Golden Age

Barry MacDonald — Editorial

The State of the Union Speech given on February 24 by President Trump was stuffed with national communion for citizens with open ears and stout hearts. On display were the poignant lows and highs of both grief and celebration. For good-hearted Americans who have witnessed more than a decade of the dissolution of previously respected institutions, along with the destruction of American’s cities that are overrun with filth and violent crime, President Trump’s speech was a much-needed boost of energetic optimism. As President Reagan did before him, Donald Trump effectively turned the pervasive gloom and vitriol that emanates from Democratic negativity upside down. It does feel like “morning in America” today:

“This July 4th, we will mark two and a half centuries of liberty and triumph, progress and freedom in the most incredible and exceptional nation ever to exist on the face of the earth. And we’ve seen nothing yet. We’re going to do better and better and better. We’re not going back.”

Since at least the presidency of Barack Obama, patriotism and love of country have been out-of-vogue among America’s intellectuals. The cynical set of snobs among the managerial elite who fashion themselves as the best of us was shamed and humbled by President Trump. Throughout the speech the Democrats stayed stubbornly glued to their seats. They were seen to be obsessed with their smart phones as they ignored the unapologetic recitation of American successes. It would almost be possible to feel a smidgeon sorry for the Dems amid their discomfiture, yet, with the memory of the stop-at-nothing, decade-long, vile hatred they unleashed on Donald Trump, on his family, and on Trump supporters that culminated into three assassination attempts on Trump’s life, sympathy diminishes to be replaced by an recognition that there is indeed a measure of justice in the course of events:

“When I spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis, with a stagnant economy, inflation at record levels, a wide-open border, horrendous recruitment for military and police, rampant crime at home, and wars and chaos all over the world. But tonight, after just one year, I can say with dignity and pride that we have achieved a transformation like no one has ever seen before and a turnaround for the ages. It is, indeed, a turnaround for the ages. And we will never go back to where we were just a very short time ago. We’re not going back.”

President Trump’s list of accomplishments and proposals is long:

• Inflation down to 1.7 percent
• Gasoline down to $2.30 a gallon
• American oil production up 600,000 barrels a day
• 2.4 million Americans off food stamps in a year
• 70,000 new construction jobs
• Annual cost of a home mortgage is down
• All-time-high stock markets
• $1 trillion in new investment in the U.S.
• 100 percent of the new jobs created in America are in the U.S. private sector — they are not government jobs
• DEI ideology is being opposed and eliminated
• Burdensome regulations are lifted
• Cost of energy is down
• Cost of insurance is declining
• Cost of medications are declining
• Future energy demands for data centers that use AI technology will be borne by the major tech companies as they will build their own power plants
• Wall Street investment firms will be prohibited from buying up thousands of the single-family houses for conversion into rental property; homes will become more affordable
• President Trump proposed the Stop Insider Trading Act, calling out Nancy Pelosi, who was in attendance
• President Trump promoted the Save Act that would require all voters to show voter ID
• President Trump announced plans for tax free investment accounts for every American child, called Trump Accounts
• President Trump took credit for reciprocal trade deals with many nations made after the imposition of tariffs
• He also took credit for securing our national borders
• National murder rate dropped to its lowest number in 125 years
• Amount of fentanyl that crossed the border in one year dropped by 56 percent

Throughout the evening, President Trump stage-managed a presentation of American heroes to be justly honored in the gallery of the House of Representatives. The U.S. men’s hockey team, fresh from their gold-medal victory in the Winter Olympics, was celebrated. The U.S. goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, who blocked 46 shots on goal, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Buddy Taggart, who served in the Battle of Manila in World War II 81 years ago, was honored. He was badly wounded and almost killed by enemy machine guns at Luzon. He liberated the largest internment camp in the Philippines. The president said:

“. . . he earned many honors, including a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, came home, commenced a family, and tonight he is in the gallery looking forward to July 4, 2026, his 100th birthday. So, Buddy, you’re a brave man, and we salute you.”

Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, was awarded the Legion of Merit for extraordinary heroism. He saved 165 people who were washed away in a flash flood in central Texas on July 4th, 2025. President Trump said:

“[Water was] rising 26 feet in the matter of minutes, tragically claiming many, many lives. You all remember that one. As the waters threatened to sweep her away, 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond closed her eyes and prayed to God. She thought she was going to die.

“Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan descended from a helicopter above. Nobody knew where he came from. It was Scott’s first-ever rescue mission. Young guy. Very brave. Very, very top. Always top of his class. And he lifted not just Milly Cate, but 164 others to safety. People watched Scott from a distance, and they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.” [There was sustained applause.]

Megan Hemhauser, a mother of two daughters whom she home schools, was acknowledged. Catherin Rayner was acknowledged. She was able to afford infertility medication because the price declined from $4,000 to $500 as a result of President Trump’s new prescription medication policy. The president effectively leveraged both extraordinary American achievement and the quiet persistence of ordinary Americans.

President Trump turned to the topic of fraud and said:

“So tonight, although started four months ago, I am officially announcing the war on fraud to be led by our great Vice President J. D. Vance. . . . The Somali pirates who ransacked Minnesota remind us that there are large parts of the world where bribery, corruption, and lawlessness are the norm, not the exception. Importing these cultures through unrestricted immigration and open borders brings us problems right here to the U.S.A. And it is the American people who pay the price in higher medical bills, car insurance rates, rent, taxes, and perhaps most importantly, crime. We will take care of this problem. We’re going to take care of this problem. We are not playing games.” [There was sustained applause.]

President Trump also called the nation’s attention to recent sufferings, injuries, and deaths of innocent Americans who were victimized by perverse Democratic policies. Five-year-old Dalilah Coleman was in a stopped car when an18-wheel tractor trailer collided with her at 60 miles-per-hour. Against the odds she is relearning to walk, talk, and eat again. The illegal alien who plowed into her was given a commercial driver’s license by the state of California.

Jacqueline Medina was present in the gallery. Her daughter, Lizbeth, a 16-year-old high school cheerleader, was stabbed 25 times, killed, and left in the bathtub insider her home. President Trump said:

“Lizbeth’s killer was a previously arrested illegal alien who had broken in and brutally, just brutally, extinguished the brightest light in her family’s life. Violently and viciously. Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals from our country at record numbers. We’re getting them the hell out of here fast. We don’t want ’em. Thank you very much, Jacqueline. Thank you. [There was sustained applause.]

“We can never forget that many in this room not only allowed the border invasion to happen before I got involved, but indeed, they would do it all over again if they ever had the chance. If they ever got elected, they would open up those borders to some of the worst criminals anywhere in the world. . . . As we speak, Democrats in this chamber have cut off all funding for the Department of Homeland Security. . . . Now they have closed the agency responsible for protecting Americans from terrorists and murderers. . . . One of the great things about the State of the Union is how it gives Americans the chance to see clearly what their representatives really believe. So tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration and reaffirm a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. . . .” [There was sustained applause.]

Almost all of the Democrats stubbornly, sourly, remained sitting. They could not do otherwise without incurring the wrath of their base of voters. One could almost feel sympathy for them except for the realization that their cynical, hypocritical, shameless selfishness is bottomless. President Trump was without mercy. He exposed them:

“Isn’t that a shame? You should be ashamed of yourselves for not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourselves. That is why I’m also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens, in many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country. They’re blocking the removal of these people out of our country. And you should be ashamed of yourselves.” [There was sustained applause.]

