Trump hails ‘golden age’ in speech lasting one hour and 47 minutespublished at 07:01 GMT
Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter
Image source, ReutersUS President Donald Trump has delivered a record-breaking, one hour and 47 minute, State of the Union address in which he hailed a “golden age of America”, claimed the economy was “roaring like never before” and insisted his tariffs would remain in place.
The president used his marathon speech to single out special guests in the audience for praise, including the Olympic champion US gold medal men’s ice hockey team, Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, and Andrew Wolfe, one of the two National Guard members shot and injured in Washington last year.
He also praised the helicopter pilot who was injured in the operation to capture seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early January.
On immigration, he insisted the country’s southern border was secure, but he avoided talking about the killing of American citizens protesting against immigration raids. And as America heaps pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme, Trump said he would prefer to use diplomacy but that he won’t allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
The chamber erupted into boisterous chants of “USA, USA” on several occasions throughout his speech.
There were moments of disruption. Texas Democrat Al Green was removed from the chamber when he held up a sign that read “black people aren’t apes”. As Trump disparaged the Somali community in Minnesota, Democrat Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American to be elected to Congress, shouted that Trump was a liar.
We’ll continue to break down the speech and key reactions.
