President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term was packed full of theatrics and punchy policy announcements as he made his case to the American people that the US is on the right path under his leadership.
During the nearly two-hour-long spectacle, Trump touted his administration’s achievements on immigration, foreign policy – including the bombing of Iran and capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro – and on lowering prices of everyday goods.
He painted a patriotic picture as America’s 250th birthday approaches and delighted lawmakers by including the men’s hockey Team USA Winter Olympics champions, prompting wild ‘USA’ chants.
Trump also urged Americans to ‘totally reject political violence of any kind,’ five months after the brutal murder of conservative Charlie Kirk as his widow Erika looked on.
The President came out of the gates declaring that America is in its ‘golden age’ and a new era of prosperity is now.
But Trump’s speech quickly devolved into theatrics as Democrat Al Green was thrown out of the chamber for holding up a ‘Black People aren’t apes’ sign days after the President sparked controversy for sharing a video depicting the Obamas as apes.
Trump stayed largely on script until the progressive Squad members Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan started heckling him over nearly every major policy announcement.
Omar’s chants culminated in calling him a ‘murderer’ after praising the work of his ICE agents to deport illegal migrants.
‘You people are crazy,’ he yelled after the progressives’ incessant chatter.
Republican and Democratic speechwriters and strategists shared their verdicts on the primetime address exclusively with the Daily Mail. Here’s how they would grade his remarks:
President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term was packed full of theatrics and punchy policy announcements
Trump urged Americans to ‘totally reject political violence of any kind,’ five months after the brutal murder of conservative Charlie Kirk as his widow Erika looked on
During the nearly two-hour-long spectacle, Trump touted his administration’s achievements on immigration, foreign policy and more
But Trump’s speech quickly devolved into theatrics as Democrat Al Green was thrown out of the chamber for holding up a ‘Black People aren’t apes’ sign
Jonathan Bronitsky: ‘Trump brilliantly put the Democrats on their heels’
Grade: A+
According to Dr. Jonathan Bronitsky, co-founder and CEO of ATHOS and formerly chief speechwriter at the Justice Department during Trump’s first administration, Trump was in his element.
He pointed out that while this speech was Trump’s ‘least formal’ – it is ‘precisely why it landed.’
The President ‘brilliantly put the Democrats on their heels’ and wasn’t afraid to call them out directly, he went on.
And Trump even gave them ‘opportunities to literally rise to the moment.’
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Was this a masterclass in showmanship or pure theatrics?
Bronitsky pointed out that while this speech was Trump’s ‘least formal’ and that’s ‘precisely why it landed’
‘They responded with wild gesticulations, actual finger-pointing, vocal outbursts, and even tears. He baited them into revealing exactly who they are – and they happily obliged.’
Bronitsky pointed out Trump’s ‘line of the night,’ when the President called on all the lawmakers to stand in support of Americans – not illegal aliens.
‘Stand up if you agree with this statement: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens – not illegal aliens,’ he said.
Several Democrats, including Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, refused, and the President said they should be ‘ashamed.’
Bronitsky said that on style points, Trump won big.
‘Stylistically, the pacing was excellent and the emphasis was sharp. The address was theatrical in the best sense,’ he went on.
Andrew Bates: ‘Gaslighting Americans’
Grade: E for Epstein
Joe Biden’s former deputy press secretary Andrew Bates ripped into Trump for only spending two minutes on Americans’ number one priority, ‘affordability.’
Bates mentioned recent nationwide polling showing that the economy is the most concerning issue to voters and insisted that ‘Republican policies that are making their lives more expensive.’
He specifically called out Trump’s plan to replace the income tax with tariffs, calling it the ‘biggest transfer of wealth from working families to billionaires in history.’
Joe Biden’s former deputy press secretary Andrew Bates ripped into Trump
Trump leaned into painting a patriotic picture as America’s 250th birthday approaches
‘Instead of listening to the voters who are crying out for relief, the President patted himself on the back, gaslighting Americans who know he’s lying about the bills they pay every day.’
Bates ended with a zinger, saying that everyday Americans are ‘tired’ of the ‘Epstein Class’ winning as Trump’s administration continues to battle with the fallout from the Epstein files.
Tevi Troy: ‘Rare unifying moment’
Grade: B
Trump stayed largely on script until the progressive Squad members Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib started heckling him
Members of the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team that won the gold medal, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes, pose with their medals during Trump’s State of the Union
Author Tevi Troy, presidential historian and former White House aide, said that the best moment of the night was the shoutout to Team USA.
Trump paraded out the hockey team that won gold over Canada just a few days ago at the end of the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Troy called it a ‘memorable moment’ showcasing American patriotism.
Troy is the author of the best-selling book, What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House
‘While presidents have long highlighted people already in the gallery, the bold entrance was unusual. It was also a rare unifying moment in this address, as most of the Democrats applauded the Olympians as well,’ he stated.
‘Always a showman, Trump has a good sense of powerful stories that resonate,’ he said about the President’s other notable guests, including Erika Kirk, a World War II veteran, and an officer wounded during the raid that captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro.
Troy noted that Trump ‘broke little new ground on Iran,’ simply reiterating that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
That came despite speculation that Trump was going to make news on his decision on whether to strike Iran as negotiations on a nuclear deal stall.
Troy added that the one-hour and fifty-minute speech was ‘once again too long.’
And he added that the Democrats ‘did not enjoy Trump‘s many ad libs at their expense.’
That included Trump’s troll of Nancy Pelosi over her alleged ties to insider trading and his calling the Squad lawmakers ‘crazy.’
Rusty Hills: ‘It was a campaign rally’
Grade: F
According to University of Michigan professor Rusty Hills, Trump’s speech was ‘very much a campaign rally address cloaked in the mantle of a State of the Union address.’
Hills ripped into Trump’s ‘patriotic, pugilistic and partisan’ speech.
‘Trump repeatedly blamed and belittled Democrats and former President Joe Biden for America’s problems.’
He pointed out the moment during which Trump dared Democrats to stand
He concluded: ‘As a campaign speech to the party faithful, it earned an A. As a call for unity and bipartisanship, his grade is an F.’
Rusty Hills is a lecturer in public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan
Jessica Anderson
Grade: A++
Jessica Anderson, president of the conservative Sentinel Action Fund said Trump did a good job describing the new ‘Golden Age.’
‘Tonight, President Trump set out a clear vision for the next three years and built on this progress, unveiling new policies, like savings accounts that will give every American worker a real piece of the American Dream,’ she told the Daily Mail.
Anderson pointed out that with the midterms just months away, it was ‘exactly the message voters want to hear.’
She hit Democrats for refusing to ‘prioritize the safety of Americans over illegal immigrants’ during the theatrics.
Jessica Anderson, president of the conservative Sentinel Action Fund
Rob Noel: ‘Vintage Trump’
Grade: A
Noel, former speechwriter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and president of the writing agency Washington Writers Network, says Trump planned out his strategy well.
‘President Trump knows that no one remembers every statistic or follows every policy point, and most don’t watch the full speech,’ he said.
‘But they see the clips and remember the stories you tell. He succeeded by featuring memorable guests and turning a usually dry event into a show. It was vintage Trump.’
Noel, former speechwriter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
