President Trump delivered a raw, divisive, ugly, and long State of the Union speech last night, the bully-in-chief at the bully pulpit. He was unchained. The country was treated to false claims, demonizing of immigrants, and celebration of the deployment of American troops against American citizens.
Shouting matches ensued. “I ended eight wars,” claimed Trump. “That’s a lie,” shouted Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan. A minute later, the president said of the Russia-Ukraine war: “It never would have happened if I were president.” Countered Tlaib: “What are you talking about.”
Instead of national unity, Trump preached division, demonizing Minnesota where two unarmed anti-ICE citizens were shot dead by federal enforcers. “You’ve killed Americans,” shouted Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota. To which Trump responded: “You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.”
Whereas George Washington stepped back from the presidency, Trump came across as the American Mussolini. In the tradition of authoritarians, his vehicle was to deploy fear — fear of the vulnerable. He seemed to become unhinged about 50 minutes into a 108-minute tirade.
“We did not hear the truth from our president,” said Gov. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia in Democrats’ response to Trump. Of Trump policies, especially tariffs, she added: “Everyday Americans are paying the price.”
Spanberger said those Americans should be asking themselves, “Is the president working for you? Is he keeping America safe?” To Trump’s claim of a new “Golden Age,” she depicted a costly America of fool’s gold.
Out of a tumultuous evening, one thing came clear: The 2026 midterm elections will be an epic battle. The Democrats will be “laser-focused“ on the economy, in Spanberger’s words, while Trump travels the country touting members cheering him on last night. He will complete his claim: “Democrats are destroying our country.”
Trump repeated his big lie of election fraud, calling for nationalization of the election, making false claims of “illegals” voting in U.S. elections. He called for an end to “crooked mail-in ballots.” Our Sen. Maria Cantwell responded by pointing out, under the Constitution, states set elections. Said she: “There is no role for the president.”
About 40 Democrats boycotted the Trump tantrum. The ranks included Sens. Cantwell and Patty Murray. The dissenters staged a Peoples’ State of the Union on the U.S. Capitol Mall.
Trump is an enormous threat to our Republic. He is not an entertainer but a narcissist and would-be dictator. Words of welcome to America are inscribed below the Statue of Liberty. Of Somali immigrants, Trump declared last night: “we’re getting them the hell out of here.”
It wasn’t funny. Nor was it entertaining. Rather, it commands a reengagement in America’s civic life. We’ve come 250 years. Do we lose it all now?
Discover more from Post Alley
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Very well put!!I didn’t watch, and appreciate this reflection.
“About 40 Democrats boycotted the Trump tantrum….
“It wasn’t funny. Nor was it entertaining.”
Me too. Not long before the Trump rant was scheduled to start, the sun popped out. So, instead of watching TV, I decided to take a nice sunset beach stroll — thinking that the speech would be long over when I returned home.
Nope. It was still going strong when I got back. So I got to view the final 45 minutes of it. Plenty enough.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I seem to have migrated from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) to Trump Boredom Syndrome — which one might call TBS if it doesn’t violate some ancient Ted Turner trademark.
If TBS indeed becomes rampant, it could spell big trouble for Trump. Trump is an entertainer. That’s really all he is. And when an entertainer ceases to be entertaining, what else is there? The end may be nigh.
In the House chamber the Republicans were all standing and cheering loudly and incessantly. But they didn’t look very happy about it.
Nor should they look happy. They’ve been completely duped. I have no respect for Republicans, even my former friends make me angry. I can’t stand them.
Common sense should prevail, but sadly, it does not. I take the opposite point of view. I am a Vietnam veteran who loves my country. I prefer that American citizens should be protected from so many harmful foreign invaders who have crossed our borders. Why is it so hard to agree with this?
The way you state your opinion cannot be argued with. Solid honest facts.
Could you be a little more specific in describing the foreign invaders and how they are affecting your life? What are they taking from you weighed against what you are gaining from their presence?
Don’t forget, unless you are a native North American, then like me, it is likely that your great grandmother and great grandfather, came to this country, without permission, in search of a better life.
“So many harmful foreign invaders” my sweet patootie. My partner had one of her cleaning people (who was currently working through the naturalization process legitimately) deported the other day, The house two doors down from me would probably suffer structural damage if all of the brown guys replacing the roof right now were to be pulled off of the job by some ICE idiot deciding to deport them because “Justice” Rapey McLikesBeer decided that racial profiling is OK and Stephen “Goebbels” Miller has a quota for them to meet.
Most immigrants come here to work, and do jobs that are vital to the US (not to mention Washington State) economy. The notion that they are “harmful foreign invaders” is racist B.S., and I’ll argue with that so-called opinion each and every time it’s expressed.
Thanks Joel for your insights on Trump’s bombastic tirade, a tissue of lies. Now Trump’s new illegal and unnecessary war on Iran. Congress must be called back immediately to file articles of impeachment against Trump. A national emergency!