Tuesday night was an incredible night in the United States Capitol. President Trump gave an astonishing, terrific speech at the joint session of Congress, the quasi State of the Union.
The enthusiasm was tremendous. I was invited by House Speaker Mike Johnson, and before the actual address to the joint session of Congress, a meet and greet was held inside his office, and many cabinet secretaries stopped by.
This administration is filled with terrific people. Everybody from the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, to the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, to the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick was there. President Trump has put together an amazing team.
Being in the chambers of Congress for the speech was definitely an interesting experience. I use “interesting” because the contrast between enthusiasm and excitement on the Republican side of the aisle, believing America is on the upsurge, and the absolute murderous depression in which Democrats have now sunk themselves could not be starker.
You could feel it. As they filed into the chamber, the Democrats looked like depressed college students who had just finished debating philosophy and smoking pot in their dorm rooms. It was quite an amazing thing. It was just dead on their side of the aisle — not just because they&#8217;ve lost the election and no longer control Congress, the Senate, or the White House, but also because they cannot find the thing over which to attack President Trump.
So they decided to bring campus tactics. Several members of the “Squad” showed up wearing pink to protest, to imply Trump hates women. By the way, they refused to applaud for a woman who was brutally injured by a man spiking a volleyball at her.
Some of the Democrats had on hideous jackets with Black Lives Matter regalia upon them. Other Democrats showed up with little placards and signs.
The Democrats acted like puerile spoiled children with no point of opposition. They are a party that is out of control while the Republicans are in lockstep with regard to the Trump agenda.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2151-member-exclusive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
Meanwhile, President Trump took the 80% side of every 80/20 issue it was possible to take in the speech, and Democrats were wrong-footed the entire speech. 
President Trump spent nearly the entire speech on domestic policy, which is clever and smart. 
The American people care much more about domestic policy than they do about foreign policy. I care deeply about foreign policy because I think that foreign policy affects Americans. There&#8217;s a massive impact on how Americans live, even if we don&#8217;t think about it a lot.
But President Trump understands, on an innate, gut level, that Americans care when he says America First. They don’t think he means 1930s isolationism; what they hear is that American citizens should be taken care of first as a first priority.
And that is inarguable.
President Trump again discussed the issues of which he is clearly the winner. The two biggest issues that he mentioned over and over were illegal immigration and that boys are not girls.
In fact, he spent a great deal of time on the basic proposition that boys are not girls.
I have friends who are Democrats, and I keep asking them the same question: “You know you lost the last election. You didn&#8217;t get totally blown out. Republicans only have a very slim majority in the House, a very slim majority in the Senate. President Trump won all the swing states. But it&#8217;s not as though he won 360 electoral votes. He didn&#8217;t win a 49-state landslide. So why do you guys keep holding onto an issue in which you prove that you are insane? You guys keep saying the trans issue is a small issue. So why do you keep talking?” 
When you pick an issue and say a totally loony thing about that issue, it implicates your views on all the other issues. Imagine if I am interviewing to be your accountant, and we have a great interview. But then I very seriously drop the idea that birds are not real, that birds are mythical creatures or actually all robots, even if for only 30 seconds out of our two-hour interview, are you hiring me? The answer, of course, is no, because you now know that I&#8217;m insane.
If Democrats choose to take the insane side of what is a clear issue, then they are going to lose. President Trump knows that, and he hammered it time and time again last night.
When President Trump came into the chamber, Republicans were ecstatic — because America is back. The feeling in the room on the Right side of the aisle was absolute enthusiasm. “We&#8217;re back baby, we&#8217;re going to do this thing.” And on the Left side of the aisle, it looked as though everyone had just taken a cyanide pill.
Early in the speech, Trump did something brilliant. He said he is not going to play the game where the cameras pan back to see one side of the chamber standing and one side sitting, leaving the implication the president is just too divisive. From the onset, he said his intent was to point out that nothing he does or says will ever get these people clapping.
He took the bat right out of their hands. He double-dog-dared Democrats not to clap. He was saying, “I&#8217;m going to say a bunch of super-populist stuff right now and watch: Democrats won’t even clap. And that&#8217;s why you can’t vote for them in the future. That&#8217;s why they don&#8217;t deserve power.” A very smart move from the president of the United States.
There were extraordinarily warm moments; he held up an executive order in the middle of the speech establishing and renaming a park in honor of a young girl who was killed by illegal immigrants. He called out somebody in the audience who had just received an acceptance to West Point.
This was President Trump taking it to the next level, a move he is quite good at.
Then, there was the comedy portion of the speech, when Trump started listing the projects where millions of dollars have been wasted. Trump is just an amazing performer. He has comedic timing, which is an unteachable skill. You’ve either got that, or you don&#8217;t.
President Trump announced that we had captured an ISIS terrorist who was responsible for the Abbey Gate massacre in which 13 American servicemembers were murdered.
And Democrats sat on their hands.
He made a 13-year-old boy, who has suffered from brain cancer, an honorary member of the Secret Service.
And Democrats sat on their hands.
This is Americana multiplied by a million, and the Democrats sat on their hands looking like they were sucking on lemons.
Aside from any moral and empathetic level, but on a mere pragmatic level, a politically pragmatic level, what were they thinking? Do they like the split-screen of them sitting on their hands?
When people look back on this historical era and wonder how President Trump was reelected, they will have to understand that he was a unique political figure, a colossus striding the American political scene.
There&#8217;s just no other way to see it.
The closing of the speech was one of the best closings of any of his speeches. He <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/us/politics/transcript-trump-speech-congress.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>: 
<blockquote>We stand on the shoulders of these pioneers who built the modern age. These workers who were there swept into the skylines of our cities, these warriors who shed their blood on fields of battle, gave everything they had for our rights and for our freedom.
Now it is our time to take up the righteous cause of American liberty. And it’s our turn to take America’s destiny into our own hands and begin the most thrilling days in the history of our country. This will be our greatest era; with God’s help over the next four years, we are going to lead this nation even higher, and we are going to forge the freest, most advanced, most dynamic and most dominant civilization ever to exist on the face of this Earth. </blockquote>
A truly historic and unforgettable speech.

