President Trump’s Remarks @2026 State of the Union Address (Transcript)

American natural gas production is at an all-time high because I kept my promise to drill, baby, drill.

More Americans are working today than at any time in the history of our country. Think about that — any time in the history of our country. More working today, and 100 percent of all jobs created under my administration have been in the private sector. We ended DEI in America. We cut a record number of job-killing regulations, and in one year, we have lifted 2.4 million Americans — a record — off of food stamps.

The State of Our Union Is Strong

And for all of these reasons, I say tonight, Members of Congress — the state of our union is strong. 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. We’re not used to winning in our country until you came along. We’re just always losing, but now we’re winning too much.”

And I say, “No. No. No. You’re going to win again. You’re going to win big. You’re going to win bigger than ever.”

Honoring the Men’s Olympic Hockey Team

And to prove that point — to prove that point — here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud. The men’s gold medal Olympic hockey team. Come on in. Go ahead.

That’s the first time I’ve ever seen them get up. And actually, not all of them did get up. But they beat a fantastic Canadian team in overtime, as everybody saw, as did the American women, who will soon be coming to the White House. They were in the Oval Office before, and I just want to say a second very big congratulations to Team USA.

But I have to say — and I told them this, and we took a vote of the team — I said, “Anybody votes no, I’m not doing it.” So they stood there, and they weren’t about to say no. Because I’ve never seen a goaltender play as well as goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Think of it — 46 shots on goal. And I asked him about the one shot, the one where you put your stick in the back and it hit the neck of your stick and bounced off — “You practice that? Or was that a little lucky?” He refused to answer that question.

But I just want to tell you that the members of this great hockey squad will be very happy to hear — based on their vote and my vote, and in this case, my vote was more important — that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor. It has been given to many athletes over the years, but when I say many, not too many — twelve. It’s called the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Great athletes have gotten it — the very best — and I thought he deserved it. And I did take a vote. Every single one of them — I said, “I’m not giving it if anybody goes no.” And every single one of them rapidly put up their hand.

So I want to thank you all. What a special job you did. What special champions you are. Thank you very much.

The 2028 Olympics and 2026 FIFA World Cup

I’m also pleased to say that the next time the Olympic torch is lit, it will be here in America for the 2028 Olympics — the summer version, right in Los Angeles. We’re going to do a good job in Los Angeles, and Los Angeles is going to be safe, just like Washington, D.C. is now one of the safest cities in the country.

And this year — I must say, I got them both. I got them in my first term, and I was disappointed because I didn’t think I’d be the president when this happened. But strange things took place, and now I’ve got them — because I got the Olympics, and I got the 2026 FIFA World Cup. I wanted to claim the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary too, but I didn’t get away with that one. I couldn’t claim that one for myself.

But we’re getting the World Cup. So we have the World Cup and the Olympics coming, and that is exciting news.

Honoring a World War II Hero: Buddy Taggart

So this will be a year to celebrate our country and the heroes who have kept it free — men like Buddy Taggart. At age seventeen, Buddy volunteered to defend America in World War II. Serving in the Pacific under the great General Douglas MacArthur, he fought bravely in the famous Battle of Manila. He was badly wounded and almost killed by enemy machine guns in Luzon. And 81 years ago this month, he liberated the largest internment camp in the Philippines — one of the largest anywhere in the world.

He earned many honors, including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, came home, started a family, and tonight he is in the gallery, looking forward to July 4th, 2026 — his one hundredth birthday. Buddy, you’re a brave man, and we salute you.

A Rescue Hero: Scott Ruskin and Millie Kate McClayman

Even in times of challenge, setback, and immense heartache, the spirit of 1776 has always shone through very brightly. It was July 4th of last year when floodwaters tore through a girls’ summer camp in Central Texas — one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. Rising 26 feet in a matter of minutes, tragically claiming many, many lives. You all remember that one.

As the waters threatened to sweep her away, eleven-year-old Millie Kate McClayman closed her eyes and prayed to God. She thought she was going to die. Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskin descended from a helicopter above. Nobody knew where he came from. It was Scott’s first ever rescue mission — a young man, but very brave, always at the top of his class. And he lifted not just Millie Kate, but 164 others to safety.

