Trump touts a 'roaring economy' in his State of Union as Americans continue to struggle

Trump touts a 'roaring economy' in his State of Union as Americans continue to struggle Trump said America is entering a "golden age," even as polling shows skepticism from voters on the economy and after he faced a setback on tariffs from the Supreme Court. Add NBC News to Google Watch President Trump's 2026 State of the Union address in 3 minutes 03:01 Get more news on Share Add NBC News to Google Feb. 25, 2026, 12:20 AM EST By Jonathan Allen Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 Declaring "a turnaround for the ages," President Donald Trump offered a version of America's standing during his State of the Union address Tuesday night that is at odds with the perceptions of the electorate. Wearing a red power tie with a flag pin on the lapel of his Navy suit and speaking to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber, Trump rolled off a list of statistics and policies to support his view that the nation is "back bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before" — a "golden age of America." A "roaring economy," Trump said near the start of his record-breaking one-hour, forty-seven-minute speech, "is roaring like never before." He vowed to maintain unilateral tariffs on foreign goods despite an adverse Supreme Court decision , promising that "these powerful, country-saving, peace-protecting tariffs will remain in place under fully approved and tested alternative legal statutes." Four of the justices , including three who voted for what he called "a very unfortunate ruling," were in the chamber for Trump's speech. He said the levies, which most economists say are paid for primarily by Americans, will eventually replace the income tax. Trump touted popular policies included in his controversial 2025 tax cut, from eliminating taxes on tips for wage workers to investment vehicles for newborns dubbed Trump accounts. "With modest additional contributions," Trump said, "accounts could grow to $100,000 or more by the time children turn 18." But America...