- 11:00PM EST – This concludes our live coverage of the State of the Union. A full write-up of the event is embedded under this live blog. If you value our work, please consider supporting us in any way you can, here. Thank you.
- 10:59PM EST – “God bless the United States of America,” Trump concludes.
- 10:58PM EST – Trump is now speaking about the history of America, it’s God-given blessings, and its future. “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.”
- 10:57PM EST – President Trump is speaking fluently and in a heartfelt way, coming up on two hours of his speech now, and it’s clear he isn’t reading this speech off a teleprompter for the first time. Trump and his team have clearly worked long and hard over this speech, going through numerous drafts along the way. It’s a sign that Trump recognises the importance of this moment for the end of the first year of his second term.
- 10:56PM EST – “It’s an honor to be in the same room with you,” a clearly moved President Trump tells Royce.
- 10:53PM EST – Trump announces Royce Williams, who was part of the longest aerial engagement in U.S. Navy history when he fought seven Soviet MiG fighter jets, shooting down four, during a half-hour dogfight in 1952 in the skies over the Korean Peninsula. Royce is 100 years old. Trump calls him “a legend long before this evening,” as First Lady Melania Trump gives him the Congressional Medal of Honor. A standing ovation for Royce, from both sides of the chamber, lasted well over a minute.
- 10:47PM EST – The President is highlighting the hard work of helicopter pilot Eric Slover, whose harrowing tale of bravery helped American troops complete their mission in Venezuela despite his being wounded in the process. Slover received the Congressional Medal of Honor live in the chamber tonight.
- 10:42PM EST – President Trump is talking about the ouster of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. He introduces Enrique Gonzales, a former political prisoner of the Venezuelan regime.
- 10:35PM EST – “We have the most powerful military on Earth,” Trump says, talking about the DOD’s trillion-dollar budget. “It’s called peace through strength, and it’s been very, very effective.”
- 10:32PM EST – Trump is talking about the terrorism of the Iranian regime – “They’ve killed and maimed” hundreds of thousands, he said. “They were the kings of the roadside bombs,” he says. He is highlighting thousands of protesters killed by the regime during recent protests.
- 10:31PM EST – The State of the Union has been going for over an hour now, in a speech that many have speculated might be one of the longest ever. Folks on Capitol Hill have been prepared to work into the early hours of the morning, with Democrat Abigail Spanberger, the newly elected governor of Virginia, expected to deliver the response after the President finishes speaking.
- 10:30PM EST – The President highlights the work of his foreign policy team, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He talks about retrieving the hostages from Hamas.
- 10:25PM EST – Trump highlights the National Guard he has deployed in several cities around the nation.
- 10:17PM EST – The President welcomes Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, who is his personal guest. Chants of “Charlie!” erupt in the chamber – “We must totally reject political violence of any kind,” he says.
- 10:16PM EST – Trump lauds a renewal in Christianity, faith, and belief in God in recent years, saying it’s especially true in young people. He begins talking about his friend, Charlie Kirk.
- 10:13PM EST – Trump points at the Democrats, who didn’t stand up for Sage Blair, who is in the chamber, and says, “These people are crazy, I’m telling you.”
- 10:11PM EST – President Trump talks about Sage Blair, who was “transitioned” without her parents’ knowledge at the age of 14 in Virginia.
- 10:08PM EST – Trump touts the SAVE America Act, declaring, “All voters must show voter ID.”
- 10:06PM EST – “You should be ashamed of yourselves!” Trump blasts at Democrats, with Representatives like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib screaming at him from their seats. A chant of “USA!” erupts from Republicans.
- 10:05PM EST – Trump dares Congressional Members to stand up if they believe the first duty of legislators is to protect U.S. citizens, not illegal aliens. Most Democrats did not stand. This is a stand-out moment of the night, with Trump’s ovation from half the chamber lasting around a minute, if not longer, as Democrats remained in their seats.
- 10:00PM EST – Trump tells Congress to pass the “Delilah Law”, stopping states from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.
- 9:58PM EST – Rep. Ilhan Omar (D) looks crestfallen as Trump announces the “war on fraud.”