Donald Trump Delivers Joint Address To Congress

Trump’s Home Run State Of The Union

Congress

Democrats

Donald Trump

Mike Johnson

Opinion

President Trump

Republicans

State of the Union

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Senate

Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, on fire after President Donald Trump&#8217;s address to Congress on Tuesday night, lambasted the Democrats for their refusal to stand and applaud, with one exception.
&#8220;Tonight was incredible. This is the fifth State of the Union address I’ve seen Trump give; it was by far his best,&#8221; Cruz told Fox News&#8217;s Sean Hannity. &#8220;We’re just over a month into it, and he had a litany of victories that we’ve already won, one after the other after the other. I thought he was joyful. I thought he was forward-looking. I thought he had the promise of America front and center.&#8221;
Then, Cruz segued to the Democrats and their hostile response: &#8220;And I gotta say the contrast — I have never seen such a disgraceful display as the Democrats put on. I’ve been to 13 State of the Union addresses altogether since I’ve been in the Senate; I’ve been to every one; I’ve never missed one.&#8221;
&#8220;It started from the moment he walked in and was introduced, the President of the United States,&#8221; he elaborated. &#8220;Not a single Democrat stood, not a single Democrat applauded. Not one. I’ve never seen that happen.&#8221;
&#8220;Every time Joe Biden walked into that chamber and they introduced him as president of the United States, I stood my butt up and I clapped,&#8221; he recalled. &#8220;Every time Barack Obama walked in, I stood up and clapped. Even when I couldn’t stand their policies, even when I was horrified at what they were doing, I respect the office of President of the United States and I respect the American people.&#8221;
&#8220;The contempt those Democrats had; they wouldn’t stand, as you noted, for the mom of Jocelyn Nungaray,&#8221; he said, referring to the 12-year-old girl allegedly murdered by illegal immigrants. &#8220;They wouldn’t stand for Laken Riley‘s family; they wouldn’t stand for the 13-year-old kid who survived brain cancer; they didn’t stand for the young man whose father was a slain police officer who Trump admitted to West Point in the middle of the speech. They wouldn’t stand for him. Even the Joint Chiefs applauded the kid going to West Point.&#8221;
&#8220;There was one thing the entire night they applauded for: that we sent hundreds of billions of dollars to Ukraine. And they all stood and cheered that we sent money to Ukraine, but they will not applaud for America,&#8221; he concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrats wouldn&#39;t clap for the families of Jocelyn Nungaray, Laken Riley, the 13-year-old boy with brain cancer, or the kid of a fallen police officer. 
In all 13 State of the Unions I&#39;ve attended, I have never seen such a disgraceful display from the Democrats. <a href="https://t.co/jZlDGQYYZX">pic.twitter.com/jZlDGQYYZX</a>
&mdash; Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1897153153617027347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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First Lady Melania Trump Joins Roundtable Discussion On “Take It Down Act”

‘I Have Never Seen Such A Disgraceful Display’: Cruz Rips Dems Hostile Reaction To Trump’s Speech

Politics

Ted Cruz

President Donald Trump honored Devarjay “DJ” Daniel on Tuesday by making him an honorary Secret Service agent during his address to a joint session of Congress.
Daniel, who was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of six and has undergone more than a dozen surgeries since, has always dreamed of being a police officer — and was <a href="https://www.westernmassnews.com/2024/10/26/12-year-old-boy-with-terminal-brain-cancer-sworn-honorary-deputy-chief/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously sworn in</a> as an honorary Deputy Chief by a number of law enforcement agencies including the Birmingham Police Department.
WATCH:
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Hands down the best part of the night 🥹 <a href="https://t.co/Z9IjvlXk2r">pic.twitter.com/Z9IjvlXk2r</a>
&mdash; Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1897131165380993342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Tonight, DJ, we&#8217;re going to do you the biggest honor of them all,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;I am asking our new Secret Service Director Sean Curran to make you an agent of the United States Secret Service.&#8221;
Daniel&#8217;s eyes grew wide as he realized what was going on, and after accepting his new badge from Curran, he leaned over to hug the Secret Service director.
&#8220;Honorary Secret Service, with a badge and everything. This is awesome. His surprised sweet face,&#8221; radio host Dana Loesch posted in reaction to the moment.
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Honorary Secret Service, with a badge and everything. This is awesome. His surprised sweet face.
&mdash; Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) <a href="https://twitter.com/DLoesch/status/1897127153864728945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This is the first time I can remember crying during a state of the union. Thank you President Trump. This is so beautiful,&#8221; Meghan McCain — whose father, the late Senator John McCain, died of brain cancer — posted. &#8220;Anyone who has been impacted by brain cancer knows how special this is.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is the first time I can remember crying during a state of the union. Thank you President Trump. This is so beautiful. 
Anyone who has been impacted by brain cancer knows how special this is.
&mdash; Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeghanMcCain/status/1897127251445154235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;President @RealDonaldTrump just appointed a child with brain cancer whose dream is to become a police officer as an official Secret Service agent. THIS SPEECH ROCKS!!!&#8221; Jason Howerton added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> just appointed a child with brain cancer whose dream is to become a police officer as an official Secret Service agent.
THIS SPEECH ROCKS!!! 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/pMCmIsA1lM">pic.twitter.com/pMCmIsA1lM</a>
&mdash; Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) <a href="https://twitter.com/jason_howerton/status/1897127685220094022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer posted, &#8220;If the Ds can’t clap for a beautiful 13-year old boy who wants to become a cop, there’s something really wrong with them.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
If the Ds can’t clap for a beautiful 13-year old boy who wants to become a cop, there’s something really wrong with them.
&mdash; Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) <a href="https://twitter.com/AriFleischer/status/1897127285456863695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Y&#8217;all I&#8217;m gonna cry over Stephanie Diller and the littlest Secret Service agent,&#8221; Mary Katharine Ham said.
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Y&#39;all I&#39;m gonna cry over Stephanie Diller and the littlest Secret Service agent.
&mdash; Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkhammer/status/1897127215592345875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Daniel then turned to congratulate another guest, Jason Hartley — whose late father was a sheriff&#8217;s deputy — after Trump announced that he&#8217;d been admitted to West Point.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
DJ Daniel high-fiving Jason Hartley on his admission into West Point is perfect <a href="https://t.co/Ctw2yPYGjz">pic.twitter.com/Ctw2yPYGjz</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1897130782071701567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CONGRESS

