team. Come on in.

>> And of course, the Democrats in attendance brought their own guests, too. But dozens of Democrats sat the State of the Union out, instead taking part in their own counter-programming, while Governor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia delivered the response.

>> Is the President working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the President working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? Is the President working for you tonight?

>> We have complete team coverage of President Trump's State of the Union.

[MUSIC]

>> Good evening, everyone. I'm Linsey Davis. Thanks so much for streaming with us. For the first time in his second term, President Trump stood before Congress and the American people to deliver the State of the Union. It was the longest State of the Union speech. And his message? Our nation is back. At times boastful, at other times belittling, the President touted that the economy is roaring back like never before, at a time when Americans are feeling the pinch. The address comes just days after the Supreme Court struck down most of his tariffs, and with four Supreme Court justices seated in the front row, Trump criticized the Supreme Court's decision. He touched on key issues like immigration, saying that the U.S. has the strongest and most secure border in American history. Also demanding DHS funding be restored. The President announced that he negotiated the Ratepayer Protection Pledge with major tech companies, addressing the issue of rising power costs associated with data centers. There were tense moments within the crowd, specifically with Representative Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, who we spoke with earlier today. We saw a Purple Heart presented to a National Guard staff member shot in an ambush in D.C., and a moment for the Men's U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. A shout-out from the President, who said he plans to award the goalie with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. The President also made claims about rent prices, the cost of eggs, that he ended eight wars, and once again made false claims about elections. Our Selena Wang has more in just a moment, but first, we are joined by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Secretary, thank you so much for joining us tonight. The President said the roaring economy is roaring like never before. Our latest ABC News Ipsos Washington Post poll found that nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of the President's handling of the economy. Do you think that his message tonight is enough to change the minds of those Americans who say that they're unhappy?

>> Yeah. Well, first of all, you know, that poll was not, that poll was an opt-in poll. So I kind of question that. And we had a gigantic jump in consumer confidence today. It was up three points. And more importantly, forward expectations are better. We had a fantastic jobs number this month. And you know what's important too is it's the private sector creating jobs, not like the Biden economy with government jobs.

>> Last Friday, the Supreme Court struck down part of the President's tariffs. The President tonight called it a disappointing ruling. He said that the tariffs will remain in place. In the days after that ruling, the President ordered a ten, then 15% global tariff rate. ABC News talked with the White House today. They said that the rate is 10%. Why hasn't that 15% global tariff that the President threatened over the weekend taken effect yet?

>> Well, there's a, there's a three-day, there's a three-day lag. It's not instantaneous. And at midnight tonight is when we actually stopped collecting the tariffs. And what I can tell you, Lindsey, is that Treasury estimates show that our tariff income for 2026 will be virtually unchanged. Whether it was with the tariffs or with the new tariffs, we will be moving to a Section 122 and then a USTR and Commerce will be doing 301 and 232 studies. And we'll be layering those in within 150 days. So tariff income for the year is unchanged.

>> You've said that any refunds on those tariffs are up to a lower court. Is the government prepared to pay back all businesses who do file a lawsuit with the Court of International Trade, if the court rules that those tariffs must be paid back?

>> Again, I'm not going to answer hypotheticals. We'll see what the court does. There's an appeals period here, and then we'll see what the court says.

>> President Trump's tariffs cost the average American household $1,000 last year. That's according to the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tax Foundation. What's your message to Americans who see their cost of living rising and don't want to see those tariffs remain in place?

>> Well, again, I would dispute that $1,000. And, you know, what we're seeing too is we've seen, we've seen the lowest mortgage rates in four years. We had the best performing bond market in the world. So interest rates are down and many other things are down. And the, the average household has saved $5,000 because of the tax decreases. I'm also the IRS Commissioner, and I can tell you that the President's signature, the programs, no tax and no tax on overtime, via no tax on Social Security, deductibility of American-made cars, 40%, 47% of the tax returns we've received thus far have applied for at least one of those benefits. So if I were the Democrats who voted against every one of those for working Americans, I would be worried. Here.

>> Tonight, the President announced a new retirement fund for some Americans. How will this program work? Where will the money come from, and who qualifies for the $1,000?

>> Yeah, we'll be rolling that out in the coming weeks and months. The President just wanted to let the workers, who are not covered by 401(k), know that this administration is working for them. So we'll be rolling that out over the next couple of weeks and months.

>> Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, we thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate you joining us tonight.

>> Thanks. Thank you.

