On Tuesday night, Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term at the Capitol during a joint session of Congress.
Trump Declares Golden Age, Strong Economy And Renewed US Strength
Trump began his speech saying, “Our nation is back — bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.”
He continued and said his administration has ushered in what he described as a golden age for the U.S., stating that border security has improved, national morale has rebounded, inflation is falling and incomes are climbing rapidly.
Trump also said that the economy is performing at record levels, adversaries are wary and law enforcement and the military are strengthened. “America is respected again, perhaps like never before,” he stated.
President Says Record-Low Border Crossings, 56% Drop In Fentanyl Flow
Trump turned to immigration, a central issue in his campaign, highlighting what he described as major progress in curbing illegal border crossings and fentanyl trafficking.
He said that after years of what he characterized as unchecked migration, the U.S. now has the strongest and most secure border in its history. He also said that the flow of fentanyl has fallen by a record 56% over the past year.
Data show illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border reached record lows at the end of last year, BBC reported.
Trump Touts Economy As GDP Grew 2.2% In 2025, 2.8% In 2024
Trump also touted what he described as an economy stronger than ever. While growth has remained resilient, the economy expanded 2.2% in 2025, slightly below the 2.3% recorded the previous year.
“When I last spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis, with a stagnant economy,” the president said.
However, although high inflation weighed on voters in the 2024 election, the U.S. economy was not stagnant, the Associated Press reported.
After adjusting for inflation, gross domestic product grew 2.8% in 2024 — a faster pace than the 2.2% recorded last year at the start of Trump’s second term.
Trump praised the economy in his remarks, but an AP-NORC poll shows most Americans disagree.
Roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults rate the economy as poor — unchanged in recent months and similar to views during former President Joe Biden’s final year in office.
Republicans are more optimistic, with about 6 in 10 calling the economy good, though roughly 4 in 10 within Trump’s own party still describe it as poor.
Trump Touts $18 Trillion Investment Claim
Addressing Congress, Trump also said his administration reduced core inflation to its lowest level in more than five years within 12 months.
He also stated that the stock market has reached 53 record highs since the election and claimed his administration secured more than $18 trillion in investment during its first year.
“The stock market has set 53 all-time record highs since the election,” Trump stated, adding, “Think of that, one year, boosting pensions, 401k(s) and retirement accounts.”
He also said, “I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion pouring in from all over the globe.”
It is unclear how that figure was calculated. The White House has cited a total of $9.7 trillion, including both public and private investment commitments from foreign governments.
Trump Touts 80 Million Barrels From Venezuela
Trump said the U.S. has taken delivery of more than 80 million barrels of oil from Venezuela, coming less than two months after the U.S. captured its leader, Nicolás Maduro.
Trump stated that U.S. oil production has increased by more than 600,000 barrels per day and described Venezuela as a new partner supplying the oil.
He also said domestic natural gas output has reached a record high, crediting his push to expand drilling.
Trump Calls Supreme Court Tariff Ruling ‘Unfortunate’
Trump addressed last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning his tariffs, calling it an “unfortunate” ruling. “Just four days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. It just came down, very unfortunate ruling.”
He made the remarks as four justices — Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh — were seated in the chamber.
All but Kavanaugh joined the majority opinion.
Trump said that he plans to pursue alternative legal avenues that will produce an even stronger outcome.
In his address, Trump also credited his tariff policies with fueling a stock market surge, though major tariff announcements — including his April rollout of global tariffs — were followed by sharp market declines.
However, by May first week in 2025, the S&P 500 had rebounded sharply from its April low of 4,835 points.
Trump also argued that tariff revenue could largely replace the federal income tax as a funding source for the government.
However, that shift would be mathematically challenging and could move more of the tax burden onto lower-income Americans, since tariffs are generally considered regressive while the income tax system is progressive, the New York Times reported.
He added that maintaining his global tariff strategy would not require congressional action.
Trump Calls For Ban On Congressional Insider Trading
Trump also remarked about corruption and lawmakers allegedly using insider information to profit, which appeared to spark a reaction from Democrats.
“As we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising stock market, let’s also make sure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information,” Trump said.
Trump then called out former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), asking if she could stand up. “Pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay,” he said.
The congresswoman’s trades have faced growing scrutiny over the years because of their timing and returns that have outperformed the broader market.
Trump Faces Tariff Blow, Rising Iran Pressure
The address came at a challenging time for the president.
Just days earlier, the Supreme Court had invalidated his broad International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs, prompting a rapid shift to a new 15% global tariff that took effect that morning.
Meanwhile, his economic approval rating fell to 39%, and a partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown had entered its second week.
At the same time, tensions with Iran are intensifying, with the White House reportedly considering potential military action.
Stock futures edged higher during the president’s remarks, with Dow futures up 24 points, or 0.05%, at 49,260, S&P 500 futures gaining 0.16% to 6,915 and tech-heavy Nasdaq futures climbing 0.28% to 25,098.50.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock/ Joshua Sukoff
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