A politically toxic President Trump, suddenly a potential liability for Republicans in the midterm election, makes a critical State of the Union address Tuesday night in what could be a raucous and divisive affair.
Trump comes to the primetime speech, the first of his second term, with declining support in the public and even the Supreme Court and important decisions to make on the economy and a looming war against Iran.
The speech could be the biggest of Trump’s long political career.
There’s a lot on his plate and critics are zeroing in on his mental state and behavior – including his recent tirade against the high court.
“It’s going to be a long speech, because we have so much to talk about,” Trump said on Monday.
With more and more Americans disapproving of ICE’s tactics, Trump needs to find a middle ground to reassure the nation, which before the election supported his deportation policy.
Some Democrats are planning to disrupt Trump’s address while others, including Sen. Ed Markey, are planning to boycott the event and not show up at all.
It comes at a tumultuous time in the country, with more than half the public voicing displeasure with his job performance and with the direction the country is headed in.
Trump is hoping for some good vibes from the gold medal-winning men’s hockey team at the SOTU, even offering up a military jet to fly them to Washington. Congressional leaders were trying to work out logistics to get them in the House chamber.
But the gold medal-winning Team USA women’s hockey team declined his invitation to join him at the State of the Union, citing scheduling conflicts. It’s actually more likely the players voted against it.
It’s now likely that Trump is becoming so politically poisonous that some Republicans will want to stay away from him in the midterms to avoid an historic rout in congressional elections.
A big test will be in New Hampshire, where Trump endorsed GOP Senate candidate John E. Sununu and stabbed his loyal supporter, Scott Brown in the back.
But it turns out Brown – running against Sununu in the race for an open Senate seat – may be better off not having Trump on his side.
Trump’s endorsement may now be the kiss of death.
The president has suffered repeated setbacks in the federal courts and even the conservative-tilted Supreme Court, which ruled 6-3 against his tariff plan. And Trump’s tariffs have already driven up the cost of housing and new construction as well as items like new cars, causing angst among voters.
The president is no longer the powerful political force even in the Republican party as more GOP lawmakers have quietly distanced themselves from him. Only the most loyal MAGA followers are staying with Trump.
With a blue tsunami looming on the horizon this fall, Republicans are concerned voters will take it out on them for being associated with Trump, and deliver a Democratic rout that dramatically reshapes the balance of power in Washington.
Not only will Democrats try to impeach Trump yet again, there could be a movement to remove him forcefully from office by triggering the 25th Amendment. That would need to be signed off on by Vice President JD Vance, who is quietly preparing to run for the top job in 2028.