Trump Honors 13-Year-Old Brain Cancer Survivor, Makes Him Honorary Secret Service Agent

Trump Honors Brain Cancer Survivor, Makes Him Honorary Secret Service Agent

Cancer

Secret Service

U.S.

WASHINGTON—Donald Trump doesn’t deliver a conventional speech, and he’s explained why.
&#8220;If you just read a teleprompter, nobody’s going to be very excited,” Trump explained to Joe Rogan. “You’ve got to weave it out, otherwise, it’s no good.”
The “weave,” as Trump calls it, is the president’s way of jumping from topic to topic in what may seem to the uninitiated as rambling. In reality, Trump says, it’s all artfully strung together to capture the audience and comes together at the end in a strong statement. And on a night like tonight, when Trump is expected to touch on topics ranging from negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine to his stand against transgenderism, it’s a valuable talent to have. 
Whether it’s the weave or his other unconventional tactics, there’s no doubt that Trump’s rhetorical style is unlike anything we’ve seen in the White House in decades. According to Matthew Continetti, Trump is the “most effective presidential communicator” that most Americans have ever seen. 
&#8220;I think in many Americans&#8217; lifetimes, he&#8217;s the most effective presidential communicator,” said Continetti, author of The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism and director of Domestic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. “When he&#8217;s in these big moments, he always delivers a very commanding performance.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_886991" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-886991" class="size-large wp-image-886991" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1204082840-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)</div>
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told The Daily Wire that Trump views his big speeches as a sort of focus group, listening carefully to see how his audiences respond to messaging, constantly improving and testing out his ideas and language.
“People consistently forget he spent 13 years doing commercial television on The Apprentice,” Gingrich said. “He knows a great deal about how to communicate. Probably as much as any president in American history. And he understands that whatever he thinks, he has to say it in a way that you can hear it and you can understand it, or it doesn&#8217;t work.&#8221;
“If he wants to educate you,” Gingrich added, “he&#8217;s got to keep you entertained.”
Daily Wire host Michael Knowles, however, says it’s more than just entertainment — he says Trump is a serious orator.
“President Trump commands the English language more effectively than any politician in my lifetime,” Knowles said. “In speeches and insults alike, Trump consistently employs poetic diction — to borrow a phrase from Barfield — and the lessons taught by Orwell in ‘Politics and the English Language.’ Trump’s opponents mock his word choice, but Trump’s sturdy, Saxon rhetoric reveals he really does know &#8216;the best words.&#8217;”
Trump will have to draw on all those rhetorical gifts Tuesday, as he delivers what is essentially the first State of the Union address of his second term. Trump<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/must-see-tv-heres-what-to-expect-from-president-trumps-joint-address-to-congress"> will begin</a> by outlining what his administration has accomplished thus far, the White House said Monday, before outlining his plans to fix the economy, end the illegal immigration crisis, and resolve global conflicts.
As with an official State of the Union, Trump will be speaking directly to lawmakers, Supreme Court justices, and other luminaries. But he’ll also be addressing the millions of Americans who view the speech.
The latter audience is who matters most to Trump, according to former White House speechwriter Mary Kate Cary.
“We&#8217;ve seen presidents do this before, where the reaction in the room isn&#8217;t that great, but outside the room, whether it&#8217;s the press corps or social media, is far bigger and far more reactive to what he&#8217;s saying,” said Cary, who worked for President George H.W. Bush. “Depending on what the topic is tonight. It could be to his advantage in a lot of ways to figure out how to play one audience differently than the other audience.” 
Gingrich had a similar take, noting that the president has a &#8220;very deep feel for the audience.” He also predicted that if Democrats attempt to disrupt the speech — as they have done in years past, and are <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/04/trump-congress-address-democrats-disrupt-plan">reportedly</a> planning to do again — Trump will likely already have things to say and ways to &#8220;dominate the scene.”
“If you&#8217;re the president, you have huge advantages in a setting like that,&#8221; Gingrich said.
What kind of speech Trump gives Tuesday may come largely down to whether or not he sticks to the script. As Cary noted, Trump’s speechwriters “have a very different job than typical presidential speechwriters because he&#8217;s not a career politician, and yet he is very good at keeping his finger on the pulse of what&#8217;s going on in America.”
To Cary, Trump’s “off the cuff” rallies are even more effective than his formal speeches. She pointed to some high-profile Trump moments from the election cycle as examples of how impactful the president’s actions are, even when he’s not delivering remarks: Trump shaking his fist after an assassination attempt and urging the crowd to “fight, fight, fight,” or the memorable garbage truck appearance in the neon vest.
“Those were not highly-wordsmithed, oratorical moments,” she noted.
Continetti suggests that Trump&#8217;s speechwriters have adjusted to the president&#8217;s speaking habits over the past decade, giving him more room to weave when he pleases. But Trump largely stuck to the script in February 2020, when he delivered the State of the Union address of his first term. He mostly highlighted his administration&#8217;s accomplishments and stressed the extraordinary opportunity to be found in the United States.
&#8220;America is the place where anything can happen,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;America is the place where anyone can rise.  And here, on this land, on this soil, on this continent, the most incredible dreams come true.” 
But though he was scripted, Trump still managed to stir the crowd, particularly in an emotional and memorable moment when he honored Rush Limbaugh, who died a year later, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“This nation is our canvas, and this country is our masterpiece,” Trump said.“We look at tomorrow and see unlimited frontiers just waiting to be explored. Our brightest discoveries are not yet known.  Our most thrilling stories are not yet told. Our grandest journeys are not yet made.  The American Age, the American Epic, the American adventure has only just begun.&#8221;
“It would be difficult for Trump to improve upon” that address, said Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of The Federalist. Hemingway pointed to that address as evidence that Trump  “has always been understood better by average Americans than Washington elites.” That’s why, Hemingway noted, &#8220;Pelosi tore up that speech and Democrats seethed in response to it.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_886989" style="width: 809px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-886989" class="size-large wp-image-886989" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1198673622-799x576.jpg" alt="" width="799" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1198673622-799x576.jpg 799w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1198673622-300x216.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1198673622-768x554.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1198673622-1536x1108.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-1198673622-2048x1477.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px" />(Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts echoed Hemingway’s point, telling The Daily Wire that “the elites fixate on President Trump’s rhetoric because they’re terrified of his results.”
“He’s delivering,” Roberts said, “securing the border, crushing wokeness, and putting America First.”
“Trump’s rhetoric resonates with everyday Americans because he’s fighting for their interests.”
It may not resonate with some members of his immediate audience. Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/04/trump-congress-address-democrats-disrupt-plan">reports</a> that Democrats may walk out if Trump defends children against transgender procedures or other hot button topics. Some members may even bring noise makers and empty egg cartons as props. 
“It’ll be interesting to see how Trump reacts to that,” Cary said, recalling how Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) stood up at the last State of the Union and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/laken-riley-biden-speech-immigration-d756dbe1c499c6fd0fc53be04290b371">called upon</a> former President Joe Biden to say the name of Laken Riley, a young woman murdered by an illegal immigrant.
Biden did “say her name,” though he mispronounced it, drawing even more fiery criticism.
Gingrich said that a potential Trump response to Democrat disturbance depends on “whether they’re just totally obnoxious or not.” 
“Reagan was very good at this. There are ways you can turn and you can pose questions to them,” he said. “If [Trump] wants to, he can do that, and again, he has the advantage…I think the burden is on Speaker Johnson to just remove them from the room.”
Though Continetti suspects Trump will stick to his script tonight, he also notes that the president’s not scheduled to depart the Capitol until around 11:30 p.m., two and a half hours after his speech is expected to begin.
“That&#8217;s plenty of time for a weave-like speech,&#8221; he said.

