US president Donald Trump points as he delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, on Tuesday. Photo: Kenny Holston/The New York TimesThe State of the Union address is one of the great set-pieces of the American political year. But, like most set-pieces, its ceremonial status is rarely matched by its real-life political consequences. Nobody will be surprised by Trump’s braggadocious claims to have presided over an economic renaissance. Trump did not, as some had feared, harangue the Supreme Court justices in attendance who had ruled his tariffs unconstitutional.

Source: The Irish Times February 25, 2026 23:32 UTC