People watched Scott from a distance and couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The winds were blowing, the rain was pouring, everything was going into that rapid water. Nobody had ever seen anything like it. They said, “Wow. That’s something.”

Tonight, Scott and Millie Kate are here together, reunited for the very first time. Thank you, Scott. Thank you, Millie Kate.

Petty Officer Ruskin, I’m pleased to inform you that I am now awarding you the Legion of Merit for Extraordinary Heroism — which is what it was, extraordinary heroism. Thank you. I’d like to have the military aide please come down and take care of the service. Thank you very much.

Our Duty to the Next Generation

From 1776 to today, every generation of Americans has stepped forward to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — and they’re really doing it for the next generation. But now it’s our turn. Together, we’re building a nation where every child has the chance to reach higher and go further, where government answers to the people — not the powerful — and where the interests of hardworking American citizens are always our first and ultimate concern.

That is the debt we owe to the heroes who came before us, and that is the promise we must keep to America for our two hundred and fiftieth year.

The Big Beautiful Bill: Historic Tax Cuts

Last year, I urged this Congress to begin the mission by passing the largest tax cuts in American history, and our Republican majorities delivered so beautifully. Thank you, Republicans. All Democrats — every single one of them — voted against these really important and very necessary massive tax cuts. They wanted large-scale tax increases to hurt the people instead. But we held strong, and with the great big beautiful bill, we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors. And we also made interest on auto loans tax deductible for the first time — but only if the car is made in America.

Honoring Megan Hemmhauser

Recently in Pennsylvania, I met Megan Hemmhauser — a devoted mom who homeschools her two beautiful children during the day while waiting tables at night, as her husband works overtime operating very heavy equipment. Megan is here this evening, and she’s happy to tell you that she is so, so much richer — because with no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and our expanded child tax credit, done again by Republicans, Megan and her husband will take home more than five thousand dollars extra for the year, cutting her tax bill by more than half.

Megan, please stand up. We’re fighting for you, Megan. Thank you, Megan. We’re fighting for you.

Trump Accounts: Tax-Free Investment for Every Child

Under our bill, parents like Megan can also activate their children’s brand new Trump Accounts — and I didn’t name it. I did not name that. Nobody believes me, but I did not name it. It was named by a very tall man sitting right there in the third row. Nice man, a good man. Tax-free investment accounts for every American child.

Trump Accounts and Economic Policy

PRESIDENT TRUMP: This is something that’s so special and has taken off and gone through the roof. Millions will be prefunded courtesy of the US Treasury and private individuals like Michael and Susan Dell, who have donated six billion two hundred and fifty million dollars to fund the Trump accounts for twenty five million American children. They’re great people.

You know, I asked Michael Dell, “How do you make all that money?” He said, “Well, I just sat in my dorm in school, and I made computers, and I’d sell them to people. And I just kept selling and selling and selling.” A pretty amazing story. That’s called the American dream. He sold a lot of computers, a lot of those laptops.

So I congratulate him on that, but I really thank him and Susan, as well as others like Brad Gerstner, a very tremendous guy. He was behind it right from the beginning. Brad Gerstner. Thank you, Brad.

So with modest additional contributions, these young people’s accounts could grow to over $100,000 or more by the time they turn eighteen. Think of it. How much money is that for somebody that started with nothing? Over $100,000. Could be much more than that.

To make this investment in our children’s future, go to trumpaccounts.gov. And a lot of people are doing it. They’re setting every record in the book. It’s popular. I’m so proud of the people that got it started. And now it’s just taken off.

Tariffs and Trade Policy

One of the primary reasons for our country’s stunning economic turnaround — the biggest in history, where the Dow Jones broke 50,000 four years ahead of schedule and the S&P hit 7,000, where it wasn’t supposed to do it for many years — were tariffs.

I used these tariffs, took in hundreds of billions of dollars to make great deals for our country, both economically and on a national security basis. Everything was working well. Countries that were ripping us off for decades are now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars. They were ripping us so badly. You all know that. Everybody knows it. Even the Democrats know it. They just don’t want to say it.

And yet these countries are now happy, and so are we. We made deals. The deals are all done, and they’re happy. They’re not making money like they used to, but we’re making a lot of money. There was no inflation, tremendous growth, and the big story was how Donald Trump called the economy correctly, and twenty-two Nobel Prize winners in economics didn’t. They got it totally wrong. They got it really wrong.