>> Now, I want to bring in our roundtable. Mary Bruce, Martha Raddatz, Jon Karl. Mary, let's start with you. As far as what the White House believes, did President Trump deliver in the way that they feel that he needed to tonight?

>> Well, Caroline Leavitt, the press secretary, says he knocked it out of the park. I mean, I think this is arguably the most disciplined we have seen the President in quite some time. He's tried to give sort of similar speeches recently, making the case for Republicans ahead of the midterms, and as always, sort of quickly veered off topic. Today, he certainly stayed on message. He really hammered those domestic issues, immigration, the economy, where he knows voters are going to be focused come November, and where he knows, the polls have shown that he is losing ground. He tried to draw very sharp contrasts with Democrats on the economy. He argued that, you know, Democrats are to blame for inflation and essentially urged Americans to give his policies more time to work. And, and yes, some prices, as we've noted, are coming down, gasoline, eggs. But overall, the cost of groceries are up from a year ago. And that is what polls show Americans are feeling. It's why they say they are still feeling that pinch, as you just put it. And on immigration, the President is arguing that he's trying to keep Americans safe. He again and again highlighted crimes by, by immigrants. He often tries to tie a line to criminality and immigration. But Democrats also argue that they are trying to keep Americans safe by, by demanding reforms to immigration. And that is why they are digging in on this partial shutdown that is ongoing. Even though we just saw a State of the Union address, the President notably not mentioning, of course, those immigration enforcement tactics that got him, I think, some, some real negative pushback, even from many of his supporters. What we've seen in Minnesota.

>> John, kind of a two-part question for you. What do you make of a number of Democrats, 73, at least by our count, who simply didn't show up? More than a dozen walked out, really, about the halfway point. About that, that split screen, the, the lack of the ability for both sides to come together into that room?

>> Yeah. It's something we've never seen in a State of the Union. Empty seats. And it was a, it was a large number of Democrats simply didn't want to show up. And it crossed the spectrum. It was progressives, it was moderate Democrats. It was a significant proportion of the, of the caucus. And that's where we are. I would say overall, in terms of the speech, I mean, this had the makings of a, you know, it had real high moments of patriotism, great stories he told. He gave out two Congressional Medals of Honor. He gave out a Medal of Freedom. He gave out two Purple Hearts. He gave out a Legion of Merit. He had, you know, great stories to tell when he, when he recognized people like Buddy Tackett, who's going to turn 100 on the 4th of July, a World War II veteran. But there was very little specifics about what he is planning to do the rest of the year, the rest of his term. And I thought, and I'm sure Martha has thoughts on this, especially striking is how little he said about the great national security threats, about how little he said about Iran, beyond touting his, his strikes last year, and a single sentence or two about Ukraine. Very little about the challenges ahead and how he's going to turn around a presidency where the solid majority of Americans do not approve of his performance.

>> And do you want to bring that point to you, Martha? Because when you have the headlines talking about the potential for for war or this tension with Iran, were you surprised that there was such little said?

>> Well, I have to say, I was surprised he brought up Iran at all, quite frankly. And Ukraine. I mean, we are at the four-year anniversary, that war is starting the fifth year. The only thing he said about that was that war wouldn't have started if he was President. He had also said, as we all remember, that he would end that war before he was even elected. That has not happened. He had a summit with Vladimir Putin. There has really been no progress in the one year that he has been in office. As for Iran, we have 35,000 troops, 35,000 forces in the Mideast right now preparing for a possible strike on Iran. And Americans don't really know why. Now, he said tonight that they have started their nuclear program again. In the same paragraph, he said, "We obliterated it last June." So the question is, okay, if they bomb, and they're trying to take out more of the, of the program in Iran, then what do they do next time? He says he wants diplomacy. There are some meetings scheduled to try to get some kind of deal. But Americans really, at this point, have no idea. He's denied that his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Cane, warned him that there is a high risk of American casualties. We have so many bases in that region. He's denied that. General Kane said that. He said on Monday that Kane said that an attack on Iran would be something easily won. I cannot imagine a Chairman going in. A Chairman's job is to tell the President the options that he has without recommending a policy, the options, the risks. And I suspect that's exactly what General Kane did, outlining the risks of a limited strike, of a larger strike, and any kind of sustained engagement. Lindsey.

>> Martha, Mary, John, thank you all so much for spending this night with us. As we mentioned at the top of the show, it was the longest State of the Union in our country's history. Our Selena Wang has the key moments.

>> Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States.

>> The President's first State of the Union address of his second term, lasting an hour and 48 minutes, making it by far the longest State of the Union address ever. But not there to hear it. More than a third of House Democrats, at least 74, who decided to boycott part of a Congress Trump has often ignored, governing instead by executive order. He began his speech saying this is the golden age for America.

>> 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.

>> Touting parts of his "Big, Beautiful Bill."

>> We gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security for our great city.

>> The President defending his record on the economy, attempting to convince Americans that he's focused on their top concern: affordability.

>> There was no inflation, tremendous growth. And the big story was how Donald Trump called the economy correctly.

>> Adding he and Republicans will lower the cost of healthcare.

>> That's why I introduced the Great Healthcare Plan. 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 healthcare.

>> But even before listing his perceived accomplishments, Trump turning his sights to the four Supreme Court justices seated right before him, three of whom were part of the majority 6-3 vote on Friday, declaring most of his sweeping tariffs illegal levies he imposed without congressional approval.

>> Very unfortunate ruling. But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made, right? Scott, knowing that the legal power that I, as President, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them.

>> Trump's spending time applauding his administration's crackdown on immigration.

>> 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.

>> Trump did not mention the deaths of Alex and Renee Good, who were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, going on to say he hoped to end sanctuary cities.

>> The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. Isn't that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself. Ashamed of yourself?

>> Yeah.

>> 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.

>> The President also mentioning the country's ongoing talks with Iran over their nuclear program, saying he prefers to solve the problem through diplomacy.

>> 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. They were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, in particular, nuclear weapons. Yet they continue. We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words: "We will never have a nuclear weapon."

>> In the gallery were more than a dozen Epstein survivors invited as guests of congressional Democrats. Some Democrats wearing white pins that read "Stand with Survivors. Release the Files." The President making no mention of Epstein or the survivors sitting before him. Ahead of his speech, House Democrats on the Oversight Committee accusing the DOJ of allegedly withholding some Epstein files containing allegations against Trump. And in a moment that broke with tradition, though not unusual for the President, Trump stopping his speech to welcome in the Gold Medal-winning U.S. Men's Hockey Team. Ending on another patriotic note, Trump had the First Lady award the Congressional Medal of Honor to Navy fighter pilot Royce Williams for his service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Williams, 100 years young.

>> And Selena Wang joins us tonight. Selena, the President also spoke about his immigration policy, notably not discussing the weeks of unrest in Minneapolis. Tell us more about that exchange between him and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

>> Yeah, there were a few.

>> Tense moments between him and Representative Omar. At one point, he was discussing Minneapolis again, not addressing, as you mentioned, the weeks of unrest there or the killing of Alex and Renee Good, two American citizens by federal agents. But instead, he railed against the Somali community, using derogatory language to describe Somali Americans. And in that moment, you could see Representative Omar really shaking her head and taking deep breaths and sighs. Then later, the President said that those in the chamber should stand up when he mentioned that Americans should be, to protect the American government, should protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. He said that those who did not stand up in response to that statement should be ashamed of themselves. Then the camera pans to Representative Omar. You can see her sitting there. She appears to shout out the President, "You have killed Americans." And when President Trump continued, "You should be ashamed of yourselves," Omar shouted back, "You should be ashamed of yourself." So the President, trying to reclaim the narrative on immigration, but not really making an effort to reach across the aisle.

>> Selena Wang, thank you so much. Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott joins us now. And, Rachel, you were there inside the chamber. Give us some color. What was it like inside tonight?

>> Yeah, well, Lindsey, notable, of course, we're just how many empty chairs there were. Look, I have been inside the House Chamber for the State of the Union address for several years now. And this is the most empty seats that I have seen on one side or the other. And those seats only started to grow the longer the State of the Union address went on. By the end, I counted about 35 seats on the Democratic side that were just completely empty. You heard there from Selena talking about some of the outbursts that we heard, especially when it came to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and also Congressman Al Green. When we saw, when the President was walking down the aisle, he tried holding up that sign. Republicans trying to get it out of his hand. I do want to note there were some moments of bipartisanship in the chamber as well. During the State of the Union addresses, we have seen more and more outbursts almost every single year, but particularly on the President's message when it came to Iran, talking about Operation Midnight Hammer, the operation that he carried out just last year targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. I did notice a number of Democrats standing, including Senator Elizabeth Warren. Nancy Pelosi was standing at one point. Former Democratic Leader Hoyer was also on his feet at one point applauding that mission, though the President notably did not really go into specifics on what exactly he would plan to do or give a reason why to the American people on a possible strike in Iran, which we know that he's considering. Lindsey.

