Feb. 25, 2026, 12:23 a.m.
President Trump said Monday he would deliver a long State of the Union address “because we have so much to talk about.” For a president frequently derided for false claims, this one stood out as true: When the dust finally settled, he had spoken for a record-breaking 108 minutes.
The marathon speech was sparsely attended by Democrats. Many in the minority party attended counter-programming events across Washington or simply stayed home. The right side of the aisle was dotted with dozens of empty seats.
Last year, during Trump’s joint address to Congress, Democrats held signs, walked out, and memorably interrupted the proceedings when Rep. Al Green heckled the president by waving his cane. Republicans and moderate Democrats alike called the theatrics ineffective.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, positioning his caucus to retake the majority in time for the next State of the Union, encouraged Democrats to participate in offsite demonstrations against the address or “attend with silent defiance.” A record 78 Democrats skipped the president’s address, per a National Journal analysis.
They flocked to the “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall or the “State of the Swamp” at the National Press Club or simply stayed in their offices. Some held their own town halls instead of attending the event. Some Democrats gave their tickets to guests, who included constituents impacted by the administration’s cuts to health care, citizens wrongfully deported, and victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
There were several outbursts early on in the chamber. Green again protested the event as Trump walked up to the podium, holding a sign that read, “Black people aren’t apes,” referencing the president’s Truth Social post that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Sen. Markwayne Mullin tried to swat away the sign, and the sergeant-at-arms escorted Green out of the chamber to cheers and chants of “USA” from Republicans.
Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib provided most of the other activity from the Democratic side. Omar shouted “Liar!” at Trump when he discussed fraud in Minnesota. Later, she and Tlaib yelled, “You have killed Americans!” and “You’re killing Americans!” Tlaib repeatedly bellowed, “Release the Epstein files!”
For the most part, Democrats who attended the official event had a more sedated presence than last year. They checked their phones throughout the speech, and at least two members brought blankets to their seats. Nearly two hours into the speech, some Democrats fidgeted and rubbed their eyes. They occasionally interjected with criticisms of his cuts to health care, and they cheered when Trump referenced his recent loss in the Supreme Court and their unanimous vote against his signature legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. George "Buddy" Taggart is recognized for his service during Trump's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
During the progressive-led “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall, a number of lawmakers criticized the administration’s agenda and decried the idea of attending the annual speech during a time of unprecedented upheaval—and their programming served as a rebuke to the "business as usual” attitude, they say.
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans laughed at Trump’s jokes, chanted “USA,” and assented “yes” throughout his speech, standing dutifully at each applause line. Some Republicans, including Reps. Kat Cammack and Virginia Foxx, stopped Trump for selfies and autographs. As he departed the chamber, Trump complimented Rep. Troy Nehls’ tie, which was emblazoned with pictures of the president, and nodded approvingly. He even signed a souvenir for the Texas lawmaker.
Trump’s speech touted lower taxes, costs, and crime. With a showman’s flair, he bestowed various honors—a Purple Heart, two Congressional Medals of Honor, and the Legion of Merit—to his guests. He even welcomed the gold medal-winning USA men’s hockey team for a triumphant appearance.
He asked Congress to pass the SAVE America Act—which requires citizens to prove citizenship and show a photo ID in order to vote—to cheers from Republicans.
“Both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree on the policy that we just enunciated, and Congress should unite and enact this common-sense, country-saving legislation right now, and it should be before anything else happens.”
Trump also referred to “crooked mail-in ballots” and once again accused Democrats of cheating in elections.
“They want to cheat, they have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat, and we're going to stop it,” he said.
The president boasted of lower prices for gas and groceries and claimed that his administration had driven inflation to record lows. He promised continued success as Republicans battle perceptions of a poor economy ahead of the midterms.
“And soon you will see numbers that few people would think were possible to achieve just a short time ago. Nobody can believe when they see the kind of numbers, and especially energy—when they see energy going down to numbers like that. They cannot believe it. It's like another big tax cut.”
Trump referenced the “unfortunate ruling from the Supreme Court” just days earlier striking down his signature tariffs. He promised to keep tariffs in place using “fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes.”
“Congressional action will not be necessary,” he told the joint session.
The president called for a ban on stock trading for members of Congress, which both sides have advocated. But only the Republican side of the room stood up after Trump called on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, long criticized for her own stock trading, to stand up.
This wasn't the only instance of Trump getting a rise out of Democrats. The president asked everyone in the chamber to stand up if they agreed that the "first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens." When Democrats refused to stand, Trump chastised them, saying: "Isn't that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself." Republicans delivered the longest applause line of the night after that line.
For those in attendance, there were several moments of bipartisanship. Recognition for the Olympic men’s hockey team was a rare point of bipartisanship for the evening. Members of the team stood above the dais in the press gallery to huge applause and chants of “USA” from both sides of the aisle. One Democrat waved a hockey stick emblazoned with the American flag.