And then just four days ago, an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court. It just came down. Very unfortunate ruling. But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made. Right, Scott?

Knowing that the legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them, and therefore, they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement.

So despite the disappointing ruling, these powerful, country-saving — it’s saving our country the kind of money we’re taking in. Peace, protecting many of the wars I settled, was because of the threat of tariffs. I wouldn’t have been able to settle them without it.

We’ll remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes, and they have been tested for a long time. They’re a little more complex, but they’re actually probably better, leading to a solution that will be even stronger than before. Congressional action will not be necessary. It’s already time-tested and approved.

And as time goes by, I believe the 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.

America First: Jobs, Investment, and Growth

Moving forward, factories, jobs, investment, and trillions and trillions of dollars will continue pouring into the United States of America because we finally have a president who puts America first. I put America first. I love America.

For decades before I came along, we had the exact opposite. From trade to health care, from energy to immigration, everything was stolen and rigged in order to drain the wealth out of the productive, hardworking people who make our country great, who make our country run.

Under Biden and his corrupt partners in congress and beyond, it reached a breaking point — with the green news scam, open borders for everyone. They poured in by the millions and millions from prisons, from mental institutions. They were murderers — 11,888 murderers. They came into our country. You allowed that to happen. And record-setting inflation that cost the typical family $34,000 in just a speck of time.

Now the same people in this chamber who voted for those disasters suddenly used the word “affordability” — a word. They just used it. Somebody gave it to them, knowing full well that they caused and created the increased prices that all of our citizens had to endure. You caused that problem. You caused that problem.

They knew their statements were a lie. They knew it. They knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie. Their policies created the high prices. Our policies are rapidly ending them.

Falling Prices and Economic Relief

We are doing really well. Those prices are plummeting downward. The price of eggs is down sixty percent. Madam Secretary, thank you. The cost of chicken, butter, fruit, hotels, automobiles, rent is lower today than when I took office — by a lot. And even beef, which was very high, is starting to come down significantly. Just hold on a little while. We’re getting it down.

And soon, you will see numbers that few people would think were possible to achieve just a short time ago. Nobody can believe when they see the kind of numbers, and especially energy — when they see energy going down to numbers like that, they cannot believe it. It’s like another big tax cut.

Health Care Reform

I’m also confronting one of the biggest ripoffs of our times — the crushing cost of health care, caused by you. Since the passage of the Unaffordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare, big insurance companies have gotten rich. It was meant for the insurance companies, not for the people. With our government giving them hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars a year, their stock prices soared 1,000, 1,200, 1,400, and even 1,700 percent — like nothing else.

That’s why I introduced the great health care plan. I want to stop all payments to big insurance companies and instead give that money directly to the people so they can buy their own health care, which will be better health care at a much lower cost.

In addition, my plan requires maximum price transparency. That’s a big deal. Sounds so simple, so big. And I did that in my first term, and the Democrats immediately terminated it — with full knowledge that they were doing a very bad thing for the people. Costs were going to go way up, and that’s what happened. And now I’m bringing them way down on health care and everything else.

Prescription Drug Prices

I’m also ending the wildly inflated cost of prescription drugs like has never happened before. Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could. Most didn’t try, actually. They said they tried. They couldn’t do it. They didn’t even come close. They were all talk and no action, but I got it done.

Under my just-enacted most favored nation agreements, Americans — who have for decades paid by far the highest prices of any nation anywhere in the world for prescription drugs — will now pay the lowest price anywhere in the world for drugs. The lowest price.

So in my first year of the second term — should be my third term, but strange things happen — I took prescription drugs, a very big part of health care, from the highest price in the entire world to the lowest. That’s a big achievement.

The result is price differences of 300, 400, 500, 600 percent and more, all available right now at a new website called trumprx.gov. And I didn’t name that one either, by the way.

And here tonight is the very first customer ever to get that big discount — and it is big — Katherine Rayner. For five years, she and her husband have struggled with infertility, and they turned to IVF. One drug has been costing Katherine $4,000 to purchase. But a few weeks ago, she logged onto the Trump Rx website and got that same drug — that cost $4,000 — for under $500, a reduction of much more than $3,500.

Catherine, we are all praying for you, and you’re going to be a great mom.

