5 Highlights From Trump’s 2026 State of the Union
Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell /
President Donald Trump highlighted the successful raid in Venezuela, the U.S. triumph at the Olympics, and new plans for tariffs and affordability in his first official State of the Union address of his second term.
Here are five highlights from his speech on Tuesday night.
1. Honoring a Hero of Raid to Capture Maduro
Trump put a spotlight on Chinook helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, who was injured in the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.
Slover was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his role in the operation.
While piloting the helicopter, Slover was hit in the leg and hip by enemy machine gun fire but continued to carry out the mission.
“He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces,” Trump said. “And yet, despite the fact that the use of his legs was vital to a successful helicopter flight, flying a helicopter to deliver the many commandos who would capture and detain Maduro was the only thing Eric was thinking about.”
“Even as he was gushing blood which was flowing down the aisle, the helicopter landed at a steep angle,” Trump said.
Trump also reunited a former Venezuelan prisoner of war with his niece for the first time.
“I’m pleased to inform you that not only has your uncle been released, but he is here tonight,” Trump said. “We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person.”
2. Calling for the SAVE America Act
“We have to stop it, John,” Trump said to Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune about illegal immigrants voting in America.
Trump called on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to vote in federal elections.
“Why would anybody not want a voter ID?” Trump asked. “One reason is because they want to cheat.”
“They want to cheat,” he said. “They have cheated, and their policy is so bad that the only way they can get elected is to cheat, and we’re going to stop it.”
Trump called out Democrats for refusing to put American citizens ahead of illegal aliens.
“If you agree with this statement, please stand up,” Trump said. “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens.”
Many Democrats did not stand.
3. Hockey Player Gets Medal of Freedom
Trump announced that Connor Hellebuyck, the U.S. men’s hockey team’s goaltender, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
After the U.S. beat Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics finals on Sunday, Trump welcomed the team to his first State of the Union address.
Trump described the medal as “the highest civilian honor.”
The hockey team received a standing ovation from the crowd as they entered the chamber, with the exception of some Democrats who refused to stand.
4. New Retirement Plans
Trump announced a new initiative to create retirement savings plans for workers who don’t have one provided by their employer.
“Since I took office, the typical 401(k) balance is up by at least $30,000 million because the stock market has done so well, setting all those records, your 401(k)s are way up, yet half of all working Americans still do not have access to a retirement plan with matching contributions from an employer,” Trump said.
“To remedy this gross disparity, I’m announcing that next year, my administration will give these often forgotten American workers, great people, people that built our country,” Trump said, “access to the same type of retirement plan offered to every federal worker. We will match your contribution with up to $1,000.”
Trump also highlighted his executive order to stop large institutional investment firms from buying single-family homes.
Trump promised to always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
He renewed his call for Congress to pass his “Great Health Care Plan” to lower health care prices for Americans.
“I want to stop all payments to big insurance companies and instead give that money directly to the people so they can buy their own health care, which will be better health care at a much lower price,” Trump said.
“My plan requires maximum price transparency,” Trump added. “That’s a big deal.”
5. The Future of Tariffs
Trump addressed the Supreme Court’s “unfortunate ruling” against his tariffs last week, pivoting to his next plan.
Trump said the Supreme Court on Friday “got it really wrong.”
“But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made,” Trump said, “knowing that the legal power that I as president have to make a new deal could be far worse for them, and therefore they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate ruling.”
Trump attributed the wars he helped end partially to the tariffs.
“I used these tariffs, hundreds of billions of dollars, to make great deals for our country, both economically and on a national security basis, everything was working well, countries,” Trump said, “they were ripping us off for decades and now paying us hundreds of billions of dollars they were ripping us so badly all know that everybody knows it, even the Democrats.”