US President Donald Trump set a new historical record by delivering the longest State of the Union address ever recorded, speaking for approximately one hour and forty-eight minutes before a joint session of the US Congress. The speech surpassed the previous record held by former President Bill Clinton, whose 2000 State of the Union address lasted about one hour and twenty minutes. Trump’s address also exceeded the duration of his own earlier congressional speech delivered in March 2025, which ran for around one hour and forty minutes but was not officially classified as a State of the Union because it took place shortly after he began his second presidential term.
The address marked Trump’s first formal State of the Union speech during his second term in office, following his inauguration on January 20, 2025. According to historical tracking of presidential speeches delivered before joint sessions of Congress, the address became the longest such speech delivered in at least six decades. In contrast, the shortest State of the Union address in modern history remains the one delivered by President Richard Nixon in 1972, which lasted just under twenty-nine minutes.
Throughout the extended speech, Trump addressed a broad range of domestic and international policy matters while repeatedly asserting that the United States had entered what he described as a new “golden age.” He frequently referenced the approaching 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, using the milestone to emphasise themes of national unity, patriotism, and renewed confidence in the country’s future direction.
On economic issues, Trump claimed that inflation had declined under his administration and pointed to record highs in the stock market as evidence of economic strength. He argued that his economic policies had attracted trillions of dollars in investment into the United States and positioned the country for sustained growth. The president also defended his tariff policies, suggesting that increased tariff revenues could eventually reduce reliance on income taxes. While acknowledging a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down certain global tariffs, he described the decision as unfortunate and maintained that such measures would ultimately remain legally viable.
Immigration formed another major focus of the speech, with Trump reiterating his administration’s strict border policies. He asserted that illegal border crossings had fallen to record lows and claimed that the flow of fentanyl entering the United States had dropped significantly, citing a reported reduction of more than fifty percent. The president also highlighted ongoing security operations targeting international drug cartels, praising coordinated enforcement efforts and referencing recent actions by Mexican authorities against cartel leadership as well as a US operation involving Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on narcotics-related charges.
On foreign policy, Trump maintained a firm stance toward Iran, stating that while he preferred diplomatic solutions, he would not allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. He described Iran as a leading sponsor of terrorism and warned that the country was advancing missile capabilities that could potentially threaten the United States. At the same time, he emphasised his administration’s diplomatic initiatives, claiming credit for brokering multiple ceasefires around the world, including one between India and Pakistan. Trump stated that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had personally requested American intervention during heightened tensions, asserting that large-scale casualties could have resulted without diplomatic engagement.