So now I’m calling on congress to codify my most favored nation program into law. Now, the one thing I’m not sure it matters, because it’s going to be very hard for somebody that comes along after me to say, “Let’s raise drug prices by 700 or 800 percent.” But John and Mike, if you don’t mind, codify it anyway. They may do it. Codify it anyway. Thank you.

Energy and AI Data Centers

Many Americans are also concerned that energy demand from AI data centers could unfairly drive up their electric utility bills. Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that I have negotiated the new rate payer protection pledge.

We’re telling the major tech companies that they have the obligation to provide for their own power needs. They can build their own power plants as part of their factory, so that no one’s prices will go up. And in many cases, prices of electricity will go down for the community — and very substantially down.

This is a unique strategy never used in this country before. We have an old grid. It could never handle the kind of numbers, the amount of electricity that’s needed. So I’m telling them they can build their own plant. They’re going to produce their own electricity. It will ensure the company’s ability to get electricity while at the same time lowering prices of electricity for you — and could be very substantial for all of your cities and towns. You’re going to see some good things happen over the next number of years.

Homeownership and Wall Street

Another pillar of the American dream that has been under attack is homeownership. With us tonight is Raisel Wiggins, a mom of two from Houston. She placed bids on twenty homes and lost all of those bids to gigantic investment firms that bypassed inspection, paid all cash, and turned those houses into rentals, stealing away her American dream. She was devastated.

Stories like this are why last month I signed an executive order to ban large Wall Street investment firms from buying up single-family homes in the thousands. And now I’m asking congress to make that ban permanent, because homes for people — that’s what we want. We want homes for people, not for corporations. Corporations are doing just fine.

Raisel, thank you very much. Good luck with your home. You’ll get one soon.

Retirement Security and Insider Trading

We’re also working to make it easier for Americans to save for retirement. And under this administration, we will always protect Social Security and Medicare. They are not protecting it for our seniors. We will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Since I took office, the typical 401(k) balance is up by at least $30,000. It’s a lot of money. We have millions and millions of people — because the stock market has done so well, setting all those records — your 401(k)’s are way up.

Yet half of all working Americans still do not have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions from an employer. To remedy this gross disparity, I’m announcing that next year, my administration will give these often-forgotten American workers — great people, the people that built our country — access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker. We will match your contribution with up to $1,000 each year.

As we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising stock market, let’s also ensure that members of congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information. Pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay. I wasn’t sure if anybody even on this side was going to applaud for that. I’m very impressed. Thank you. I’m very impressed.

The War on Fraud

But when it comes to the corruption that is plundering — really, it’s plundering America — there’s been no more stunning example than Minnesota, where members of the Somali community have pillaged an estimated $19 billion from the American taxpayer. And in actuality, the number is much higher than that. And California, Massachusetts, Maine, and many other states are even worse.

This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a nation, and we are working on it like you wouldn’t believe. So tonight — although started four months ago — I am officially announcing the war on fraud, to be led by our great vice president, JD Vance. He’ll get it done.

If we’re able to find enough of that fraud, we will actually have a balanced budget overnight. It’ll go very quickly. That’s the kind of money you’re talking about. We’ll balance our budget.

Immigration and Public Safety

The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where rioting, corruption, and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception. Importing these cultures through unrestricted immigration and open borders brings those problems right here to the USA, and it is the American people who pay the price in higher medical bills, car insurance rates, rent, and taxes.

We will take care of this problem. We’re going to take care of this problem. We are not playing games.

Delilah Colvin was only five years old in June 2024 when an eighteen-wheel tractor-trailer plowed into her stopped car, traveling at sixty miles an hour or more.

Protecting Americans: Immigration, Election Integrity, and Parental Rights

DONALD TRUMP: The driver was an illegal alien led in by Joe Biden and given a commercial driver’s license by open borders politicians in California. Doctors said Delilah would never be able to walk or talk, have a good life. She wouldn’t even be able to eat again. But against all odds, she is now in the first grade learning to walk, and she’s here this evening with her dad, Marcus, a fantastic man. Delilah, please, you are a great inspiration.

Please stand up. Thank you, Delilah. Many, if not most illegal aliens, do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger, or location. That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Delilah Law, barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.

