The Donald’s Brand-Building – And Bulldozing – State Of The Union Spectacular

 Issues & Insights 

The American Spectator

"Who knew that a State of the Union address would feature more medal ceremonies than the Winter Olympics?

"OK, it just seemed that way.  But the made-for-TV award-aganza – incredibly including, twice, America’s top military honor – was just one feature of perhaps the most spectacular event of its kind ever. 

“ 'Spectacular” in the word’s original sense, “of the nature of a spectacle or show.” As in:

• The bombastic beginning: “Our nation is back. Bigger, better, richer, and stronger than ever before.”
• The theatrical call-in of the Olympic champion U.S. men’s hockey team, followed by the stunning announcement that its goalie would receive the nation’s top civilian honor.
• Honoring another American war hero whose believe-it-or-not 100th birthday will fall squarely on America’s 250th.
• A waitress reaping thousands in tax savings from the One Big Beautiful bill, and an infertile couple realizing YUGE Trump RX (“I didn’t name it that”) discounts for IVF. 
• A Houston mom outbid on 20 homes by investment firms, a practice targeted by a Trump executive order.
• A new “Somali pirate”-inspired War on Fraud initiative to be led by VP JD. 
• An adorable five-year-old, recovered from a collision with an illegal alien truck driver granted a commercial driver’s license, whose name will grace a proposed law barring the practice. 
• Heartbroken mothers of a cheerleader slaughtered in a bathtub by another illegal, and a Ukrainian refugee slashed by a troubled career criminal.
• A beautiful teenager whom school officials tried to transition to a boy while hiding that effort from her parents. 
• The grieving but unbowed widow of the martyred Christian conservative, Charlie Kirk.
• Topped off by the heartstring-tugging reunion of a just-released Venezuelan political prisoner with the niece seeking his freedom. 

"But the chief executive’s oration was equally spectacular in achieving its dual objective: rebuilding the Republican brand for the all-important midterm elections while blunting the Democrats’ recent momentum in denting Trump’s Teflon armor.

"The president’s strategy on the former: overwhelm his nationwide audience with his extraordinary accomplishments in one short year." . . .More...

SOTU 2026: Now There Are Truly Two Americas

 The American Spectator

"Some six dozen Democrat lawmakers — including the AWFL Katharine Clark, the Democrats’ House Minority Whip — boycotted the State of the Union speech, evincing a level of disrespect for the president that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, and most of them were performative about the boycott"

" . . . [the horrific Al Green] left the building almost immediately after the speech began, verbally sparring with Republican House members on his way out in a gruesome, if wholly unsurprising, display of low class.

"And it turned out that Trump’s speech was a celebration not just of the Olympic hockey champions, but of Americans of every color and creed who are doing extraordinary things. This has become a standard State of the Union theme, because it’s good politics for the president and also because it’s what a country desperately needs when it’s so riven by political disagreement that simple civic functions like letting law enforcement arrest child molesters, cartel thugs, and human traffickers draw actual violent protesters out of yoga studios and PTA meetings.

"We have to be able to celebrate each other. We must relearn that politics is not religion, and that it does not solve the problems of the human soul." . . .

President Trump Outs Dems: ‘These People Are Crazy’

Trump Made the Democrats an Offer They Couldn't Refuse, But They Did

Yes, they have all of the cultural power. They have most of the wealth. What they don’t have are the people. If they did, they would not have lost to the guy they tried to impeach, throw in jail, remove from ballots, and even assassinate.

Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib Melt Into a Puddle of Rage As Trump Calls Out Dems at SOTU: ‘Should Be Ashamed’

Wearing her pro-Hamas scarf

Highlights of the Trump SOTU; The State of the Union is in its best since Reagan retired.

 Don Surber

"As for the spin by Democrats and the media, why should I care? America had a great year once President Trump returned."

'President Donald John Trump took over a nation from a feeble old man 13 months ago—a nation overrun by invaders, mocked on the world stage after surrendering Afghanistan and suffering an economic malaise not seen since Jimmy Carter roamed the Oval Office.

'On Tuesday, Trump delivered a State of the Union address that was chockful of accomplishments in the Return of the Jedi President.

"Border? Closed.

"Iran’s nuclear program? Ancient history.

"DC? Cleaned of the homeless, crime and graffiti.

Deportations? 2.5 million including 1.9 million self-deporting.

"Homicides? Lowest rate since 1900 or earlier.

"Economy? Inflation is fading back to the level he left Biden the Befuddled.

"Drug overdoses? Reduced with every drug boat the Navy picks off in the Caribbean.

"War? He negotiated 8 peace agreements ending wars.

"Taxes? Trump exempted waitress tips and working overtime. He also gave us old folks a nice tax break. I just did my taxes on Turbo Tax. All I can say is thank you." . . .

"He continued: “After four years in which millions and millions of illegal aliens poured across our borders totally unvetted and unchecked, we now have the strongest and most secure border in American history by far. In the past nine months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States. But we will always allow people to come in legally, people that will love our country and will work hard to maintain our country.” . . . More...

Sunny Hostin Defends Pro-MAGA Host Against 'Outraged' Fans

2026 Mediaite  

"The View’s Sunny Hostin came to the defense of pro-MAGA View guest host Savannah Chrisley against “outraged” fans upset the conservative was invited to the table."

. . . "On Monday’s Behind the Table podcast, Hostin joined View producer Brian Teta and they both pushed back against backlash from fans upset over Chrisley taking Alyssa Farah Griffin’s seat on the show for a week. The open supporter of President Donald Trump brought an unusual pro-MAGA voice to the table, leading some fans, according to Teta, to believe the other hosts were “forced” to accept Chrisley on multiple shows.

Teta said reaction to Chrisley’s run from “more ardent” fans was “loud” and some of it personally accusing him of mandating a conservative voice on the show, something he completely dismissed.

“They were outraged at the idea that we would — they did not like the idea that there was anybody here that would be a supporter of Trump or MAGA at the table,” the producer said.

“Well, that’s what The View is. You have to be able to sit with people that, you know, voted for him three times and support him and continue to support him,” Hostin said.

"Both said they have experience dealing with pro-Trump voices because they still talk to family members who support the current administration.

"Teta told Hostin that complaining fans have been saying, “‘well, they’re being held in check. They’re being forced to do this.'”

“ 'No, this is what we do. And I think what was good about Savannah is, I think she understood that. If you go low, I go low. But if you go high, I go high. We can meet energy. And I thought her energy was pretty earnest and pretty harmless,” Hostin said.

"She acknowledged Chrisley has a very different point of view from her, but also praised her as brave and courageous for joining The View with so many opposing voices."

“I don’t know that many 28-year-old young women would be able to sit at the table,” Hostin said. “It takes a lot of courage and bravery and confidence, and she had that.”