- 9:57PM EST – Trump says Somalis pillaged $19bn from America in Minnesota, naming other states like California, Massachusetts, and Maine – “We are working on it like you wouldn’t believe.” He declares a “war on fraud” led by Vice President J.D. Vance.
- 9:56PM EST – Trump heckles Nancy Pelosi as he touts his Insider Trading Act to stop Members of Congress profiteering from their political positions.
- 9:54PM EST – Trump talks social security and Medicare, Medicaid, pledging to “always protect it.” Typical 401K balances are up by $30,000, he says.
- 9:52PM EST – Trump says tech companies have to underwrite electricity prices for data centers around the country, calling it a “unique strategy” for an “old grid.” He says companies will have to build their own plants, which in turn will lower prices for ordinary consumers.
- 9:49PM EST – Trump is touting his prescription drug price policies, describing how his TrumpRX website works, which is explained in full here.
- 9:47PM EST – The President says insurance companies got rich under Obamacare, “that’s why I introduced the Great Healthcare Plan,” which gives the money back to the people so they can purchase their own healthcare at lower costs.
- 9:44PM EST – Trump reiterates that tariffs should replace income tax, “Taking a great financial burden off the people that I love.”
- 9:43PM EST – The President is now talking about his tariffs, saying countries that ripped America off were paying hundreds of billions until the recent “unfortunate” Supreme Court ruling, which Democrats in the Chamber are applauding.
- 9:40PM EST – President Trump highlights his recently announced “Trump Accounts,” which we explained in detail here.
- 9:38PM EST – President Trump explains auto loans tax deductions for cars that are made in America.
- 9:35PM EST – Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, who rescued 164 people in the Texas floods last year, is awarded the Legion of Merit for Extraordinary Heroism live on the balcony of Congress.
- 9:32PM EST – President Trump hails near 100-year-old veteran George ‘Buddy’ Taggart, who fought in Manila 81 years ago. His birthday is July 4th.
- 9:29PM EST – Trump says hockey goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- 9:26PM EST – Trump says the U.S. women’s team will also be coming to the White House after their Olympic success.
- 9:25PM EST – President Trump introduces the men’s Olympic gold-winning hockey team. Congress bursts out into “USA!” chants, with even news reporters in the gallery cheering them on.
- 9:24PM EST – “The State of our Union is strong!” Trump declares.
- 9:22PM EST – Trump reveals that America has received over 80 million barrels of oil from “our new friend and partner, Venezuela.”
- 9:20PM EST – “We are the hottest country anywhere in the world,” Trump declares.
- 9:18PM EST – Core inflation is down to 1.7%, President Trump says, adding that gasoline is now “below $2.30 a gallon” in most states.
- 9:16PM EST – President Trump says “ZERO illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States” in the past 9 months, stressing that he believes in legal migration.
- 9:15PM EST – Rep. Al Green is leaving the chamber, holding his sign and screaming at a female Member of Congress, while Republicans chant, “USA!” to drown him out.
- 9:13PM EST – President Trump opens by discussing America’s 250th anniversary: “You’ve seen nothing yet. We’re going to do better and better and better. This is the Golden Age of America.”
- 9:09PM EST – Rep. Al Green (D) is holding up a sign that says, “Black people aren’t apes.” A reference to a Trump Truth Social post that included parody images of Barack and Michelle Obama as jungle animals, posted in error a few weeks back.
- 9:06PM EST – The President has entered the chamber and is shaking hands with Congressional members and others in attendance.
- 9PM EST – The First Lady, Vice President, Supreme Court Justices, and the President’s Cabinet are in the room for the speech.
President Donald J. Trump delivered a nearly two-hour State of the Union address, calling it the beginning of a new “Golden Age of America” and laying out an agenda centered on tariffs, border enforcement, election integrity, military strength, and cultural renewal.
“The State of our Union is strong,” Trump declared early in the speech.
Opening with America’s 250th anniversary, he told lawmakers, “You’ve seen nothing yet. We’re going to do better and better and better. This is the Golden Age of America.” Later, he added, “We are the hottest country anywhere in the world.”
