It’s strange to live in 2026, where Republicans are no longer necessarily on the back foot when it comes to cultural issues. And a large part of that is due to the man Trump is now saluting, Charlie Kirk.
Credit where credit is due: Trump’s hands-off approach to regulating AI has been one of the highlights of his economic program this term. That will no longer be the case if he turns to industrial policy to artificially support the industry.
In a turn of events that says so much about where the Democrats have placed themselves on the political spectrum, Trump roars to life when turning to domestic issues like the border and youth transgender medicine. This is by far the most powerful part of his speech – and he knows it, just look at how much excited he was delivering those lines and reacting to Democratic mulishness in the chamber.
These issues remain overwhelmingly strong ones for him and the GOP.
“These people are crazy! We’re lucky we have a country! Democrats are destroying our country, but we stopped it in the nick of time.” We are now at the part of the State of the Union Address that is completely indistinguishable from a presidential campaign rally, and/or the president’s Truth Social posts.
Trump goading Democrats to stand up for or against things is rank demagoguery – and exactly what Joe Biden did to Republicans in 2023 on entitlements.
Trump vs. Tlaib plays very much in Trump’s favor.
Trump expressly calls out Senate Majority Leader John Thune in his call for Congress to pass the SAVE Act. Thune has so far refused to nuke the filibuster to pass Republicans’ election-reform bill.
I think Trump vs. Omar/Tlaib will be the only thing that is remembered about tonight.
“The new mayor of New York City, I think he’s a nice guy, I speak to him a lot . . .” It’s a hilarious throwaway line, because we all suspected a New Yorker like Trump would focus intently on Mamdani and his celebrity.
Trump: Mamdani a “very nice guy,” talks to him a lot.