President Trump called attention to Sage Blair and her mother Michelle. Sage was transitioned from a female to a male gender when she was 14 by school officials in Virginia without her parents’ knowledge or consent. A leftist judge refused to return her to her home after she ran away because her parents would not immediately agree that their daughter was their “son.” Sage now has a full ride scholarship to Liberty University. President Trump said:

“And who can believe that we’re even speaking about things like this? Fifteen years ago, if somebody was up here and said that, they’d say, ‘what’s wrong with him?’ but now we have to say it because it’s going on all over numerous states. They’re not even telling the parents. But surely, we can all agree no state can be allowed to rip children from their parents’ arms and transition them to a new gender against the parents’ will. Who would believe that we’re even talking about it? We must ban it, and we must ban it immediately. . . . [pointing at the Democrats] . . . . Nobody stands up. These people are crazy. I’m telling them they’re crazy. [There was sustained applause.]

Next President Trump spoke about the renewal of Christianity:

“ . . . . there has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity and belief in God. This is especially true among young people, and a big part of that had to do with my great friend Charlie Kirk. . . . Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin. And martyred, really, martyred for his beliefs. His wonderful wife, Erika is with us tonight. Erika. Please stand . . . . [There was sustained applause.]

“We are honored to be joined tonight by a woman who’s been through hell, Anya Zarutska. In 2022, she and her beautiful daughter. So beautiful. What a beautiful young woman. Iryna fled war-torn Ukraine to live with relatives near Charlotte, North Carolina. . . . Last summer, 23-year-old Irina was riding home on the train when a deranged monster who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body. . . . No one will ever forget the expression of terror on Irina’s face as she looked up at her attacker in the last seconds of her life. . . . She had escaped a brutal war, only to be slain by a hardened criminal set free to kill in America. . . . Mrs. Zarutska, tonight, I promise you, we will ensure justice for your magnificent daughter, Iryna. . . . [There was sustained applause.]

 “How do you not stand, how do you not stand? [Trump addressed the seated Democrats]

“I’m asking this Congress to pass tough legislation to ensure that violent and dangerous repeat offenders are put behind bars, and, importantly, that they stay there.” [There was sustained applause.]

President Trump said the crime in Washington D.C. is now a record low and that murders in the city are close to 100 percent down from last year. He spoke about a 20-year-old West Virginian Army National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom who was on patrol near the White House. Beckstrom was shot and killed by an immigrant from Afghanistan. President Trump said:

“After a four-month deployment, she voluntarily extended her service and her rank was going to be lifted. She was doing so well. They were so proud of her. But the very next day she was on patrol near the White House when she was ambushed and shot in the head by a terrorist monster from Afghanistan. Shouldn’t have been in our country. And all because she wore the uniform of our nation, she was shot.”

The President also expressed his gratitude for Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe who served along side Specialist Beckstrom. He also was shot in the head and was not expected to survive. But against the odds Sgt. Wolfe did survive. He was in the gallery and Trump thanked him and his parents who were also present. Sgt. Wolfe was awarded the purple heart in the gallery by general James Seward.

President Trump touted his part in ending wars:

“My first 10 months, I ended eight wars, including Cambodia and Thailand. Pakistan and India would have been a nuclear war. . . . Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Congo and Rwanda. And of course, the war in Gaza, which proceeds at a very low level. . . . And I want to thank Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for your help. Thank you, Steve. Thank you, Jared. And I also want to thank the man they report to Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. Thank you.” [There was sustained applause.]

President Trump spoke about many Americans who were present in the Gallery. He spoke to them directly, and he sincerely expressed his compassion for their suffering and achievements. He recited numerous details of their experiences. By sharing their experiences with the American people in the State of the Union Address he made their stories part of America’s stories. These are people who would otherwise go unnoticed by the corporate media because what happened to them does not comport with the dictates of the daily news narrative. Meanwhile, the Democrats remained seated. They were either impassive or were obsessively engaged with their cell phones.

Two soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the State of the Union Address:

“There were many heroes on that January raid to capture Maduro. Really great heroes. It was very dangerous. They knew we were coming. They were all set. But the deeds of one warrior that night will live forever in the eternal chronicles of military valor. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover planned the mission and was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter. . . . Eric steered the Chinook under the cover of night and descended swiftly upon Maduro’s heavily protected military fortress. This was a major military installation, protected by thousands of soldiers and guarded by Russian and Chinese military technology. How did that work out? Not too good.

