Trump's State of the Union address adopts a self-praising style, calls out Biden and Pelosi, faces boos, and sets the record for the longest speech duration

According to NBC News, on the evening of February 24 Eastern Time, U.S. President Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term in Congress. Trump declared at the start of his speech, “Our country is back.” He claimed that under his leadership, America has entered a “golden age.” In his address, Trump discussed the U.S. economy and immigration issues. CNN reported that he was “boasting about economic achievements.”

On Illegal Immigration

Trump stated, “Today, our border security is without concern, and our spirit has been restored.” BBC noted that Trump praised his administration’s progress in preventing illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl across the border. He said, “Now we have the strongest and safest border in American history.”

Criticizing Biden

He then criticized the Biden administration, saying he inherited “a country in deep crisis,” but emphasized that his government has “achieved unprecedented change.” Trump also praised his economic accomplishments, highlighting the decline in inflation, and again claimed that during Biden’s presidency, the U.S. experienced “the worst inflation in American history.”

Calling Out Pelosi

Trump mentioned that members of Congress should not profit from insider trading, a statement that received applause from some Democrats. Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren stood up and applauded Trump. Seeing this, Trump said, “They actually stood up for this? I can’t believe it.” He then directly asked, “Did Pelosi stand up?” U.S. media previously analyzed that in American politics—from Congress to the executive branch, courts, Federal Reserve, and others—officials engaging in insider trading is widespread and rarely punished, almost an open secret.

Saying Venezuela Is a New Friend

Trump stated, “We just received over 80 million barrels of oil from our new friend—Venezuela.”

Protested with “Black People Are Not Monkeys” Banner

According to Xinhua News Agency, during Trump’s State of the Union speech on February 24, Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green was removed after protesting with a banner that read, “Black People Are Not Monkeys.” Live TV footage showed Green holding up the banner as Trump began speaking, and Green was subsequently escorted out.

On February 5, Trump posted a video clip involving former President Obama and his wife Michelle on his social media accounts. The clip featured images of two primates with faces edited to resemble Obama and Michelle. The video sparked widespread outrage and condemnation. A senior White House official told the media on February 6 that the post was “mistakenly sent” by a White House employee and has since been deleted.

Heated Reactions in the Audience

During the 2026 State of the Union address, Trump directed criticism at political opponents, saying “You should be ashamed.” Several members of Congress expressed their disapproval through facial expressions and body language, shouting back at Trump from their seats. Among them, Somali-American Democrat Ilhan Omar and Palestinian-American Democrat Rashida Tlaib shouted at Trump. House Speaker Johnson attempted to maintain order but was interrupted by Trump.

Responding to the Supreme Court Overturning His Tariff Policy

NBC reported that on the evening of February 24, Trump addressed the nation in his second-term State of the Union. He mentioned the Supreme Court’s decision last week to overturn his tariff policy, saying, “Just four days ago, the U.S. Supreme Court made a regrettable ruling. That ruling was just handed down, and it is very unfortunate.” Democrats responded with applause when Trump mentioned the tariff ruling.

Setting a Record for Longest Presidential State of the Union Speech

According to NBC, CNN, and Axios, Trump has just set a new record for the longest speech by a president to Congress, surpassing his own previous record for annual addresses.

Image source: CNN screenshot

CNN reported that in 2025, Trump’s speech lasted 1 hour, 39 minutes, and 32 seconds, while this year, it lasted 1 hour, 40 minutes, and 1 second. NBC stated that this year’s State of the Union ended after a record-breaking 1 hour, 47 minutes.

Previously, former President Bill Clinton’s 90-minute address in 2000 was the longest State of the Union speech since 1964.