With approval ratings sliding and key policies under scrutiny, President Trump used his second-term State of the Union to defend his record and press forward with an aggressive agenda.
Just over a year into his second term, President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, framing his presidency as a period of decisive action and dramatic policy shifts.
Speaking from the Capitol, Trump defended a slate of sweeping executive measures that have defined the current political landscape — including expansive global tariffs recently struck down by the Supreme Court of the United States, a hardline immigration crackdown, and escalating tensions with Iran.
The address came as public opinion appears to be turning against him. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released Sunday found Trump’s disapproval rating at 60% — the highest of his second term.
Border Enforcement Front and Center
A central pillar of Trump’s remarks was immigration enforcement. Since returning to office, he has relied heavily on executive authority to impose restrictive measures along the U.S.-Mexico border, dramatically tightening asylum access and expanding deportation efforts.
Administration data indicates those policies have sharply reduced illegal border crossings compared with levels seen under President Joe Biden. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection figures, more than 1.5 million migrant encounters were recorded in 2024, the final full year of Biden’s presidency.
In 2025 — the first full year of Trump’s second term — that number dropped to just under 28,000.
The downward trend has continued into 2026, though crossings have not fallen to “zero,” as the president has sometimes claimed. Migration experts note that while encounters have declined significantly, it remains impossible to determine with certainty whether some individuals have entered undetected.
While touting enforcement gains, Trump also faces significant legal and diplomatic headwinds. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling striking down key elements of his tariff policy dealt a setback to one of his signature economic strategies. Meanwhile, tensions with Iran continue to simmer, raising questions about potential military escalation.
Taken together, the speech served as both a defense of a forceful governing style and a bid to reassure supporters ahead of November’s midterm elections, where control of Congress remains at stake.
With approval ratings slipping and political opposition intensifying, Trump’s address underscored a presidency defined by bold moves, sharp divisions — and high stakes.
