Washington– president Donald Trump He will use Tuesday’s State of the Union address to defend it Immigration campaignsfor him Cut the federal governmentHe paid him to the governorate The definitions are wide-ranging that The Supreme Court just overturned it And his ability to direct rapid military operations around the world, including in Iran and Venezuela.
The Republican hopes he can convince Americans are increasingly cautious And that his policies have improved their lives while ensuring that the American economy is stronger than many think — and that they should vote for more of the same. In November.
A balancing act to celebrate Hurricane first year Returning to the White House while making a compelling case for his party in midterm races where he personally will not be on the ballot is a difficult task for any president. But the matter may be particularly sensitive for Trump, given how happy he is to veer off script and ignore carefully crafted messages.
The main theme will be that the country is thriving with rising domestic manufacturing and new jobs, even though many Americans do not feel that way. “It’s going to be a long speech because we have a lot to talk about,” said Trump, who promised a heavy dose of economic talk.
The president is also expected to criticize the Supreme Court ruling against him Signature tariff policies And talk about his attempts Maneuver around This decision was made without relying on Congress or provoking the financial markets. He is also likely to urge lawmakers to increase military funding Tighten voter identification requirementsWhile he defended immigration operations that have drawn bipartisan criticism After two American citizens were shot dead.
Jeff Chisol, a former speechwriter for Democratic President Bill Clinton, said Trump typically uses State of the Union addresses to deliver more traditional tones than his usual bombast — but he still tends to exaggerate over and over again.
“His job, for the sake of his party, is to show the bright side,” Chisol said. “But if he were to insist that the silver lining is gold, no one would believe him. It would be very difficult for Republicans to defend that position on the campaign trail.”
Michael Waldman, Clinton’s former chief speechwriter, said second-term presidents “have a tough job because what they all want to say is: Look at the great job I’ve been doing — why don’t you like me?”
Regardless of what his prepared remarks say, Trump enjoys veering into personal grievances, meaning Tuesday will likely include topics like Denying that he lost the 2020 presidential elections.
His lack of discipline was shown in letters after concerns about the rising cost of living helped It propelled Democratic victories across the country on Election Day last November. The White House after that a promise The president will travel to the country almost every week to reassure Americans that he takes affordability seriously. But Trump did it Spend more time Blame Democrats and mock the idea that kitchen table issues require attention.
Instead, Trump boasts of owning it Taming inflation He says he has The buzz of the economy Given that the Dow Jones Industrial Average recently witnessed It exceeded 50,000 points For the first time.
However, such gains are not tangible for those who do not have stock portfolios. There are also persistent concerns that tariffs have fueled the situation Higher pricesWhich could ultimately harm the economy and job creation. Economic growth Slow down The last three months of last year.
Waldman, now president of the Brennan Center for Justice, which advocates for democracy, civil liberties and fair elections, said previous presidents have faced similar instances of “economic turmoil.”
That created a question about “how much do you sell for feeling voters’ pain,” he said.
Schisul noted that Trump “always believed — going back to his real estate days — that he could sell anyone anything.”
“He still does it. But the problem is you can’t tell someone who lost their job and can’t get a new one that things are going well,” Chisol said. “He cannot convince people of a truth that does not exist for them and, frankly, for most Americans.”
It’s likely to be politically risky ahead of a November election that could deliver a congressional win for Democrats, just as the “blue wave” of 2018 created strong oversight of his administration during his first term.
Meanwhile, several Democrats in Congress plan to skip Tuesday’s speech in protest and instead attend a rally known as the People’s State of the Union on the National Mall in Washington.
Trump’s speech comes as… Two American aircraft carriers were sent to the Middle East Amid tensions with Iran.
The President will tell how US air raids Last summer It bombed Tehran’s nuclear capabilitiesAnd he praised me raid Who overthrew Venezuelan President Nicolas Nicolas MaduroAs well as his management’s mediation cease-fire In Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.
But he also Tensions in US military alliances with NATOThanks for the payment Capture of Greenland from Denmark And his failure to take a tougher stance with the Russian president Vladimir Putin In an effort to put an end to Its war in Ukraine.
Making any foreign policy seem relevant to Americans at home is never easy.
Trump could make clear that Maduro’s socialist policies It destroyed Venezuela’s economy To the point that one of the richest oil countries in the world is struggling to meet its energy needs.
Now the oil extracted from that country will help lower US gas prices.
However, when it comes to external developments, she said: “I think it would be a bit difficult to explain why this relates to the internal situation.”