President Donald Trump’s record-breaking State of the Union address on Tuesday evening elicited sharply divided reactions from lawmakers in the House chamber and from the broader public.
Unsurprisingly, the president’s prime-time speech on Capitol Hill drew fierce backlash from Democrats, many of whom wore protest pins, shouted him down and accused him of spreading lies and sidestepping the Epstein files. Republicans cheered him on and echoed his laundry list of accomplishments.
During his televised remarks — which ran for a record-breaking hour and 48 minutes — the 79-year-old president spoke glowingly about his whirlwind first year in office. He touted his immigration crackdown, sweeping tariffs and his efforts to bring down prices, claiming the “golden age of America” had begun.
He also made a number of factually incorrect statements, including that he should be in his “third term,” that mail-in ballots are “crooked,” that he inherited record-high inflation and that he has ended eight foreign wars.
The address — which is typically attended by lawmakers, Cabinet officials and Supreme Court justices — was marked by a notable absence of more than two dozen Democratic members, who held their own event in protest of the president.
Jeers and cheers: reactions from inside the House chamber
Among the Democrats who did attend, many wore anti-Trump pins, including one which read “Liar liar” with the president depicted with a Pinocchio-style nose. Another lawmaker donned a pin that read: “Stand with survivors. Release the files.”
Some women lawmakers showed up in all-white outfits in honor of women’s suffrage, continuing a tradition that began during Trump’s first term.
Several Democrats also pulled stunts that disrupted the president’s remarks.
Minutes into the address, Rep. Al Green, a Texas Democrat, was escorted out of the chamber as he held a sign that stated “Black People Aren’t Apes” — an apparent reference to a video posted on Trump’s Truth Social account depicting the Obamas as apes.
Two progressive Midwestern Democrats also shouted at the president as he spoke about his record on immigration. “You have killed Americans,” Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar yelled, adding “You should be ashamed!” Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib — who was wearing a large “F*** ICE” pin — heckled Trump by repeatedly shouting: “lies.”
A contentious moment also came when Trump called the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down his tariffs “very unfortunate.” Members of the court were seen looking stone-faced as the president singled out the court for the high-profile decision. Last week, he described those who ruled against him as “fools and lapdogs.”
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Republicans, by contrast, rose repeatedly to applaud the president during his address — including when he spoke about transgender policies, gas prices and immigration.
One of the most memorable moments came when Trump enjoined attendees to stand if they agreed that “the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens not illegal aliens.” While Republicans quickly rose from their seats, Democrats sat still, leading Trump to say they should be “ashamed” of themselves.
At one point, the president also gestured towards Democrats and said “these people are crazy,” prompting Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson to stand up and clap.
Many also cheered when Trump gave a shoutout to the U.S. men’s hockey team, who won the gold medal at the Olympics at the weekend.
“Our country is winning again,” Trump said. “Bigger than ever. And to prove that point, to prove that point, here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud.”
Sharply divided responses online
Reactions online were equally as divided.
Many Democrats noted that, throughout his nearly two hour address, Trump did not mention the Epstein files, which have dominated headlines for months, following the Department of Justice’s publication of millions of redacted files.
“As Trump rambles on, the American people are still waiting for justice and transparency on the Epstein Files,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X, adding that Trump “painted a delusional portrait of America.”
Epstein survivor Annie Farmer — who attended the speech — released a statement lambasting what she described as the president’s inaction.
“Tonight, I joined my survivor sisters at this evening’s State of the Union address, to remind the president that we are still demanding justice for survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” Farmer said. “We were met with silence.”
Others seized on the inaccuracies delivered at the podium.
“After nearly 2 hours of lies, look forward to hearing how the State of the Union really is from @GovernorVA Spanberger’s Democratic response,” California Rep. Nanette Barragan wrote on X.
Republicans and MAGA influencers, by contrast, hailed the president’s speech and expressed deep gratitude for his achievements.
“Tonight, President Trump reaffirmed the strength of our great country,” Pennsylvania Rep. Glenn Thompson wrote on X. “From securing our borders, to passing sweeping tax reforms for all Americans, the President has delivered on his promises.”
Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly echoed this sentiment.
“Very strong night for the President,” she wrote on X to her 3.6 million followers. “Affable, funny, several moving moments, mostly stuck to script, touting an incredible list of accomplishments.”
The speech comes as Trump’s approval rating hovers at unenviably low levels. Recent polling from CNN/SSRS shows Trump at a 63 percent disapproval rating. Other polls from Reuters/Ipsos have Trump sitting at a 58 percent disapproval rating.
It remains to be seen if Trump’s televised address will meaningfully shift public opinion. But, the early signs appear positive for the president. According to a CNN flash poll conducted after the speech, 64 percent of viewers said Trump’s policies will move the country in the right direction.
