Trump hails heroes, traps Democrats with their own bad ideas | Opinion

With President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in the rear-view mirror and the all-important midterm elections roughly 250 days away, the Trump administration faces the challenge of generating results grand enough to match the optimism of his Tuesday night address and the reach of his all-consuming personality.

That personality was on constant display during his lengthy remarks Tuesday night, which kicked off with a litany of conditions he asserts he has improved. Even if many Americans can be expected to show appreciation for a repaired border and a more robust foreign policy, the wild card will be the freshly coined concept of “affordability,” as it was in 1992 when Clinton adviser James Carville proclaimed: “It’s the economy, stupid.”

On Nov. 3, the president will need evidence of progress on a number of issues to fend off Democratic attempts to win back majorities in the House and Senate.

Every Republican knows that no single speech can turn the tide. Their hope is that the State of the Union will serve as a springboard to propel improvements that will resonate beyond the MAGA base.

A rebounding economy will help to do that. Trump hopes that despite recent tensions between ICE and the public, a strong immigration policy will win voters over as well. Knowing well the modern State of the Union practice of half the room standing while the other half sits, he set up the optics moment of the night: “If you agree with this statement, stand up and show your support: ‘The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.’ ”

It was one thing for Democrats to remain seated as Republicans gave standing ovations to specific Trump policies that were decidedly conservative; it is quite another for them to be unwilling to show support for a sentiment shared by vast majorities, including many Democratic voters

Trump is also betting that while opinions differ on his theories about the 2020 electoral result, majorities are also invested in the reliability of future elections, backing the most basic voter ID requirements. Citing the sweet irony of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani requiring ID to help shovel snow, he floated the familiar Republican talking point that the only reason to oppose voter ID is to make cheating easier: “They want to cheat, they have cheated, and their policies are so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat, and we’re going to stop it.”

Optimism was not the only strategy during this marathon exercise. There were frequent nods to heroism, some attracting partisan appreciation, as for the young woman rescued from a reckless gender transition. But far more frequent were opportunities for the kind of applause that reflected the hearts of Americans of every political stripe — medals for military heroes, accolades for guests in attendance who had endured valiant struggles, and the eagerly anticipated opportunity to direct love into the gallery for our victorious Olympic hockey team.

But the moments of unity were mixed with moments of unavoidable tension. At one point, pressing through the occasional catcalls from Democrats who had grown weary of his withering derision, Trump shook his head, looked in their direction and observed: “These people are crazy.”

That type of messaging might be as valuable as a rejuvenated economy. In any election, a political party has two broad points: Our ideas are good; their ideas are bad.

Housing, gas and eggs that are easier to afford will be one path to successful midterms, along with a better border and some calmed global trouble spots.

Another path may be the repeated assertion that Democrats have painted themselves into a corner that makes them appear to be anti-law enforcement, pro-illegal immigration and in a broad fashion, anti-common sense.

Those will be among the talking points of every Republican on the midterm campaign trail, where Democrats will energetically argue otherwise. The voters who returned Trump to office will have to show up in sufficient numbers in November to prevent a Democratic congressional takeover that could derail the agenda they voted for not so long ago.

If someone had told me ahead of time that the State of the Union would clock in at just under two hours, I might have been concerned that it would wander down rabbit holes that became the stuff of legend on the campaign trail. But as the TV analysts unpacked it afterward, Trump supporters seemed thoroughly delighted, while his critics recoiled, suggesting to me that he ultimately had done exactly what he wanted.

Mark Davis hosts a morning radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth on 660-AM and at 660amtheanswer.com. Follow him on X: @markdavis.

This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 4:35 AM.