Art Of The Weave: Why Trump Is The ‘Most Effective Presidential Communicator’ In A Generation

Michael Knowles

Newt Gingrich

speech

Former female volleyball player Payton McNabb, who was injured by a trans-identifying player, has been named as one of the special guests who will attend President Donald Trump’s joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
“Payton is a former high school athlete who had her dreams of competing in college sports crushed in a September 2022 volleyball match when a biological man playing on the opposing women’s team spiked the volleyball at Payton’s face, leaving her with a traumatic brain injury,” a press release from the Office of the First Lady read.
“Payton joined with the Independent Women’s Forum and has made it her mission to put an end to this brutal unfairness,” it added.
McNabb shared the news on <a href="https://x.com/paytonmcnabb_/status/1896942436586516624">X</a> and wrote, it’s “an incredible honor to be a guest of @POTUS and @MELANIATRUMP for the State of the Union. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to be present and to have my story recognized as part of the fight to protect women’s sports. Thank you for giving a voice to this issue!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Such an incredible honor to be a guest of <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MELANIATRUMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELANIATRUMP</a> for the State of the Union. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to be present and to have my story recognized as part of the fight to protect women’s sports.
Thank you for giving a voice to this issue!!!
— Payton McNabb (@paytonmcnabb_) <a href="https://twitter.com/paytonmcnabb_/status/1896942436586516624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
The former high school athlete is a vocal advocate for keeping trans-identifying males out of female sports. She previously said she hopes that by speaking up, she can prevent another tragedy like hers from happening again.
In a recent <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/17/us-news/female-athlete-permanently-hurt-by-trans-athlete-speaks-out/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">documentary</a> titled, “Kill Shot: How Payton McNabb Turned Tragedy Into Triumph” — created by the Independent Women’s Forum — filmmakers share what happened to McNabb when she was 17 after a trans-identifying player spiked a volleyball at her head, knocking her unconscious.
While the other players on her team finished the game, McNabb was rushed to the hospital with a concussion, a neck injury, and two black eyes.
“If my story can in any way help prevent this from happening to at least just one woman or girl, then it was all worth it,” McNabb said about the documentary. “It was 100% avoidable, if only my rights as a female athlete had been more important than a man’s feelings.”
McNabb, who had dreams of playing college softball, ended up being diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, partial paralysis, a brain bleed, and loss of peripheral vision on her right side. She also suffers from severe headaches, confusion, and memory loss.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-still-suffer-high-school-volleyball-star-spiked-in-face-by-trans-player-describes-her-horrific-injuries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘I Still Suffer’: High School Volleyball Star Spiked In Face By Trans Player Describes Her Horrific Injuries</a>

