Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

underpants

(195,856 posts)
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 12:17 PM 3 hrs ago

The State of the Union Revealed a Sad Reality. David Frum

He writes long paragraphs



President Trump’s State of the Union address last night was very like the man who delivered it: divisive, abusive, and childish.

The speech turned reality on its head in many ways. The president who has enriched himself and his family by more than a billion dollars in his first year in office called on Congress to clean up its corruption. The president who has collected about $175 billion in illegal tariffs from the American people falsely told them that he had given them a great big tax cut. The president solemnly condemned political violence—the same president who ended his first term by inciting a mob to sack Congress and overturn an election. Maybe most shocking, Trump demanded that members of Congress rise to agree that it’s the first duty of government to protect American citizens—even as his own government by its brutal police methods has shot American citizens dead on the streets and then tried to deceive the country about how those Americans had been killed and why. Then of course there were the many misstatements of fact about the economy, about crime, and about wars and peace—many of which look like deliberate decisions to deceive the public watching on television.


The most radical fantasy in the speech, though, was its claims of a new golden age of prosperity. That misstatement surely deceived nobody. Prices continue to rise; the job market stagnates. In almost every way that can be measured, Americans are communicating economic anxiety and discontent. Trump insisted that they are all wrong. It is as if the nation were being soaked by a torrential downpour, water rolling over umbrellas and into boats, soaking everyone’s clothes—and the leader whose job it is to lead them through the deluge insists that it is not raining at all, that in fact it is sunny, the sunniest day ever.

But there comes a point when sad realities must be faced. The speech last night was empty and uselessly garrulous. Its length was its first declaration of disrespect for those obliged to sit through it. Trump’s name-calling of his predecessor and of the members of Congress in the chamber, his demands that legislators rise at his command, his strategic deployment of systematic untruth in service of those demands to rise and clap—put together, he misused the State of the Union ritual in ways so radical as to call the ritual itself into question. Are members of Congress really supposed to sit meekly and quietly while the president uses the rostrum of their chamber to abuse and insult them in the ugliest language? The president is present in Congress as a guest: That’s the reason for the famous language about the “high honor and distinct privilege” of welcoming him to speak. He has no right to be heard in person; it’s a courtesy.


https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/trumps-childish-state-of-the-union/686133/?gift=j8JiJIlliWfcdD_mDVMd94I5LFigbGOIYL8rso4U9_Y

27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The State of the Union Revealed a Sad Reality. David Frum (Original Post) underpants 3 hrs ago OP
Frum sure brought a keen look at what was really said bucolic_frolic 3 hrs ago #1
Thought it was a good concise piece underpants 2 hrs ago #10
I remember that The Atlantic gave a good, accurate wnylib 1 hr ago #15
Kick dalton99a 3 hrs ago #2
Trump could have just posted it on Truth Social leftstreet 3 hrs ago #3
Most devastatingly to Trump, it was boring. C_U_L8R 3 hrs ago #4
"Tiresome" was the adjective I found most descriptive. lastlib 32 min ago #25
Trump should have just maile a report to Congress delisen 3 hrs ago #5
Last paragraph. Good idea. underpants 2 hrs ago #9
Thanks, I should have read the whole piece delisen 2 hrs ago #11
Trump truly is a union buster. BattleRow 1 hr ago #13
But he needs the drama of bestowing awards wnylib 1 hr ago #17
He calls it 'truth' social because in the cynical B.See 2 hrs ago #6
I believe that "Pravda" hoosierspud 2 hrs ago #12
Or maybe his boss Putin B.See 1 hr ago #19
Well. Cherrycheeks 2 hrs ago #7
Canadian neo-con pro-war Bushite says what? Seeking Serenity 2 hrs ago #8
The truth: We are under attack from a psychotic cult led by a deranged propaganda outlet... Initech 1 hr ago #14
Strong words from a former Bush Admin! I wish GWB would write something as strong. nt Exp 1 hr ago #16
For GWB to do that...... lastlib 27 min ago #26
You only think he writes long paragraphs. pnwmom 1 hr ago #18
I have noticed that too Skittles 57 min ago #20
It's training us to be lazy readers and lazy thinkers. nt pnwmom 56 min ago #21
I've heard that young folk are not avid book readers Skittles 51 min ago #22
It's a new age of prosperity for Trump Kablooie 42 min ago #23
"I'm in charge of this court! Stand up! Sit down! Go 'moo'! See?" Grokenstein 32 min ago #24
He considers himself a Dictator. We are in dangerous waters, people. RESIST. Joinfortmill 25 min ago #27

bucolic_frolic

(54,754 posts)
1. Frum sure brought a keen look at what was really said
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 12:25 PM
3 hrs ago

It was lies and projection to cover up the crimes and inhumanity.

underpants

(195,856 posts)
10. Thought it was a good concise piece
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:10 PM
2 hrs ago

Last edited Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:51 PM - Edit history (1)

The Atlantic has done really good pieces. I subscribed and I find it well worth it

wnylib

(25,505 posts)
15. I remember that The Atlantic gave a good, accurate
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:56 PM
1 hr ago

warning in 2020 of how Trump would refuse to acknowledge a Biden win and what he might do about it.