>> Rachel Scott, of course, that has many people on edge. Our thanks to you, as always. And now let's bring in ABC News Correspondent Elizabeth Schulze. Elizabeth, what do you make of Secretary Benson's comments tonight about the economy and inflation?

>> You know, Lindsey, they are trying to spin a positive message on the economy here, picking out the numbers that are strong when you think about inflation has been heading in, overall, the right direction. And the stronger or at least steady economic growth numbers. One thing we haven't heard as much from Treasury Secretary or as much in the President's speech, was, was an acknowledgment and sort of empathy of the reality that many households are living paycheck to paycheck, are struggling. And, Lindsey, one thing we see, and this shows up in the data, especially those lower and middle-income households, are really feeling this higher cost of living for day-to-day essentials. The President tried to address some of those policies when you think about housing or other daily costs, but there is the reality that that is really where a lot of people still are feeling it every day.

>> President Trump made a rather large claim tonight that ultimately tariffs could replace income taxes. Is that within the realm of possibility?

>> When you look at just the numbers alone, that looks really difficult, Lindsey. Income taxes in the fiscal year 2025 were about $2.7 trillion. So that is a huge source of revenue for the federal government, more than half of all the money that the government gets. Tariffs were about $200 billion. And that was before the tariffs were struck down by the Supreme Court. As you heard the Treasury Secretary say, they are hoping that a lot of these new tariffs the President has put in place will bring in more revenue. They were very clearly doubling down on the tariff strategy here. But at the end of the day, the President repeated his claim, Lindsey, that businesses, that foreign importers pay these. We also know it's businesses and consumers paying them too.

>> Elizabeth Schulze, thank you so much. The President's speech tonight was a chance to tout his record ahead of this year's midterm elections. Let's bring in ABC News Political Director Avery Harper. Avery. Tonight, President Trump touted his administration ended "die in America." He saw a lot of applause. Many of the Republicans stood on that line. Your reaction?

>> That was really a base-mobilizing comment. The notion of ending "die." He was framing it as a promise kept. And that's the kind of culture war message that does mobilize and excite his base. So that was definitely some of the political red meat that we heard the President pepper through his speech that was largely focused on trying to address some of the issues around affordability and reclaim the narrative around affordability that we heard tonight.

>> November is still a ways away, but the President's speech comes exactly one week before the first voters head to the polls for primary elections in several states. What are we learning from early voting numbers?

>> Right. Well, we're seeing in both Texas and in North Carolina, some of the most competitive states that will vote next week in those first primaries, that there are more Democrats than Republicans turning out for early vote. But I would caution that there's limitations on what we can glean from those numbers, because as of late, early voting has become quite a polarizing issue, as evidenced by the President's remarks tonight. And Election Day vote is outstanding, which is a very important factor into who will come out on top on Election Day. But parties can use what's coming out of the early vote as an indicator of enthusiasm. And Democrats feel good about the numbers that they've seen so far.

>> Avery Harper, thank you. And let's bring in former Democratic Senator from North Dakota, Heidi Heitkamp, and former Senior Advisor for Tim Scott for America, Matt Gorman. Thank you both so much for joining us. Matt, do you think that the President did enough tonight to win over those Americans who are still unsure, unconvinced about his agenda?

>> You know, I think one of the things he had to do tonight was give a template. I mean, look, the polls are going to go up. The polls are going to go down based off this speech for a couple of days. But what will live on is a template that he can give the cabinet, Republicans running down-ballot to sell the economy, sell his agenda. And I think one of the first things I noticed when he was giving a speech tonight, he gave Republicans a template to go back on offense. I think Selena talked about it, the contrast between Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib and him, the contrast between half the room standing for American citizens over illegal immigrants. I think those are the sorts of things Republicans needed to do to get back on offense, galvanize them, staunch the bleeding, so to speak, post-Minneapolis. I think that was important.

>> Heidi, you've said that this is not the reset Republicans needed. How so?