Teenage volleyball player prepares to serve…

Volleyball Player Injured By Trans-Identifying Player To Be Guest At Trump’s Joint Address

Melania Trump

Payton McNabb

Sports

Transgender

Women's sports

White House special envoy Steve Witkoff said over the weekend that a deal is close to being made where the United States will secure mineral rights in Ukraine in exchange for continued security assistance.
Witkoff made the remarks during a Sunday CNN interview on &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; with host Jake Tapper.
He said that the blank checks that the Biden administration was giving to Ukraine are over, especially in light of the deals that other European countries had in place.
&#8220;The president came into office and, lo and behold, what did he find out? That we are the majority share of the aid to Ukraine, so we&#8217;re funding it, and we were funding it with no arrangement to pay it back,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Alternatively, the Europeans, who were most affected by this war, were funding the minority share, and they had agreements to pay it back.&#8221;
&#8220;So, as is typical of the president — he&#8217;s very, very sensible,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;He said to himself, that makes no sense to me. Why would the American public, taxpayers here, be funding the majority share, not get anything back, the Europeans funding the minority share, they get everything back?&#8221;
&#8220;So this agreement is much about repayment for all that we have done on behalf of the Ukrainian people,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And that&#8217;s the way the president sees it. I expect to see a deal signed this week. You saw President Zelenskyy waver in his commitment towards that a week ago. The president sent a message to him. He&#8217;s not wavering anymore.&#8221;
He added that he believes that an agreement will be signed this week between the two countries.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on a rare earth minerals agreement with Ukraine: &#8220;I expect to see a deal signed this week.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/61e1Q8qfvT">pic.twitter.com/61e1Q8qfvT</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1893670753574256879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote>

Key Speakers At The FII Priority Summit

Witkoff: U.S. And Ukraine Expected To Sign Deal This Week

Ukraine

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said during an interview over the weekend that the Biden-Harris administration, by not backing Israel more following the October 7 terrorist attack, have caused the war against Hamas in Gaza to last longer and more people, including hostages, to die.
Cotton made the remarks during a Sunday interview on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union&#8221; with Jake Tapper while discussing Israel&#8217;s recent strikes against the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon last week.
The Biden-Harris administration is &#8220;not giving them the political and diplomatic support that they needed from the very beginning,&#8221; Cotton said. &#8220;Rather than trying to put constant pressure on Israel, more pressure than we put on Iran and its terrorist networks, if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would simply adopt a policy to let Israel win and back them to the hilt, the war on Hamas probably would have ended a long time ago.&#8221;
&#8220;Earlier this year, there was a de facto partial arms embargo on Israel, not just the 2,000-pound bombs, which they do need to hit Hamas in its deep and buried tunnels, but mortar rounds and artillery shells and small-arms ammunition. Now they even have a tractor embargo in Israel,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;So Israeli soldiers are going to be exposed to minefields that can&#8217;t be cleared because the Biden and Harris administration wants to allow them to get access to the tractors and the bulldozers they need to clear those minefields.&#8221;
He said that the administration&#8217;s policies have not only &#8220;had the effect of prolonging the fighting,&#8221; but they&#8217;ve also likely resulted in more hostages being murdered by Hamas.
&#8220;If the Biden-Harris administration had backed Israel from the beginning, not only would this war likely have already ended with fewer civilian casualties, but we would have gotten more hostages out earlier and alive,&#8221; he said. &#8220;What Hamas is doing, though, is continually moving the goalposts on any kind of hostage exchange for duly convicted terrorists that Hamas wants back. And the Biden-Harris administration keeps allowing them to move the goalposts.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="GOP senator responds to Trump saying Jewish voters partly to blame if he loses" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TmHtA6ufHBE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Sen. Tom Cotton