They did not specifically mention an attack on the Capitol, but they did suggest a coup attempt by creating violence and using that as an excuse for martial law. If I remenber right, they suggested that he might call upon his militia supporters.

C_U_L8R

(49,213 posts)
4. Most devastatingly to Trump, it was boring.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 12:30 PM
3 hrs ago

a friggin snoozefest deliver by a senile angry old fart.
Trump is waning.

lastlib

(27,935 posts)
25. "Tiresome" was the adjective I found most descriptive.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 03:12 PM
32 min ago

"Tiresome" it was! Projection, hypocrisy, grievances, obnoxious rants, falsehoods by the silo-load, and filled with really dumb, boring tangents, using people for props--every speech teacher I ever had would have given it at best a "D", but more likely an "F".

And what does he promise for the future? Only more of the same tiresome, boring, disgusting, obnoxious bullshit.

delisen

(7,309 posts)
5. Trump should have just maile a report to Congress
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 12:35 PM
3 hrs ago

Apparently that is all that is required.

He can send his lies on paper. no reason to waste the time of our representatives or to spread falsehoods around the nation in real time.

underpants

(195,856 posts)
9. Last paragraph. Good idea.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:04 PM
2 hrs ago

Given the intentional abuse of Congress’s time and hospitality last night, the next speaker, if there is a different next speaker, should consider very hard whether to extend another such invitation. The case for suffering Trump is that the tradition, if interrupted, may take a long time to return. A future Republican Congress will requite the next Democratic president the same way. But there’s also a risk of setting a precedent that anti-institutional Republicans get to smash things, which pro-institutional Democrats must then clean up. Maybe the only way to restore norms is by imposing some meaningful costs for breaking them. Next January, the next speaker could do everyone a favor with a letter that begins: “Dear Mr. President, the time has come for your State of the Union message. Please send it in writing in the enclosed envelope. Congress will give it all the attention it deserves. This is the method that was good enough for Rutherford B. Hayes, and, Mr. Trump, it is more than good enough for you.”

BattleRow

(2,194 posts)
13. Trump truly is a union buster.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:52 PM
1 hr ago

He's busted up the union of states and created political devisiveness in unprecedented ways.
He is more interested in serving self than serving the American people..he's an employee of the populace.
Oh,to hear,"You're fired!",Mr.Trump.

wnylib

(25,505 posts)
17. But he needs the drama of bestowing awards
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:59 PM
1 hr ago

and thinking that the applause given to the recipients is meant for him.

B.See

(8,170 posts)
6. He calls it 'truth' social because in the cynical
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 12:47 PM
2 hrs ago

BIZARRO WORLD of deviants, dictators, and psychopaths, lies are 'truth' and truth, lies.

And last night (apparently), Trump brought 'truth' social to primetime.

hoosierspud

(231 posts)
12. I believe that "Pravda"
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:37 PM
2 hrs ago

Is the Russian word for truth. He could have been more creative.

B.See

(8,170 posts)
19. Or maybe his boss Putin
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:44 PM
1 hr ago

told him to call it the English translation of Pravda, and 'social' was the creative part.

Initech

(108,303 posts)
14. The truth: We are under attack from a psychotic cult led by a deranged propaganda outlet...
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:54 PM
1 hr ago

That is out for absolute dominate power in the United States. They are bloodthirsty, ruthless, and want to do unspeakable things to eliminate any opposition. And yes this is about Donald Trump and his ass kissing goons.

lastlib

(27,935 posts)
26. For GWB to do that......
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 03:16 PM
27 min ago

would require him to construct sentences with cogent thoughts---that's above his pay grade. (there was a reason he was nicknamed "Dimson.&quot

pnwmom

(110,235 posts)
18. You only think he writes long paragraphs.
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:34 PM
1 hr ago

AI has been training us to think a paragraph should consist of three 5-word sentences.

Skittles

(170,575 posts)
22. I've heard that young folk are not avid book readers
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 02:52 PM
51 min ago

and that a big reason is because they are so used to getting all their news and entertainment in snippets

it's pretty fucking disturbing, really

Kablooie

(19,084 posts)
23. It's a new age of prosperity for Trump
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 03:02 PM
42 min ago

When he talks about the great economy it’s only about how much he and his cronies have grabbed for themselves. It has nothing to do with the economy of anyone else.

I don’t know why that isn’t focused on. It should be the primary takeaway when thinking of the Trump economy. It was mentioned in the rebuttal but it should be drilled into everyone’s head daily.

It’s not about economy for you, only about the economy for himself

Grokenstein

(6,323 posts)
24. "I'm in charge of this court! Stand up! Sit down! Go 'moo'! See?"
Wed Feb 25, 2026, 03:11 PM
32 min ago

(skip to 4:20 for the most relevant part)
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»The State of the Union Re...