Trump Heads Into the State of the Union Facing Economic Criticism

President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver the 2026 State of the Union address on Feb. 24 at 9 PM ET. According to the Associated Press, President Trump will use the platform to promote the Trump administration’s immigration operations, his efforts to preserve his sweeping tariffs despite being struck down by the Supreme Court, his reduction of the federal government, and the administration’s ability to conduct swift military operations globally, including Iran and Venezuela.

President Trump seeks to convince Americans who have begun to distrust him on the economy that the administration’s policies have improved their standard of living while driving economic growth.

Over the last year, President Trump’s approval ratings have sunk, unlike his first term, when he mainly broke even or saw an increase in his approval rating regarding the economy, despite the pandemic’s downturn.

According to an AP-NORC poll taken in February 2026, just 39% of participants approved of President Trump’s management of the economy, and 59% of respondents disapproved.

One of the main themes of the address will be the country’s great rise in domestic manufacturing and new jobs, despite public perception. “It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” said Trump.

“The President’s going to make the case that three more years with him in the White House and with Republicans on Capitol Hill can finally achieve the American dream in this country again that we had in his first term but was lost because of Joe Biden and the Democrats over the past four years,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House.

The address will also reportedly be a “celebration” of the United States’s 250 years of independence, she highlighted.