President Trump boldly declared “our nation is back” as he kicked off the first State of the Union address of his second term Tuesday night.
The president said that his administration has ushered in a “golden age of America.”
“Today, our border is secure. Our spirit is restored. Inflation is plummeting. Incomes are rising fast. The roaring economy is roaring like never before, and our enemies are scared. Our military and police are stacked,” Mr. Trump said. “And America is respected again, perhaps like never before.”
The theme of his speech is “America at 250: Strong, Prosperous and Respected,” a reference to the nation’s 250th anniversary this year.
Mr. Trump’s prime-time remarks come at a perilous moment for the president and his agenda.
The midterm elections are less than nine months away and could wipe away the Republican control of Congress that he’s enjoyed during his second term. That could derail his agenda and subject him to a torrent of investigations if Democrats reclaim the House.
SEE ALSO: Trump calls border ‘most secure’ in history in State of the Union speech
With the future of his ambitious plans hanging in the balance, Mr. Trump is making the case to a deeply skeptical nation that he is turning around the economy. However, polls show Mr. Trump’s popularity is at the lowest level since he returned to office last year.
Mr. Trump’s overall popularity is being dragged down by low marks on the economy. An AP-NORC poll this month found that just 39% approve of Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy, while 59% disapprove. Other polls also show Mr. Trump’s economic approval rating underwater.
To reverse that trend, Mr. Trump is leaning heavily into the economy in his speech. His economic agenda received a severe blow last week after the Supreme Court ruled he didn’t have the authority to impose a wide swath of tariffs on America’s trading partners.
The president quickly responded by imposing temporary global tariffs of 15%.
High prices for everyday goods are one of the biggest problems facing Mr. Trump in his second term. He’s also addressing the cost of utilities, healthcare, prescription drugs, food and housing.
As part of that focus on affordability, Mr. Trump is unveiling plans for lowering energy prices. He is announcing agreements with Big Tech companies aimed at mitigating artificial intelligence data centers’ impact on rising electricity prices.
SEE ALSO: Trump blames Democrats for inflation in State of the Union
Under the plan, companies would pay increased electricity costs in areas where new data centers are built.
The president also hopes to reframe the conversation over immigration after two Americans were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis last month while protesting Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown. Instead, he has focused on his administration’s success in reducing crossings at the U.S. southern border.
He has spent much of his second term focused on foreign policy, trying to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia and securing a fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
However, Mr. Trump has been quick to use force, including striking Iran’s nuclear facility and capturing the president of Venezuela, who is sitting in a New York City jail awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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