'Iran is building missiles that could reach us,' says Trump: SOTU Highlights

Trump's Third term in office?

Donald Trump delivered his annual State of the Union address to a sharply divided Congress, outlining his second-term priorities while defending his economic record and projecting confidence ahead of November's midterm elections.

Key highlights from the speech:

Political backdrop: With opinion polls signaling voter unease, Trump used the national platform to rally supporters and reinforce his agenda.

Democratic boycott: Around 50 Democratic lawmakers skipped the address, including House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, underscoring deep partisan tensions.

Charged atmosphere: Chants of "USA" echoed through the chamber shortly before the president began speaking.

Opening message: Trump declared, "This is the golden age of America," portraying his presidency as a period of renewed national strength.

Supreme Court moment: In a show of civility, he greeted Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett of the Supreme Court of the United States - days after sharply criticising the court over its ruling on his tariff policy.

Presidential Medal of Freedom: Trump announced that U.S. hockey goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will receive the nation's highest civilian honour. He previously awarded the medal during a State of the Union in 2020 to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh following his cancer diagnosis.

Inflation claim: The president said core inflation has fallen to its lowest level in more than five years during his first year back in office.

Attack on predecessor: He repeated his accusation that Joe Biden oversaw the "worst inflation" in US history, despite historical data showing higher inflation in previous decades.

Market performance: Trump stated that the stock market has notched 53 record highs since the election.

Investment pledge: He also claimed his administration has secured more than $18 trillion in investment within its first year.

Trump on tariffs: Trump strongly defended his tariff policy during his State of the Union address, saying countries that had “ripped us” in trade are now “paying tariffs.” He described a recent Supreme Court of the United States ruling striking down parts of his tariff agenda as “unfortunate.”

AI Boom: During his State of the Union address from Capitol Hill, Trump said major technology firms will be required to generate their own electricity to support the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. "Tech companies will now have to build their own power plants. We're telling the major tech companies they have an obligation to provide their own power needs for AI data centers," he said.

Iran tension: Trump said he would prefer a diplomatic solution but drew a firm red line on Iran's nuclear ambitions. "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, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon - can't let that happen." He added that while Tehran has signaled interest in negotiations, it has not explicitly pledged to forgo nuclear arms. "They want to make a deal, but we have not heard those words: 'We will never have a nuclear weapon.' They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America."