>> Well, Matt, I know that's wishful thinking, but the reality is that he is way underwater in the polling. People think this country is headed in the wrong direction. And he played his greatest hits, and it was a base play tonight. It wasn't a play to broaden the base. It wasn't a play to bring back those voters that he got in 2024. And so I think this, this speech was nothing more than the greatest hits. Most people tuned out after about a half an hour. They got to see the hockey team. That was great. But this was not a game-changer. But is any State of the Union a game-changer? And Lindsey, I want to point out something that hasn't been said. This is the last time you'll see Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Dick Durbin, three great Democratic leaders, at a State of the Union. And we had a speech by a new Governor with a whole different look. And so I think the Democrats are playing this right, because they're putting a new look on the Democratic Party.

>> Matt, the President made it a point to single out Democrats when they wouldn't stand. For example, as you pointed out, that he called them crazy, saying the Democrats are destroying our country. What did you make of that moment?

>> It's already made it for Republicans at the NRCC, the NRSC, running down-ballot to use against their opponents. I think, again, so much of this was staunching the bleeding from them, giving them a playbook they could use against their opponents down-ballot. I've already seen both committees use that video. You're going to be seeing a lot more in the months to come. Again, I think the goal was the Democrats that did show up to this speech put pressure on them with common-sense stuff. Again, voter ID, banning trans surgeries for kids, things that are broadly popular, getting them on the wrong side of it.

>> And Heidi, I want to bring you back in here because you mentioned Governor Abigail Spanberger. She, of course, delivered the Democratic response. In her speech, she asked the question, "Is the President working to make life more affordable for you?" Do you think that was an effective question to pose to the American people?

>> I thought her speech was brilliantly crafted. They could have done without the clapping. I think that interrupted some of the flow, but I think it was one of the best response speeches to a State of the Union in a long, long time. She's been on the stump for a year. She knows what she's talking about, and she's outlining for the Democratic Party, the way Matt describes the, the President outlining for the Democratic Party, how you win, how you win in states like Virginia by 15 points, how you win in in New Jersey, and how you're going to win, I think potentially even in Texas and Ohio. And so this is, this is a really good night for contrast. And I think she gave a much better speech than the President gave, certainly shorter.

>> Heidi Heitkamp, Matt Gorman, we thank you both so much for staying up late with us. Appreciate it. To understand the impact of tonight's speech, we're joined now by ABC News contributor and Presidential Historian Mark Updegraff. Mark, thank you for joining us on this rather eventful night. First off, did anything from the President's speech tonight take you by surprise?

>> Not really. Lindsey, I think it was, it was long. It was the longest State of the Union in history. That's saying something in and of itself. At times, it was a very good show. There was a lot of good flag-waving, the recognition of the U.S. Hockey Team, the, the giving the Medal of Honor to two very brave veterans. There were some good moments, very good television moments. Donald Trump understands television. But, but I think the key question, as you mentioned, was posed in the Democratic response: Is President Trump working for the American people? I don't know that he addressed the issue of affordability in a way that will satisfy Americans, and we'll see how they respond to this State of the Union address and see if he can get up those poll numbers. But I didn't hear a lot of substance, Lindsey, that would lead me to believe that the President had an economic plan to alleviate the big problem on many Americans' minds, and that is the one of affordability.

>> Earlier, you said that the tone and accountability was going to play a huge role in whether the President's speech resonates with the public. What did you make ultimately of it? If, in any areas, you felt he nailed it, and what you felt that he missed tonight?

>> Well, you know, I think he sort of went from flag-waving to fear-mongering, back to, to flag-waving. And again, I didn't see, hear a lot of substance about the economy. I didn't hear that the President understands what's on the minds of many Americans. Bragged about the price of eggs, for instance, being down 60%. He bragged about the price of gas being down, but he didn't talk about the pocketbook issues that I think are on the minds of voters and speak to the approval rating of 39% that ABC just saw in those polls. So not much there, again, of substance that I could see would resonate with the American public. Lindsey.

>> What did you make of the Democratic response?

>> Well, I think that was the right question. Again, if you look at the polls, that's what's on the minds of Americans. So that would be the question that, that she should pose. Ronald Reagan said when he was running against Jimmy Carter, "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?" And he was elected in a landslide versus Carter because most Americans believed that they weren't in a better position. So Governor Spanberger, I think, raised the right question, which is, you know, is Donald Trump working for you on the issue of affordability? And ultimately, it's going to hit the kitchen tables of Americans, and they'll decide for themselves. Lindsey.

>> Mark Updegraff, so appreciate your insight and time tonight. Thank you, as always. And that is our show on this night of the State of the Union. I'm Lindsey Davis. Be sure to stay tuned to ABC News Live for more context and analysis of the day's top stories. Thanks so much for streaming with us. Have a good night.

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