President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history on Tuesday evening, speaking for an hour and 48 minutes as he extolled his administration’s achievements and criticized his political opponents. His remarks came despite public sentiment reportedly souring on some of his key initiatives, including his aggressive immigration enforcement policies and tariffs.

Record Length and Key Themes

During the speech, which lasted an hour and 48 minutes, Mr. Trump reiterated his familiar assertion that the United States is ‘the hottest country’ globally. He credited Republicans for national successes while launching strong criticisms at Democrats, whom he labelled ‘crazy’ for their opposition to his agenda.

Addressing Democratic lawmakers directly, President Trump declared they should be ‘ashamed’ for not backing a crackdown on crime targeting undocumented immigrants. He also expressed his displeasure with the Supreme Court’s recent ‘unfortunate’ decision, which overturned his signature tariff policy.

The following is President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, delivered on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, as transcribed by The Associated Press:

Speaker Johnson, Vice President Vance, first lady of the United States, second lady of the United States, members of Congress and my fellow Americans, our nation is back: Bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.

Less than five months from now, our country will celebrate an epic milestone in American history, the 250th anniversary of our glorious American independence. This July 4th, we will mark two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress and freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of the earth. And we’ve seen nothing yet. We’re going to do better and better and better. This is the golden age of America.

Economic and Border Security Claims

Mr. Trump claimed that under his administration, the U.S. border has been secured to an unprecedented degree. He said that in the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States, while deadly fentanyl across the border is down by a record 56% in one year. In the last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history, the lowest number in over 125 years.

The president also cited economic improvements, stating that core inflation has been driven down to the lowest level in more than five years. He noted that gasoline prices, which reached a peak of over $6 a gallon in some states under his predecessor, are now below $2.30 a gallon in most states, and in some places $1.99 a gallon.

Mr. Trump pointed to the stock market, which has set 53 all-time record highs since the election. He claimed that this has boosted pensions, 401Ks and retirement accounts for millions of Americans. He also said that the annual cost of a typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000 just since he took office, one year.

International and Domestic Policy Assertions

Mr. Trump highlighted international achievements, stating that he secured commitments for more than $18 trillion in new investment in the United States in just one year. He contrasted this with the previous administration, which he said secured less than $1 trillion in new investment over four years.

He also spoke about energy production, noting that American oil production is up by more than 600,000 barrels a day and that the U.S. received more than 80 million barrels of oil from Venezuela. American natural gas production is at an all-time high, he said, and he emphasized his commitment to ‘drill, baby, drill.’

Mr. Trump claimed that more Americans are working today than at any time in the history of the country, with 100% of all jobs created under his administration in the private sector. He said he ended ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies in America and cut a record number of job-killing regulations, lifting 2.4 million Americans off of food stamps.

He concluded the speech with a tribute to the U.S. Olympic hockey teams, who recently won gold in the Winter Games. Mr. Trump said that the men’s team had been invited to the White House, where they were honored for their victory. He also mentioned the women’s team, who were expected to visit the Oval Office soon.

Mr. Trump’s speech was met with mixed reactions, with some applauding his claims of economic and security achievements, while others questioned the accuracy of his statements and the broader implications of his policies.