[Video below.] President Donald Trump used his 2026 State of the Union address Tuesday night to highlight what he described as sweeping economic improvements, strengthened border enforcement and renewed American influence abroad, while also addressing tensions with Iran as his administration weighs possible military action.

Speaking for nearly two hours before a joint session of Congress, Trump reviewed his first year back in office, emphasizing domestic achievements and outlining his administration’s approach to key foreign policy challenges, particularly in the Middle East.

Opening his remarks on an upbeat note, Trump declared, “Our nation is back- bigger, better, stronger, and richer than ever before!”

He continued by looking ahead to the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations. “This July 4th, we will mark two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress and freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of this earth – and you’ve seen nothing yet… this is the Golden Age of America,” he added.

Turning to economic matters, Trump sharply criticized President Joe Biden’s tenure, asserting that inflation had reached historic highs under the prior administration. “The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country. But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than 5 years – and in the last 3 months of 2025, it was down to 1.7%.”

He pointed to housing costs as further evidence of improvement. “Mortgage rates are the lowest in 4 years, and falling fast – and the annual cost of the typical new mortgage is down almost $5,000 dollars just since I took office.”

Recalling his address to Congress a year earlier, Trump contrasted what he described as a nation in turmoil with what he portrayed as a dramatically improved landscape today. “When I last spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis. Today, our border is SECURE, our spirit is RESTORED, inflation is PLUMMETING, incomes are RISING FAST, the economy is ROARING, our enemies are SCARED, our military and police are STACKED, and America is RESPECTED again – perhaps like never before.”

He also highlighted investment figures, comparing them to those under Biden. “In four long years, the last administration got less than $1 trillion dollars in new investment in the United States… In 12 months, I secured commitments for more than $18 trillion dollars pouring in from all over the globe.”

On trade policy, Trump reiterated his long-standing support for tariffs, suggesting they could eventually reduce reliance on income taxes. “As time goes by, I believe that tariffs, paid for by foreign countries, will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern-day system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the people that I love.”

Adopting a celebratory tone, the President remarked on what he characterized as a string of victories. “We are winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me, ‘Please, please, Mr. President, we are winning too much, we can’t take it anymore, we are not used to winning,'” stated Trump, who added, “I say, ‘No, no, no, you are going to win again, you are going to win big.'”

On immigration and election policy, Trump urged lawmakers to pass new restrictions. He called for legislation preventing states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens and advocated barring illegal aliens from voting in federal elections. He also pressed for voter ID requirements and tighter limits on mail-in ballots.

During his speech, Trump referenced New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, labeling him a “Communist” while noting that he remains in communication with him. The President said Mamdani “speaks a lot” with him and described him as a “nice guy” who has “bad policies.”

Addressing foreign affairs, Trump asserted that his administration had brokered the end of eight conflicts early in his term, including hostilities between Israel and Iran as well as the war in Gaza. He expressed appreciation for his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner for their roles in negotiating a ceasefire in Gaza.

According to Trump, the agreement resulted in the return of every hostage, both living and deceased, even though “nobody thought it was possible.”

Describing the recovery efforts, Trump said, “Believe it or not,” continued Trump, “Hamas worked along with Israel, and they dug, and they dug, and they dug. It’s a tough thing to do, going through bodies all over – sometimes passing up 100 bodies for each one they found. Tough job. And, uh, they finally got it back to 27. And then they found all 28.”

The President also revisited last June’s U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, stating they had “obliterated” the country’s nuclear capabilities. However, he claimed that Tehran has since killed more than 32,000 protesters and is seeking to revive its nuclear program, while developing missiles capable of reaching Europe and potentially the United States.

“We’re in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words, ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon’. My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy. But one thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen.”

He concluded that portion of his remarks with a warning and a show of strength. “No nation should ever doubt America’s resolve. We have the most powerful military on earth – hopefully, we seldom have to use it,” continued the President.

{Matzav.com}