And yesterday, as you probably saw at the White House, I hosted a ceremony with Americans who lost their treasured loved ones to the scourge of illegal immigration. People came into our country — how we allowed this to happen with our open borders. These are the angel moms and families that for decades our government betrayed and our media totally ignored. Totally. It was terrible. Hard to believe, actually.

In 2023, a sixteen-year-old high school cheerleader named Elizabeth Medina was supposed to perform in her town’s Christmas parade, but she never arrived. Her mother, Jacqueline, went home to look for her, and she found her lying dead in a bathtub, bleeding profusely after being stabbed twenty-five times. Lizbeth’s killer was a previously arrested illegal alien who had broken in and brutally — really just brutally — extinguished the brightest light in her family’s life, violently and viciously.

Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals from our country at record numbers, and we’re getting them the hell out of here fast. We don’t want them. Thank you very much, Jacqueline. Thank you.

We can never forget that many in this room not only allowed the border invasion to happen before I got involved, but indeed they would do it all over again if they ever had the chance. If they ever got elected, they would open up those borders to some of the worst criminals anywhere in the world. The only thing standing between Americans and a wide open border right now is President Donald J. Trump and our great Republican patriots in Congress. Thank you. Thank you.

Democrats Shut Down Homeland Security Funding

DONALD TRUMP: As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security. It’s all cut off. It’s all cut off. They have instituted another Democrat shutdown, the first one costing us two points on GDP. Two points we lost on GDP, which probably made them quite happy, actually.

Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers. Tonight, I’m demanding the full and immediate restoration of all funding for border security, Homeland Security of the United States, and also for helping people clean up their snow. We have no money because of the Democrats, and it would be nice — we’d love to give you a hand at cleaning it up, but they gave no money. Nobody’s getting paid. It’s a shame.

So you have to think about it. We have, in case you didn’t know, a pretty large snowstorm out there.

One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe. So tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support. The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.

Ain’t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourself for not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself.

That is why I’m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals, and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens. In many cases, drug lords, murderers — all over our country, they’re blocking the removal of these people out of our country, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

The Save America Act and Election Integrity

DONALD TRUMP: And perhaps most importantly, I’m asking you to approve the Save America Act, to stop illegal aliens and others who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections. That cheating is rampant in our elections. It’s rampant.

It’s very simple. All voters must show voter ID. All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote. And no more crooked mail-in ballots, except for illness, disability, military, or travel. None. And this should be an easy one. And by the way, it’s polling at 89 percent, including Democrats. 89 percent.

And even the new mayor of New York City — I think he’s a nice guy, actually. I speak to him a lot. Bad policy, but nice guy. He just said they want people to shovel snow. They got hit hard. Wants them to shovel snow, but if you apply for that job, you need to show two original forms of ID and a Social Security card. Yet they don’t want identification for the greatest privilege of them all — voting in America. No. It’s no good. No good.

Both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree on the policy that we just enunciated, and Congress should unite and enact this common sense, country-saving legislation right now, and it should be before anything else happens.

And the reason they don’t want to do it — why would anybody not want voter ID? One reason: because they want to cheat. There’s only one reason. They make up all excuses. They say it’s racist. They come up with things. You almost say, what imagination they have. They want to cheat. They have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat, and we’re going to stop it. We have to stop it.

Parental Rights and Gender Transition of Minors

DONALD TRUMP: And here is one more opportunity to show common sense in government. In the gallery tonight are Sage Blair and her mother, Michelle. In 2021, Sage was fourteen when school officials in Virginia sought to socially transition her to a new gender, treating her as a boy and hiding it from her parents. Hard to believe, isn’t it?

Before long, a confused Sage ran away from home. After she was found in a horrific situation in Maryland, a left-wing judge refused to return Sage to her parents because they did not immediately state that their daughter was their son. Sage was thrown into an all-boys home and suffered terribly for a long time. But today, all of that is behind them, because Sage is a proud and wonderful young woman with a full-ride scholarship to Liberty University. Sage and Michelle, please stand up. And thank you for your great bravery.

And who can believe that we’re even speaking about things like this? Fifteen years ago, if somebody was up here and said that, they’d say, “What’s wrong with him?” But now we have to say it, because it’s going on all over numerous states without even telling the parents.

But surely, we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents’ will. Who would believe that we’ve been talking about this? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately.

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