President Donald Trump highlighted his economic agenda, declaring the United States is “bigger, richer, and stronger than ever before.”
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| “In each fire there is a spirit; Each one is wrapped in what is burning him.” |
— Dante Alighieri, "The Divine Comedy" |
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| Ivan Pentchoukov
National Editor |
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| Ivan Pentchoukov
National Editor |
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Good morning! President Donald Trump delivered the State of the Union address last night. Before I say more, here is an excerpt from the conclusion of the speech, which I feel will stay with me.
“Two hundred and fifty years is a long time in the life of a nation, but in another sense, it's really a mere moment in the eye of history. Two of the gentlemen we met in the gallery this evening took their first breaths one century ago,” the president said, referring to two veterans he honored earlier in the address.
“One hundred years before that, on July 4, 1826, the author of the Declaration of Independence, brilliant Thomas Jefferson, drew his last breath. Just a single long human lifespan separates the giants who declared and won our independence from the heroes who stand among us tonight. Everything our nation has done, everything we have achieved, has been the work of those few great lifetimes.”
Our reporters worked into the early hours of the morning to bring you the takeaways and memorable moments from the speech. But if you’re just wondering what’s new in terms of policy, here is the shortlist: |
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The president announced a plan to offer retirement plans for working Americans who do not have one and to match $1,000 in contributions each year.
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Trump unveiled a rate payer protection pledge to ensure residential customers didn’t pay for capital improvement costs their electric utilities will incur to expand electricity grids to accommodate surging demand largely generated by data centers for artificial intelligence development.
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The president designated Vice President JD Vance as the leader of the government-wide war on fraud.
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President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union address during his second presidential term, in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington on Feb. 24, 2026. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times) |
President Donald Trump highlighted his economic agenda in a record-length State of the Union address, declaring the United States is “bigger, richer, and stronger than ever before.” The president drew attention to some of the guests in attendance to spotlight the impacts of his policies, including no taxes on tips, Trump Accounts, and the TrumpRx medication discount website. Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to a Korean War hero and to a helicopter pilot wounded in the mission to capture former Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro. He announced that he would award the Medal of Freedom to USA men’s hockey team goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Here are eight takeaways from the president’s speech. 401K for All: The president proposed providing 401(k) plans for workers whose employers don’t provide them, with up to $1,000 a year in matching contributions. Estimates suggest that about 56 million workers currently have no employer‑sponsored retirement plan.
Energy Deal With Big Tech: The president said his administration struck a deal with tech giants to ensure that residential customers don’t have to shoulder the cost of capital expenditures by electric utilities as they scale up to keep with the demand from data centers.
Medals for Heroes: Aside from the medals mentioned earlier, the president awarded the Legion of Merit to U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan, who helped rescue 165 people during flash flooding in Texas last summer.
Democrats Withhold Applause: At one point, Trump called on audience members to “stand up and show your support” if they agreed with the notion that the “first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.” When many Democrats remained seated, Trump told them that they “should be ashamed.” The president called out the Democrats for their lack of applause for the mother of Iryna Zarutska, the Ukrainian refugee who was brutally murdered by a repeat offender who was free on no-cash bail.
Guests Spotlight Economic Agenda: To showcase his economic achievements, the president gave shoutouts to several Americans who have benefited from policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill enacted last year. Pennsylvania mother of two, Megan Hemhauser, a bartender who homeschools her children, had her tax bill more than cut in half under Trump’s economic policies, he said. Temperate on Tariffs: Trump adopted a more measured approach when defending his tariff agenda to rebalance international trade. The president had previously lashed out against the Supreme Court for overturning his emergency tariffs. But, facing four of the justices in attendance, he struck a softer tone, calling the decision "very unfortunate." Vance Is Czar of War on Fraud: Among his new policy promises Tuesday night, Trump said he was “officially announcing the war on fraud” and would appoint Vice President JD Vance to lead the effort.