Tariffs, Taxes, and the Economy.
Trump again proposed replacing the federal income tax with tariff revenue, saying it would lift a “great financial burden” off Americans. He argued foreign countries had been paying “hundreds of billions” under his trade policies before a recent Supreme Court ruling he called “unfortunate,” drawing applause from Democrats.
He promoted “Trump Accounts,” tax deductions for auto loans on American-made cars, and his “Great Healthcare Plan,” which he said would return money to individuals rather than insurance companies. He touted his TrumpRX prescription drug pricing platform and said technology companies would be required to build their own power plants to support data centers, lowering electricity costs for consumers.
Trump pledged to “always protect” Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and claimed typical 401(k) balances have risen by $30,000.
He also announced a “war on fraud” led by Vice President J.D. Vance, alleging that billions were siphoned from taxpayer programs in states including Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, and Maine. Rep. Ilhan Omar appeared visibly frustrated as he detailed the initiative. Trump also promoted his Insider Trading Act to bar members of Congress from profiting off their positions.
Border Security and Election Integrity.
Trump declared that “ZERO illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States” in the past nine months, while emphasizing support for legal immigration.
In one of the night’s most dramatic moments, he challenged members of Congress to stand if they believed their first duty was to protect U.S. citizens rather than illegal aliens. Most Democrats remained seated as Republicans delivered a sustained ovation.
He urged passage of the “Delilah Law” to block states from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens and promoted the SAVE America Act, declaring, “All voters must show voter ID.”
“You should be ashamed of yourselves!” Trump shouted at Democrats as members, including Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, yelled from their seats. Earlier, Rep. Al Green held up a protest sign referencing a recent social media controversy and later left the chamber while Republicans chanted “USA!”
Trump also highlighted Sage Blair, who he said was “transitioned” at age 14 in Virginia without parental knowledge. When Democrats did not stand in recognition, he pointed toward them and said, “These people are crazy, I’m telling you.”
Faith and Political Violence.
The President spoke of a renewal in Christianity and faith in God, especially among young Americans. He introduced Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk’s widow, as his personal guest. Chants of “Charlie!” broke out in the chamber.
“We must totally reject political violence of any kind,” Trump said.
Energy and Foreign Policy.
Trump said the United States has received more than 80 million barrels of oil from “our new friend and partner, Venezuela.” He referenced the removal of Nicolas Maduro and introduced Enrique Gonzales, a former political prisoner of the Venezuelan regime.
He praised his foreign policy team, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and spoke about the retrieval of hostages from Hamas. He highlighted National Guard deployments in several U.S. cities.
Turning to Iran, Trump said the regime has “killed and maimed” hundreds of thousands and called them “the kings of the roadside bombs,” while referencing protesters killed during recent uprisings.
“We have the most powerful military on Earth,” Trump said, citing the Department of Defense’s trillion-dollar budget. “It’s called peace through strength, and it’s been very, very effective.”
Honoring American Heroes.
The speech included several honors that drew bipartisan standing ovations.
Trump awarded helicopter pilot Eric Slover the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery during a mission in Venezuela despite being wounded. He introduced Royce Williams, 100, who fought seven Soviet MiG fighter jets in a half-hour dogfight over Korea in 1952, shooting down four of them. Trump called him “a legend long before this evening,” and First Lady Melania Trump presented him with the Congressional Medal of Honor. The chamber stood for more than a minute.
“It’s an honor to be in the same room with you,” Trump told Williams.
Earlier in the evening, Trump honored a nearly 100-year-old World War II veteran, George “Buddy” Taggart, awarded Petty Officer Scott Ruskin the Legion of Merit for rescuing 164 people during Texas floods, introduced the men’s Olympic gold-winning hockey team to chants of “USA!” and announced that goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He said the U.S. women’s Olympic team will also visit the White House.
Closing Message.
As the speech approached the two-hour mark, Trump spoke about America’s history and what he called its God given blessings.
“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,” he said.
Trump concluded simply, “God bless the United States of America.”
The Democratic response is expected to be delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger following the President’s address.
