In delivering the longest State of the Union address to Congress in the modern era on Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump touted a year of recovery from what he called an immigration and economic “disaster” under the Biden administration.
Patriotism was a major theme throughout the 1 hour and 47-minute speech that included multiple call-outs to the 250th anniversary of the United States, recognition of multiple military servicemen, and the surprise awarding of two Congressional Medals of Honor.
He also dodged outbursts from some Democrats who yelled back at him during the speech while chiding them for not standing up to support his promises to stop illegal immigration and the “cheating (that’s) rampant in our elections.”
Trump said that in the first year of his second presidency — “should be my third term, but strange things happen” — he has reversed rampant inflation, lowered crime, and closed the borders to illegal immigrants.
“And for all of these reasons, I say tonight, members of Congress, the state of our union is strong,” he said. “Our country is winning again. In fact, we're winning so much that we really don't know what to do about it.
“People are asking me, ‘Please, please, please, Mr. President, we're winning too much. We can't take it anymore. We're not used to winning in our country,’” he continued. “’Until you came along, we were just always losing, but now we're winning too much.’”
Delegation Reacts
Trump hit a home run in his State of the Union as far as U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman is concerned. The Wyoming Republican said his administration is delivering “real wins” for Wyoming and America.
“President Trump delivered an electrifying speech tonight outlining a bold vision for the future that should excite all Americans about the state of our union,” Hageman said in a statement to Cowboy State Daily.
“The administration is moving at an historic pace delivering real wins for Wyoming from resource development and affordability to free speech and border security,” she added. “I am thrilled to have a forward-thinking leader who understands the states to turn promises made into promises kept.”
Wyoming U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, the second-highest ranking Republican in the Senate, said Trump has had a banner year in the White House.
“What a difference a year makes,” he said in a statement responding to the State of the Union. “The president was able to report that America is back on track.”
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said she was excited to have Cheyenne resident Troy Lake as her special guest for the State of the Union.
Lake is a diesel mechanic who was prosecuted and put in prison under the Biden administration for disabling emissions devices on diesel engines. Lummis pushed to have him pardoned by Trump.
Trump’s “America-first agenda” is “what made having Troy Lake with me tonight so meaningful,” she said in a statement after the speech. “His story captures the difference between this administration and the last better than anything else could.”
Overall, what people should take from the State of the Union is that “the state of the union is strong,” Lummis said. “The border is secure, inflation is easing, and American energy dominance is back where it belongs.
“In just one year, President Trump has delivered real results.”
Dems React
Not everyone agrees, with most Democrats staying seated throughout Trump’s speech while the Republican side of the room gave standing ovations at every break.
In Wyoming, Cowboy State Democrats also weren’t standing or cheering for what Trump had to say.
“Tonight was not a unifying address,” the Wyoming Democratic Party said in a response to the State of the Union. “It was as display of division.”
Saying that “Wyoming families are tired of political theater,” Trump’s speech didn’t address “the real challenges facing working families,” the statement said.
“The president chose to mock, bait, and shame political opponents from the floor of the House,” the statement added. “That is not strength. It is not leadership. It is not what Wyoming expects from the highest office in the country.”
At one point when addressing immigration fraud in Minnesota, Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, yelled at the President.
“You have killed Americans! You should be ashamed,” they yelled, Tlaib wearing a “release the files” button on one lapel of her blazer and a badge reading “F*** ICE” on the other.
Trump clapped back at them and other Democrats who wouldn’t stand for points he made.
“Isn’t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said, comparing Democrats not standing to close America’s borders to supporting the crimes people in the U.S. illegally have committed.
“That is why I’m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminal and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens — in many cases drug lords, murderers — all over our country.”
In Wyoming, the Democratic Party called Trump out for his admonishment.
“Leadership is not yelling, ‘You should be ashamed’ at more than half the country,” their statement said. “Leadership is making sure children can see a doctor. Leadership is keeping rural emergency room open. Leadership is protecting public lands and strengthening local economies.
“If tonight’s goal was to inflame division, it succeeded.”
Real Gains
Trump didn’t “inflame division,” Barrasso said, adding that the president and Republicans in Congress have “promised safety and prosperity for our nation, and we’ve delivered.
“The border is now secure. Gasoline prices are at a five-year low. Jobs are coming back to America. Wages are up. Things are more affordable. … And it’s going to get even better.”
Trump has been especially good for Wyoming, Lummis said in her statement.
“Unlike the last administration, President Trump has stood behind Wyoming’s coal industry, worked to streamline the burdensome environmental regulations that have killed countless projects and jobs, and kept his focus on delivering affordable, reliable baseload energy that American families and businesses depend on.”
Hageman said she and the rest of the House Republicans “are moving at the speed of Trump to codify the president’s success into federal law.”
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