Congressional Stock-Trading Ban: Trump urged Congress to approve legislation barring lawmakers from trading individual stocks. Efforts to restrict congressional stock trading have circulated on Capitol Hill for years, but lawmakers have yet to reach a final agreement. Trump has previously said he would sign the bill. His promotion of the measure in the State of the Union may give the measure the boost it needs to finally pass. More on the Speech |
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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered Democrats’ response to the State of the Union address. She centered her response on affordability and immigration.
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A group known as Prairieland Defendants protest in favor of alleged antifa members outside the federal courthouse in Fort Worth, Texas, on Feb. 24. 2026 Darlene McCormick Sanchez/The Epoch Times |
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Suspected members of the designated domestic terrorist group Antifa are on trial in a Texas courtroom for allegedly attacking an immigration holding facility. The incident, where one officer survived after being shot in the neck, took place on July 4, 2025, outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas.
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YouTube’s vice president of engineering testified in Los Angeles Superior Court that the algorithm and design features he oversees are not made to be addictive.
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A majority of voters say immunity for pharmaceutical firms should be removed in cases where the companies’ vaccines cause injuries, according to a new poll.
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 on Feb. 24 that Americans may not sue the U.S. Postal Service when its employees intentionally fail to deliver mail.
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Markets worldwide are starting to resemble the era before the 2008 financial crisis and recession, warned JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon at an event hosted by his company.
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The Coast Guard has reinstated 56 members who were removed for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine.
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Imported iron ore, bauxite, and coal are stored at Yantai Port in Shandong Province, China, on July 25, 2025. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) |
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In a race to sideline China’s dominance over the critical minerals sector, the United States has reached framework deals on critical minerals with 21 countries, with negotiations ongoing for 17 other nations.
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The Australian prime minister was evacuated from his residence following Chinese-language bomb threats over a Shen Yun performance.
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The White House warned Mexican drug cartels not to target U.S. citizens after it was revealed that the United States provided intelligence to the Mexican government in its operation that killed a top drug lord over the past weekend.
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India and the European Union have deferred trade talks with the United States as governments assess the fallout from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, while Japan has sought assurances that it will receive treatment no worse than under existing agreements.
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U.S. military forces boarded a third sanctioned oil tanker on the Indian Ocean after it was tracked from the Caribbean Sea
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A prominent Chinese real estate commentator known for his bearish views on the country’s housing market has been permanently banned from Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, sparking debate over online speech restrictions as the nation’s property downturn deepens.
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Peter Mandelson, the UK’s former ambassador to the United States, has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in a widening investigation stemming from his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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- The Senate Must Act Against Forced Organ Harvesting in China Now—Erping Zhang (Read)
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It Takes More Than Statements to Confront Authoritarian Regimes—by Scott McGregor (Read)
- How Government Shutdowns Erode Public Trust and National Stability—by Christian Milord (Read)
- Has Life Really Improved in Half a Century?—by Jeffrey A. Tucker (Read)
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A man on cross-country skis travels through Central Park after a historic blizzard hit parts of the East Coast, in New York City, New York, on Feb. 24, 2026. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images) |
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(Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock) |
Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that starts in melanocytes—the cells that give your skin its color. While it accounts for only about 1 percent of all skin cancers, it is considered the most dangerous type because it can spread rapidly to other parts of the body. Though melanoma is the leading cause of death from skin disease, when caught early, it is highly treatable.
Melanoma most often appears on the back, chest, and limbs, but it can develop anywhere on the body, including the mouth, genital area, rectum, and the thin covering of the eye. In rare cases, melanoma can form inside the eye, in the protective layers around the brain and spinal cord, or under the fingernails or toenails. The initial signs of melanoma frequently include changes in an existing mole or the appearance of a new pigmented or atypical skin growth. The ABCDE warning signs help spot melanoma early.
Asymmetry: The spot or mole has an irregular shape, with two parts that look very different. Border: Edges are irregular, jagged, or scalloped. Color: The spot has multiple colors, such as varying shades of tan, brown, or black, or patches of white, red, or blue. Diameter: The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across.
Evolving: The mole or spot changes in size, shape, or color. It may also start to bleed, itch, or crust. (More)
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Thanks for reading 🙏 Have a wonderful day! |
—Ivan Pentchoukov, Madalina Hubert, and Kenzi Li. |
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