What to expect from Trump's State of the Union address
Will his message be one of hope, fear, or both?
In other, more normal circumstances, President Trump might be expected to give tonight's State of the Union address as a somewhat humbled man. He was, after all, forced to delay the speech by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the government shutdown he instigated — and then ended the shutdown when it became apparent he was losing support from Republicans in Congress. The event also comes as newly empowered House Democrats are feeling their oats after reclaiming power in the November midterm elections. By any objective measure, the president is on a losing streak.
But Trump doesn't really do humility, so we're unlikely to see much in the way of conciliatory gestures in tonight's speech. He does, however, disdain the usual political conventions which means things could get a little weird. What is the state of our Union, Mr. President? Here are a few ways Trump might spin it:
The state of the Union is … terrifying. Trumpism has always relied on a fair amount of scaremongering, and tonight's address looks like the last chance to make his case for a wall on the United States' southern border. Both of these factors combined means Trump can be expected, again, to paint a picture of America as a dangerous place, beset by immigrants who murder our citizens, furnish them with life-killing drugs, and engage in human trafficking. Seem extreme? Consider the president's guest list for tonight.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump has long argued that a wall is the only way to prevent these evils. So far, few Americans are buying it. His last grasp at making the sale, then, is to put a human face on his version of the issue.
The state of the Union is … awesome. Despite the aforementioned losing streak, Trump does indeed have good news to share: Job growth in America is strong, and wage growth seems to be bubbling up, too. Still, most Americans think the country is on the wrong track. Nearly as many disapprove of the president's job performance. A growing number of Republicans are ready to see him face primary competition in 2020.
The president hasn't given up on trying to sell a good-news version of his administration, though. He answers questions about racial divisions by pointing to the low unemployment rate among African Americans. He celebrates every time the Dow rises above 25,000. He desperately wants credit.
That means the president is likely to attempt a delicate balancing act in his speech. He wants Americans to believe two things about his administration: America has never been better. And only he can fix it. There's a good chance it will all seem entirely incoherent.
The state of the Union is … boring. Despite the drama, though, there's a real possibility this speech — like so many before it — will quickly fade into oblivion. In the last 40 years or so, there has been precisely one memorable moment at a State of the Union: President Clinton's 1996 declaration that "the era of big government is over." (He was wrong.) The speeches — and the responses — tend to be snoozers, notable only for the occasional gaffes and breaches of decorum. President Trump, so far, has not proven the exception to the rule.
For that reason, the near-cancellation of this year's speech proved surprisingly popular, at least among pundits. It's a political exercise that absorbs a lot of energy every year, but which produces little in the way of actual change or progress.
Whatever ends up in the speech, though, we know one true thing about the state of our Union: It feels fractured. You're not likely to hear that from the president. But it'll be easy to see in the way Pelosi manages her facial expressions as she sits behind Trump, as well as in the way Democrats — and maybe even a Republican or two — sit on their hands during the speech's obvious applause lines.
Such partisanship is always on display at these events, of course, but Trump has built his career on deepening the divides, not bridging them. We can expect more of that from tonight's speech, which gives us our final verdict on the state of the Union: These days, it's kind of a mess.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Joel Mathis is a freelance writer who has spent nine years as a syndicated columnist, co-writing the RedBlueAmerica column as the liberal half of a point-counterpoint duo. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic, The Kansas City Star and Heatmap News. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.
-
'Musk's reliance on China draws rising scrutiny'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Biba: the story of a 'legendary emporium'
The Week Recommends Brand's 60th anniversary is being marked with retrospective celebrating the 'iconic shop's cultural importance'
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
How the Russia-Ukraine conflict has spread to Africa
The Explainer Ukraine is attempting to strengthen its alliances on the continent to counter Russia's growing presence
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published