Cotton: Biden-Harris Admin Caused Gaza War To Last Longer, Most Hostages To Die

Jake Tapper

Tom Cotton

The White House reportedly denied allegations that President Joe Biden took drugs to perk up ahead of his State of the Union speech earlier this year.
White House Spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement over the weekend that Republican officials who question Biden’s SOTU performance were mistaking drug use with “confidence,” according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/playbook">POLITICO</a>. Republicans in recent days have called for Biden to submit to a drug test ahead of a debate with former president Donald Trump, often citing the president’s “surreal” SOTU address.
“It’s telling that Republican officials are unable to stop announcing how intimidated they remain by [the] President’s State of the Union performance,” Bates said. “But after losing every public and private negotiation with President Biden — and after seeing him succeed where they failed across the board, ranging from actually rebuilding America’s infrastructure to actually reducing violent crime to actually outcompeting China — it tracks that those same Republican officials mistake confidence for a drug.”
For the past week, multiple prominent Republicans have pointed to the president’s SOTU performance as evidence that Biden, 81, potentially used substances to increase his energy ahead of the major event. Republicans have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-say-biden-should-be-tested-for-artificial-stimulation-before-debate">floated</a> the idea that the president could use substances ahead of a debate with Trump.
When Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) was asked on Fox News over the weekend if Biden should submit a drug test before the debate, Scott <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-say-biden-should-be-tested-for-artificial-stimulation-before-debate">responded</a>: “Why not?”
“The truth of the matter is if you saw the State of the Union and you watched that performance, it was surreal. There was something going on, and if we could find the truth of what it was, we’re all better off,” Scott said. “If it takes artificial stimulation to make the President of the United States perform, how often can he do that?”
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Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) raised concerns that mental impairment could hamper Biden’s ability to perform presidential duties.
“We’re talking about someone who has the ability to launch nukes,” Luna <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-say-biden-should-be-tested-for-artificial-stimulation-before-debate">said</a>.
At a rally last week, Trump said Biden looked “high as a kite” the night of the State of the Union address.
“I just want to debate this guy … and I’m going to demand a drug test too, by the way,” Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-will-demand-biden-take-a-drug-test-before-debate-he-was-high-as-a-kite-during-sotu">said</a>. “I am. No, I really am.”
“I don’t want him coming in like the State of the Union. He was high as a kite,” he continued. “I said is that Joe up there? … And by the end of the evening … he was exhausted, right? No, we’re going to demand a drug test.”

Joe Biden

White House Denies Biden Used Drugs Before SOTU, Says POTUS Was High On ‘Confidence’

Elections

Executive

White House

Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb dropped charges against Steve Nikoui, a Gold Star father who was arrested for disrupting President Joe Biden&#8217;s State of the Union Address, after a significant backlash, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/dc-attorney-general-drops-charges-against-steve-nikoui-disruption-congress-during-sotu-speech">reported</a> Tuesday.
Both the Speaker&#8217;s Office and the D.C. AG&#8217;s office confirmed to Fox News that the charges had been dropped. The AG&#8217;s office told the outlet that its decision to not move forward with the charges was typical when dealing with protesters.
Nikoui was detained after he shouted &#8220;Abbey Gate! Kareem Nikoui! Second Battalion, First Marines!&#8221; as Biden spoke about murder rates in his annual address. Authorities led Nikoui from the chamber and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/arrested-gold-star-dad-doesnt-regret-sotu-outburst-dont-think-i-dishonored-my-son">charged him</a> with a misdemeanor for “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” during a protest — a charge that carries a fine of up to $500 and 90 days in prison.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The guy who heckled Biden from the upper seating area shouted &#8220;United States Marines;&#8221; perhaps in reference to the 13 Marines the President killed with his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. <a href="https://t.co/n3OPgvVdtZ">pic.twitter.com/n3OPgvVdtZ</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1765941809077788971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Nikoui&#8217;s son Kareem was one of 13 members of the U.S. military <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/21/us/california-mother-loses-two-sons/index.html">killed</a> in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport during the Biden administration&#8217;s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. At least 170 civilians were also killed in that attack.
“I don’t think I disrespected anyone,” Nikoui said in an interview with Morning Wire. “I don’t think I dishonored my son.”
Nikoui blames the Biden administration for his son’s death, explaining that, “They were told to leave 2,500 troops there. 2,000 troops could have manned Bagram and then 500 extra to help. And that was in place in the agreement. But [Biden] took it to something like 136 troops. If they would have followed Trump’s agreement, my son would be alive.”
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) <a href="https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/issa-calls-capitol-police-drop-all-charges-against-gold-star-parent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent a letter</a> to Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger on Monday arguing that the charges against him should be dropped.
“Mr. Nikoui’s arrest for emotionally expressing his grief and seeking acknowledgment for his son’s sacrifice during the State of the Union – where he called out, ‘Abbey Gate! Kareem Nikoui! Second Battalion, First Marines!’ – highlighted a profound disconnect between the sacrifices made by our service members and the recognition they deserve,” Issa <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/arrested-gold-star-dad-doesnt-regret-sotu-outburst-dont-think-i-dishonored-my-son">said</a>.
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“Though he interrupted the event, what Mr. Nikoui voiced out loud was a cry for the acknowledgment of the loss endured by the families of the 13 who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country,” he added.
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this report.

President Biden Delivers State Of The Union Address

Charges Dropped Against Gold Star Father Who Shouted At Biden During SOTU Address

