“Blank and inflammatory”: How the press comments on Trump’s speech

“He lacked decency and dignity”

“El País” (Madrid)

“As with all other public appearances, Donald Trump turned his State of the Union address into a long, confusing and misleading campaign event. He lacked the decency and dignity expected of the President of the United States before Congress. For more than an hour and a half, Trump spewed empty exaggerations about ‘the most incredible and extraordinary nation that has ever existed on earth’ and fueled culture wars to the taste of the far right.

He ignored the trade chaos of his own making, the criminal excesses of his anti-immigrant crusade, his directionless foreign policy, and the ongoing economic dissatisfaction of the middle class over the cost of living that his government is failing to control. (…) An empty, inflammatory speech. (…)

It is difficult to get used to the fact that the respect that North American democracy has previously shown to its institutions has been destroyed, and to realize that a political system is measured not only by its laws, but also by rituals in which everyone can recognize themselves. The State of the Union address was one of those rituals that has now been hijacked by the rudeness of Donald Trump.”

“Jyllands-Posten” (Aarhus)

“Political opponents were ridiculed. The Supreme Court justices were given an ‘unfortunate decision’. A mild criticism given the circumstances. When the US Supreme Court stopped Trump’s big prestige project, tariffs, the White House said that several judges were a ‘disgrace to our nation.’

Against this background, among other things, one could almost think that it was a more moderate version of the American president who spoke on Wednesday night. And even a year ago the reaction would probably have been the same. At that time, it was considered a kind of victory for normality if Trump said nothing. (…)

“Gazeta Wyborcza” (Warschau)

“As Donald Trump took the congressional podium to deliver his annual State of the Union address, events in Europe marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine were wrapping up. Trump spoke on a symbolic day, but his comments on Ukraine were few and fleeting.

He spoke generally about the conflict’s casualties, although it is unclear where he got the figure of 25,000 deaths per month. And he failed to mention that the number of murdered Ukrainian civilians is increasing dramatically, the number of victims of Russian terrorist attacks on Ukrainian cities, which constitute a war crime.

We haven’t heard a word about supporting the fighting Ukraine. And actually there is nothing to say, because Europe has taken over the support of Ukraine’s defenders – in material, military and increasingly also in intelligence terms. Trump also remained silent about security guarantees. The war in Ukraine, a criminal conflict and the greatest global security challenge since the end of World War II, has been reduced to a side issue by the US President.”

“He took refuge even more in the fantastic”

“Tages-Anzeiger” (Zurich)

“With the tariff ruling, Trump lost the button he always pressed when he didn’t like something. (…) Trump will no longer be able to act with this anger and arbitrariness in the future. (…) In addition, the customs revenues that are now being eliminated are tearing a hole in the US budget. A number of influential voices within the MAGA movement also consider the high level of debt to be a danger. They will soon become so loud that Trump will no longer be able to ignore them. The midterm elections are also getting closer and closer. Many Republican ones Representatives are likely to put their own re-election above their loyalty to Trump.

In such a situation, another US president would try to find compromises and reach out to his opponents. But that’s not Trump’s style. During his State of the Union address, he insulted the Democrats in his usual manner. And he took refuge in the fantastic even more than we are already used to from him. Tariff revenues would soon grow so much that Americans would no longer have to pay income taxes, he claimed. A president at the height of his power would have no need to spread such nonsense.”

“New Zurich Newspaper”

“Trump is a master at directing the world’s perception and focus. Driven by the belief that attention ultimately means power, the American president is constantly launching new ideas, initiatives and sensations. (…) So which rocket would the pyrotechnician Trump set off during his State of the Union address? The answer is: He apparently couldn’t think of anything. (…)

In its excessive self-praise, Trump’s speech resembled an auto-suggestion: Because I proclaim the golden age, the golden age is here. This is too thin a message, especially since many Americans perceive reality differently. Six out of ten think the country is doing worse than it was a year ago. The American president may be indifferent to the facts to some extent, but Americans’ perceptions may not be irrelevant.”

“Speech dripping with contempt”

“Seattle Times”

“His 108-minute speech dripped with contempt (…). He showed his contempt for the American people by repeatedly lying about his achievements and exaggerating the results of his policies. He didn’t even mention the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis by his masked federal agents. And despite the presence of 16 victims of the late, convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, he did not deign to denounce his Justice Department’s controversial slow release and excessive redaction of the Epstein files to enter.

While President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address wasn’t exactly refreshing, it should have been enlightening for thoughtful Americans. In this moment there is also an opportunity.

The nation is at a crossroads that has little to do with the price of eggs or the direction of the stock market. Rather, it is about standing up for American values ​​that have been so recklessly disregarded by this administration.

Voters must look beyond partisan politics and consider the future of their families, the nation and the world. (…) The decisions voters make this fall (in the midterm elections) and in 2028 will have an impact for decades to come.”

“Neatkariga Rita Avize” (Riga)

“Not only this speech by Trump, but his entire policies illustrate the deep chasm and division that has opened up in the Western world in recent years. On the one hand, there are the educated ‘elites’ who lament the decline of values and the international order. And on the other hand, the ‘ordinary’ people who are fed up with abstract ‘values’ at a time when prices in shops are exploding and the foundations of the ‘values’ inherited from their ancestors are eroding break away from their feet.

Some things you just have to understand and accept. Trump’s policies cannot and should not be evaluated in black and white categories. Just like any other policy, unless it is obviously criminal. (…)

Whatever Democrats, left-wing liberals, socialists and other progressives may have done, Trump’s policies aren’t really based on ‘common sense’ either. Both sides get lost in absurd situations. As history shows, sooner or later everything will stabilize. Another question is how long it will take and what losses this ‘stabilization’ will entail.”

“Record low popularity rate”

“Kommersant” (Moscow)

“U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a ‘State of the Union’ address to Congress, which was his keynote speech ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Against the backdrop of his record-low popularity ratings and the threat of losing control of Congress, the President turned his address to lawmakers into a theatrical demonstration of American successes on all fronts, achieved thanks to his leadership. Trump’s speech showed that the focus of his policies is on strengthening American patriotism through the solution internal problems are postponed and global crises, including Ukraine, fade into the background.”