Trump to Use State of the Union to Sell Skeptical Voters on Plans

President's address likely a test run for GOP's midterm message, but economy and immigration no longer strengths

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday is expected to be a test run of the message that Republicans will give to voters in November's elections for control of the House and Senate. However, the president and his party appear vulnerable, with polls showing much of America distrusts how Trump has managed the government in his first year back in office. The Supreme Court's recent ruling against many of Trump's tariffs has also complicated his economic message.

Why it matters

Trump swept back into the White House on promises to bring down prices and restore order to immigration, but public sentiment has turned against him on both issues. The president will need to bolster his economic message amid the tariff ruling and slowing economic growth in the final months of 2025.

The details

Despite Trump's America First credo, his aggressive approach abroad over the past year has sparked concerns among some of his supporters about whether he should spend more time focusing on voters at home. The president is likely to use the speech to remind Americans of his attempts to broker peace accords in global conflicts, but he has yet to make a clear case to voters about what his actions overseas mean for their lives.

  • Trump delivered his 2020 State of the Union address.
  • In January 2026, Trump launched a surprise raid to capture Venezuela's then-leader, Nicolás Maduro, and floated the idea of using force to seize Greenland.
  • In recent weeks, as he pressures Iran, Trump has bolstered the U.S. military's presence in the Middle East.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States, who is expected to use his State of the Union address to sell skeptical midterm voters on his plans.

Joe Biden

The Democratic predecessor of Trump, whom the administration is trying to blame for the struggling economy.

Hakeem Jeffries

The House Democratic leader, who has said it is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber during Trump's address.

Al Green

A Democratic Congressman from Texas, who previously led to be removed from the chamber during a Trump State of the Union address.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson

A communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who said Trump's State of the Union will likely be a 'campaign speech' with Democrats as the villains and Republicans as the heroes.

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What they’re saying

“Watch the State of the Union. We're going to be talking about the economy. We inherited a mess.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States (The White House)

“you're going to hear a lot about the importance of bringing jobs back into our country, of reshoring manufacturing, of all these great factories that are being built.”

— JD Vance, Vice President (Fox News Channel)

“What you're going to expect is some version of a campaign speech in which the Democrats are the villains, the Republicans he likes are the heroes, and he is the savior not only of the nation but of the globe.”

— Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Communications Professor, University of Pennsylvania (N/A)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.