President Donald Trump delivered his longest State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, speaking for nearly two hours before a joint session of Congress.

The speech focused on Trump’s self-assessment of his administration’s first year, claiming a national transformation, while exposing deep partisan divides through heckling, walkouts, and Democratic protests.

Ahead of the address, Democratic senators and guests, including Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Senator Maria Cantwell, criticized Trump’s policies, especially the proposed SAVE America Act, arguing it would make voting more burdensome by requiring documentation like passports or birth certificates.

Hobbs dismissed the administration’s focus on voter fraud, citing U.S. intelligence reports on Russian disinformation during the 2020 election that benefited Trump.

Healthcare policies, notably the “Big Beautiful Bill,” faced sharp criticism for cutting Medicaid funding and tax credits, leaving millions without coverage by 2034.

Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth highlighted the impact on constituents, and guest JeremySchumacher described struggling with increased medical costs and postponed care due to rising premiums.

International tensions dominated the foreign policy portion of the address.

Trump warned Iran against developing nuclear weapons and producing ballistic missiles, claiming threats to the U.S, without presenting concrete evidence.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio briefed lawmakers hours earlier on Iran.

Trump threatened unspecified “really bad things” within ten days if Iran didn’t comply, dismissing military concerns voiced by General Dan Caine regarding stockpile depletion.

Domestically, Trump openly criticized Supreme Court justices for a recent ruling against his tariff policies, calling Justices Gorsuch and Barrett “traitors” and alleging foreign influence on the decision.

He vowed to refer to the Supreme Court in lowercase letters, reflecting his disdain.

The event saw Democrats walk out, heckle, and protest, including Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, highlighting deaths and detentions under Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic rebuttal, condemning federal immigration actions and alleging corruption, crypto scams, and cozy relations with foreign leaders.

The designated survivor protocol was followed, with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins serving as the administration’s designee, while Congressman Mike Thompson was the House Democrats’ designee.

Senator Chuck Grassley reportedly skipped the event. Criticism also arose over moments such as Representative Tom Suozzi appearing drowsy during the long address.

Trump’s nearly two-hour speech, while framing his administration as achieving a “turnaround for the ages,” reinforced the sharply polarized U.S. political climate, with Democrats preparing to challenge Republican control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.