Charges against a Gold Star father <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-removed-from-sotu-for-shouting-united-states-marines-at-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested for disrupting</a> President Joe Biden&#8217;s State of the Union address this month should be dropped, according to a House Republican.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) <a href="https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/issa-calls-capitol-police-drop-all-charges-against-gold-star-parent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent a letter</a> to Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger on Monday offering a defense of Steve Nikoui speaking out for his late son Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, who was one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the 2021 Kabul airport attack.
&#8220;Mr. Nikoui&#8217;s arrest for emotionally expressing his grief and seeking acknowledgment for his son&#8217;s sacrifice during the State of the Union – where he called out, &#8216;Abbey Gate! Kareem Nikoui! Second Battalion, First Marines!&#8217; – highlighted a profound disconnect between the sacrifices made by our service members and the recognition they deserve,&#8221; Issa said.
&#8220;Though he interrupted the event, what Mr. Nikoui voiced out loud was a cry for the acknowledgment of the loss endured by the families of the 13 who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country,&#8221; he added.
The elder Nikoui, who was a <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBrianMast/status/1765982360913215535" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guest</a> of Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), shouted as Biden spoke about murder rates during his address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, causing the president to momentarily pause.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The guy who heckled Biden from the upper seating area shouted &quot;United States Marines;&quot; perhaps in reference to the 13 Marines the President killed with his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. <a href="https://t.co/n3OPgvVdtZ">pic.twitter.com/n3OPgvVdtZ</a>
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1765941809077788971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After leaving the chamber at the order of law enforcement, Nikoui was briefly <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewFoldi/status/1765975558121205917" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detained</a> and charged with a misdemeanor for “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” during a protest — a charge that carries a fine of up to $500 and 90 days in prison, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/arrested-gold-star-dad-doesnt-regret-sotu-outburst-dont-think-i-dishonored-my-son" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
Nikoui said in an interview for the <a href="https://twitter.com/megbasham/status/1767182264213852284" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morning Wire podcast</a> that he blames the Biden administration for his son&#8217;s death that happened as U.S. troops were being hastily withdrawn from Afghanistan and indicated that he does not regret speaking up during Biden&#8217;s speech.
&#8220;I don’t think I disrespected anyone,” Nikoui said. “I don’t think I dishonored my son.&#8221;
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Issa said he had the &#8220;honor&#8221; of getting to know Nikoui over the past year and held a <a href="https://issa.house.gov/media/press-releases/issa-holds-first-ever-congressional-forum-gold-star-families-13-servicemembers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public forum</a> in August that included an impact statement from Nikoui and others. The congressman also noted that the Nikoui family suffered another loss a year after the airport bombing &#8220;when Kareem&#8217;s grieving brother took his own life.&#8221;
Steve Nikoui is a &#8220;man of kindness and integrity,&#8221; said Issa, adding that his &#8220;actions are driven by an unwavering love of country and a deep commitment to honoring the memory and sacrifices of his son and the other fallen heroes of the Abbey Gate.&#8221;
The letter, which was first <a href="https://townhall.com/tipsheet/matthew-foldi/2024/03/19/issa-nikoui-letter-n2636695" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by Townhall, ended with Issa urging Manger to drop the charges against the elder Nikoui.
&#8220;I implore you to review this situation carefully, taking into consideration his profound loss, the context of his actions, and the apparently disproportionate punishment sought for him — but not for others who have similarly disrupted the State of the Union address,&#8221; Issa said. &#8220;I am confident you will find him to be an upstanding citizen filled with love for his nation, integrity, and honor.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;You have the authority not to proceed in this matter. I hope you will decide to drop the charges against Mr. Nikoui.&#8221;

Steve Nikoui

House Republican Calls For Charges Against Gold Star Dad To Be Dropped

Afghanistan

Gold Star

House Republicans

Steve Nikoui, the Gold Star father <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-removed-from-sotu-for-shouting-united-states-marines-at-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested Thursday night</a> for disrupting President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, tells The Daily Wire his only goal was to get Biden to acknowledge his son and 12 other service members who were killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Nikoui said he struggled with the decision over whether or not to even attend the speech as a guest of Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), who had invited him because Nikoui’s son, U.S. Marine Kareem Nikoui, was one of thirteen troops killed when a terrorist set off a bomb at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai International Airport.
“It was an awkward dynamic,” he says of his attendance at the speech. “I wanted to go, but I also didn&#8217;t want to go. And when I was there, seeing the theatrics, the circus … it just got to me.” 
LISTEN: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire/biden-s-apology-fallout-gold-star-dad-arrested-3-11-24">A Gold Star Father Is Arrested After Disrupting The State Of The Union Address</a>
So when the president said Thursday that “America is safer today than when I took office,” Nikoui recalled thinking, “Do you remember that my kid was not safe?” And that’s when he stood and shouted his son’s name and asked the president, “Do you remember Abbey Gate? U.S Marines?”
He then peacefully exited at the order of Capitol police. Once outside the chamber, the grieving father was placed in handcuffs and charged with a misdemeanor for “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding&#8221; during a protest — a charge that carries a fine of up to $500 and 90 days in prison. 
In a conversation that lasted more than an hour on Zoom, Nikoui presents himself as a typical dad on a typical weekend. He has no talking points or artful phrases, and he frequently digresses and loses himself in a memory before returning to an initial train of thought. He says he surprised himself as much as anyone when he found himself on his feet, interjecting from the balcony during the president’s speech.
Nikoui tells The Daily Wire he has the highest respect for the office of the presidency. But he was deeply offended during the 2022 State of the Union address when Biden brought up Afghanistan and, instead of honoring the sacrifices of the 13 KIA service members, immediately pivoted to talking about his own son, Beau, and climate change.
“I remember I watched for like 56 minutes,” he recalls, his voice cracking a bit with emotion. “And then finally [Biden] brings up Afghanistan. But he never said my kid&#8217;s name, you know? I didn’t even need him to say he made a mistake or take blame. I just wanted him to say, ‘The United States will never forget the brave service of Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover…’ and then go on down the list of the other 12. Just say, ‘We will never forget.’ That’s all he had to do. But he didn&#8217;t do that. Instead, he beelined for, ‘My son Beau died of cancer, and that&#8217;s why I think the existential threat to our military is the burning of diesel fuel in burning pits. Because I think that&#8217;s how Beau got his cancer.’ I just started crying.”
Nikoui has often since wondered why those closest to Biden — his wife and his other son, Hunter Biden — haven’t encouraged him to show more honor to parents who have lost their children in Afghanistan: “Why isn’t his wife isn&#8217;t saying, ‘Honey, you lost your own son when he was in the military. Say their names?&#8217; Why isn&#8217;t Hunter saying that?” 
His arrest has shocked people on both sides of the aisle, including Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips (MN). “As a Gold Star Son myself, I can only imagine the pain he has felt since losing his son in Afghanistan,” Phillips <a href="https://x.com/deanbphillips/status/1766139911839568365?s=20">posted</a> on X. “No one should interrupt a State of the Union Address, but if Marjorie Taylor Greene wasn’t arrested for her outbursts, why should he [be]?”
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Nikoui blames the Biden administration for his son’s death. 
“They were told to leave 2,500 troops there. 2,000 troops could have manned Bagram and then 500 extra to help. And that was in place in the agreement,” he explained, referencing a withdrawal agreement made by former President Donald Trump. “But [Biden] took it to something like 136 troops. If they would have followed Trump’s agreement, my son would be alive.”
“That&#8217;s what America doesn&#8217;t know,” Nikoui said. &#8220;That [Biden] actually didn&#8217;t follow the agreement.”
At a number of points during a lengthy conversation on Zoom, Nikoui pauses, however, to explain how important his Christian faith is to him, and how it compels him to forgive. 
“Even if Biden is the man who I believe killed my kid, for lack of a better phrase, my religion commands me that I have to forgive him,” he says. 
But still, he would like to see the administration held accountable for what he believes were serious errors in judgment that left U.S. troops in Afghanistan vulnerable. And for that reason, no matter what happens with his misdemeanor charge, he doesn’t regret speaking up.
“I don&#8217;t think I disrespected anyone,” he tells me before taking a deep breath, struggling to speak without breaking down. “I don&#8217;t think I dishonored my son.”