“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns fired from every angle. And Eric was hit, very badly, in the leg and hip, one bullet after another. He absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces. . . . he was gushing blood, which was flowing back down the aisle. . . . The machine guns stood right in front of him. They were right in front of him. Two machine-gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes. Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy, and let his gunners eliminate the threat, turned the helicopter around so the gunners could take care of business, saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.

“Only after safely landing the helicopter with all the warriors aboard in the exact right spot . . . Eric told his copilot, who was also wounded, but not as gravely, to take over. . . . Chief Warrant Officer Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds, but I’m thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife, Amy. Eric and Amy, come on in. So, we have a surprise, Eric and Amy. In recognition of Eric’s actions above and beyond the call of duty, I would now like to ask General Jonathan Braga to present Chief Warrant Officer Slover with our nation’s highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. [There was sustained applause.]

“Thank you, Eric. That’s a big one. Tonight, we’ve celebrated many truly extraordinary American patriots. But there is one last living legend to honor before we go. He is one more heroic American aviator, Navy fighter pilot Royce Williams served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, flying more than 220 missions in the skies over Korea. In 1952, Royce was in the dogfight of a lifetime. A legendary dogfight. Flying through blizzard conditions, his squadron was ambushed by seven Soviet fighter planes. It was his first aerial combat of the war, and despite being massively outnumbered and outgunned, Royce led the takedown of four enemy jets, and almost destroyed the others, vanquishing his adversaries while taking 263 bullets to his own plane and being seriously hurt. His story was secret for over 50 years. He didn’t even want to tell his wife, but the legend grew and grew. But tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He was a legend long before this evening. Royce, please stand up and I will ask the First Lady of the United States to present Captain Royce Williams with his Congressional Medal of Honor.” [There was sustained applause.]

President Trump ended his address much like President Ronald Reagan would have. This year is the 250th anniversary of America’s Founding. Trump concluded with celebratory words:

“Thank you. Two-hundred 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. One hundred years before that, on July 4th, 1826, the author of the Declaration of Independence, the brilliant Thomas Jefferson, drew his last breath. Just a single long human life span 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. In those brief chapters, Americans built this nation from 13 humble colonies into the pinnacle of human civilization and human freedom. The strongest, wealthiest, most powerful, most successful nation in all of history. Americans ventured out across the daunting and dangerous continent. We carved passes through an unforgiving wilderness, settled a boundless frontier, and tamed the beautiful but very, very dangerous wild west. From empty marshes and wide-open plains, we raised up the world’s greatest cities. Together we mastered the world’s mightiest industries, shattered history’s monstrous tyrannies. And we liberated millions from the chains of fascism, Communism, oppression and terror.

“Americans lifted humanity into the skies on the wings of aluminum and steel. And then we launched mankind into the stars on rockets powered by sheer American will and unyielding American pride. We wired the globe with our ingenuity. We captivated the planet with American culture and now we are pioneering the next great American breakthroughs that will change the entire world. All of this, and so much more, is the enduring legacy, unmatched glory of the hard-working patriots who built and defended this country and who still carry the hopes and freedoms on all of humanity’s back. For years, they were forgotten, betrayed, and cast aside. But that great betrayal is over, and they will never be forgotten again. Because when the world needs courage, daring, vision and inspiration, it is still turning to America.

“And when God needs a nation to work his miracles, he knows exactly who to ask. There is no challenge Americans cannot overcome, no frontier too vast for us to conquer, no dream too bold for us to chase, no horizon too distant for us to claim. For our destiny is written by the hand of Providence. And these first 250 years were just the beginning. From the rugged border towns of Texas to the heartland villages of Michigan, from the sun-kissed shores of Florida to the endless hills of the Dakotas, and from the historic streets of Philadelphia to right here in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., the golden age of America is upon us.

“The revolution that began in 1776 has not ended. It still continues because the flame of liberty and independence still burns in the heart of every American patriot, and our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.” [There was sustained applause.]     *