WASHINGTON • President Donald Trump said America has been “winning so much” during Tuesday’s State of the Union, touting a jobs and manufacturing boom at home and promising a “Golden Age” as the U.S. prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding.

Trump described what America has achieved during his second term as a “turnaround for the ages.”

As expected, Trump championed his crackdown on illegal immigration, the campaign to stop drugs from South America from crossing into America’s borders, shrinking the size of the federal government, as well as his push to preserve tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down. He also pointed to America’s ability to direct quick-hit military actions around the world, including in Iran and Venezuela.

He noted the military operation that nabbed Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro last month, calling it a “colossal victory” for the the U.S. and heralding a “bright new beginning” for the South American nation and its citizens.

Trump said his administration ended eight wars, notably the conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East.

On domestic policy, he pointed to the passage of the congressional budget last year, saying it is poised to deliver money and relief to Americans by extending many of the tax cuts that had been approved during his first term and were about to expire. The package also offered new tax breaks, including no taxes on tips, overtime pay and others.

The president took aim at several Democratic policies, notably the “sanctuary” laws, arguing they serve to defend immigrants illegally staying in the country who have committed crimes against American citizens.

Broadly speaking, a sanctuary city refers to local policies that limit or prohibit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Both the Colorado government and some of the cities here, notably Denver, have adopted laws barring such cooperation, though political leaders insist neither state nor municipality is a “sanctuary” jurisdiction.

Trump also promoted the proposal to require an ID before a person can vote  and argued that mail-in ballots should be limited to only special circumstances, such as in cases of illness or disability.

Colorado has long adopted an all-mail ballot system, and officials here have touted it as a safe and secure way to vote.

Colorado’s officials and the Trump administration have clashed for several months, with both sides suing each other over an array of issues. Some of that underlying tension stems from the “sanctuary laws” Democrats have adopted and defended, and Trump’s campaign to deport a historic number of immigrants illegally staying in the U.S., as well as the president’s complaints over Colorado’s all-mail ballot system.

President Donald Trump arrives to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Lawmakers from Colorado split sharply along partisan lines both before the address and as the president spoke, with the state’s four Republican House members cheering as Trump listed his administration’s accomplishments and the delegation’s six Democrats turning thumbs down on claims they denounced as false.

The address, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans said in a statement, comes at a time the Fort Lupton Republican called a “pivotal moment for our country.”

“In just over a year Republicans in Congress, alongside President Donald Trump, have taken decisive action to restore strength, security, and affordability for American families — and the results are impossible to ignore,” Evans said.

“The State of the Union is STRONG!” Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank of Colorado Springs, posted to X moments after Trump began speaking.

Making the same point with some elaboration, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican, tweeted: “Thanks to President Trump, our border is secure, energy production is booming, and America is safe.”

U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, the Grand Junction Republican who lost Trump’s endorsement over differences on tariff policy, said in a social media post as he entered the House chamber that the address was a “chance to reflect on that progress and focus on the work still ahead.”

“Over the past year,” Hurd said, “we’ve worked to restore fiscal discipline, strengthen American energy production, secure the border, and support families and small businesses.”

Across the aisle, Colorado Democrats derided Trump’s message.

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper predicted ahead of the speech that Trump would “tell us not to believe what we can see with our own eyes.”


In a post on X, Hickenlooper said, “His ICE agents are running lawless through our streets. Life is unaffordable and his tariffs stole from families and small businesses. We all can see it, no matter how they spin it.”

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora, one of the Democrats the Department of Justice unsuccessfully tried to indict for making a video telling troops that they didn’t have to follow illegal orders, sat with others who appeared in the video on the House floor.

“The President tried to imprison us. But he failed,” Crow said in a post on X that pictured him with his fellow lawmakers. “Instead, we’ll be in the People’s House — staring right at him and holding him accountable.”

The one Democrat from the state’s delegation who didn’t attend the speech, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver, said on X that she decided not to “legitimize his egregious actions by attending his address.”

“Donald Trump demeans our Constitution, courts, and respected public institutions almost every day,” DeGette said.

While he criticized Democrats during his address, Trump also sought to appeal to bipartisan patriotic sentiments, inviting the Olympic gold-medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team into the House chamber to applause. The team came to the Capitol after an afternoon visit to the White House.

“Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me, ‘Please, please, please, Mr. President, we’re winning too much. We can’t take it anymore,'” Trump said before introducing the team. “We’re not used to winning in our country until you came along.”

The hockey team, wearing their medals and sweaters that said “USA” in large letters, drew a bipartisan standing ovation. Trump pointed to the Democratic side of the chamber and quipped, “That’s the first time I ever I’ve ever seen them get up.”

Members of the United States’ hockey team attend as President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

In another made-for-TV moment, Trump announced he would be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, to the hockey team’s goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck. Trump made a similar surprise announcement in 2020, bestowing the award on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh during the speech.

He invited veterans from World War II and the Korean War, recounting their bravery. He announced that 100-year-old Royce Williams, a Navy aviator and Korean War veteran, is getting the Congressional Medal of Honor.

“It’s an honor to be in the same room with you,” he said.

Talking about his economic policy, Trump decried the Supreme Court rejecting his signature tariff policies, calling it “an unfortunate ruling.” He talked about his attempts to maneuver around that decision without depending on Congress or spooking financial markets.

“It’s saving our country,” Trump said of tariffs, adding that they were “peace-protecting.”

President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Supreme Court justices in attendance were the same who came to Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress last March: Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kegan.

Trump greeted the justices and even shook hands before his speech began with Coney Barrett, after previously criticizing her for siding with the majority against Trump’s tariffs. He had appointed her to the high court in his first term.

Before Trump’s speech, Senate Democrats blocked a bill to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security, pressing for new limits on immigration enforcement that Republicans have opposed.

Trump said his administration has tamed inflation, adding he he has the economy humming, given that the Dow Jones Industrial Average recently exceeded 50,000 points for the first time.

Trump’s address came as two U.S. aircraft carriers have been dispatched to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.

Reporter Ernest Luning and Associated Press reporter Michelle Price contributed to this article.