Arrested Gold Star Dad Doesn’t Regret SOTU Outburst: ‘Don’t Think I Dishonored My Son.’

A CNN <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24466106-cnn-2024-sotu-reaction-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> examining President Joe Biden&#8217;s State of the Union address contains warning signs for the commander-in-chief.
The White House <a href="https://twitter.com/WHCommsDir/status/1766121857659367827" target="_blank" rel="noopener">touted</a> the top-line finding that up to 65% of respondents had a net positive overall reaction to the speech. Allies also pointed to a <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerHackett/status/1766078115476861150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">17-point jump</a> in viewers&#8217; confidence that Biden&#8217;s policies would move the country in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN: More than 6 in 10 Americans who watched President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address had a positive reaction to the speech, according to a CNN Poll conducted by SSRS, with a smaller 35% reacting very positively. <a href="https://t.co/jfJTireLh5">https://t.co/jfJTireLh5</a>
&mdash; Ben LaBolt (@WHCommsDir) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHCommsDir/status/1766121857659367827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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But beyond the top-line findings, journalists and pundits said the data also raised red flags, particularly when compared to surveys of the reaction to past State of the Union speeches over the past few decades.
&#8220;Actually lower than last year. But you wonder about the denominator. The modern SOTU audience is slanted towards people who like/want to hear the president, but there are more &#8216;will he collapse&#8217; rubberneckers w Biden,&#8221; Semafor reporter David Weigel <a href="https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1765964704298463433" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X.
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Actually lower than last year. But you wonder about the denominator. The modern SOTU audience is slanted towards people who like/want to hear the president, but there are more &quot;will he collapse&quot; rubberneckers w Biden <a href="https://t.co/3ZpHZ1KbxG">https://t.co/3ZpHZ1KbxG</a> <a href="https://t.co/zoEQcadNVH">https://t.co/zoEQcadNVH</a>
&mdash; David Weigel (@daveweigel) <a href="https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1765964704298463433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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He was reacting to early numbers from SSRS, an independent research company that conducted the poll for CNN, showing Biden getting 64% overall positive reaction to the address.
Ben Domenech, editor at large of The Spectator World, posted statistics comparing the positive versus negative net reactions to all four of Biden&#8217;s addresses to a joint session of Congress since taking office. They showed a consistent downtrend from 2021 when Biden received a 78% net positive reaction.
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Positive vs Negative reax from those who watched Biden&#39;s SOTUs (SSRS for CNN):
2021 78% 22% 2022 71% 29% 2023 72% 28% 2024 65% 35%
His worst performance by far. Keep in mind viewership skews D.<a href="https://t.co/r6bnPOJ37n">https://t.co/r6bnPOJ37n</a>
&mdash; Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) <a href="https://twitter.com/bdomenech/status/1766180183965372697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;His worst performance by far. Keep in mind viewership skews D,&#8221; Domenech said in his post to X.
Washington Post reporter Aaron Blake <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/08/biden-state-of-the-union-polling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made</a> a similar point, noting in a report that State of the Union addresses &#8220;almost always receive strongly favorable views, in part because viewership tends to draw disproportionately from their allies.&#8221;
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Blake also said, &#8220;The 65 percent who had a positive view of the speech was actually lower than any such speech CNN has polled in the past quarter-century — the previous low being Donald Trump’s 2018 address (70 percent).&#8221;
He added, &#8220;And the 35 percent who offered a &#8216;very&#8217; positive review was effectively tied with Biden’s speech last year (34 percent) for the lowest on record. The next lowest were Biden’s 2022 speech and George W. Bush’s 2007 speech, which each earned &#8216;very&#8217; positive marks from 41 percent of viewers.&#8221;

President Joe Biden

Beneath The Hype For Biden’s SOTU Address, Red Flags Emerge In CNN Poll

Beneath The Hype For Biden's SOTU Address, Red Flags Emerge In CNN Poll

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