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Speechwriters from Reagan to Biden agree: Trump’s SOTU is a critical test for his second term
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Former White House speechwriters from both parties say President Donald Trump must decide whether to double down on the rally-style politics that powered his campaign or broaden his message to unify a divided country around his governing agenda in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
As Trump prepares to speak to the nation and the world, a majority of Americans think the country is worse off today than it was a year ago, according to a recent Fox News survey. The challenge he faces Tuesday night is to persuade skeptical voters that his economic policies are bringing costs down, that tougher immigration enforcement is making the country safer and that he has a disciplined, forward-looking plan for the years ahead — a message that could shape Republicans’ prospects as they head into the 2026 midterm elections with narrow majorities in Congress.
Clark Judge, a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan and now chairman of the Pacific Research Institute, told Fox News Digital that Trump should address America’s position in the world.
«Threats to the country and to the economy were growing,» Judge said. «Now, in area after area, those threats have been confronted and defeated.»
President Donald Trump will deliver his fourth State of the Union address across his presidential tenure on Feb. 24, 2026. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Judge said Reagan’s strength was clarity. People «knew where he would come down. One advantage of working with him was that he had been so clear throughout his career on what he was for,» he said.
There are lessons from Reagan that Judge suggested Trump should take to heart. «Know the president, know the administration, know the public — where is the public at any one moment?»
«Where are the Democrats? What are they trying to do — and how do we disarm their arguments?» he said.
The balance needed in a State of the Union is finding a «middle ground» between the president’s Cabinet fighting for their mentions and «trying to create big, thematic connections,» former Jimmy Carter presidential speechwriter James Fallows told Fox News Digital.
Fallows, the Georgia Democrat’s chief speechwriter during his first two years in office, has since been a book, magazine and Substack writer. He said Trump’s challenge, both now and in his previous addresses, is to unite the country around his agenda, not just please his supporters.
Trump’s preferred rhetorical style is a rally-style approach — «where he can digress and weave» and create «us versus them» scenarios to rile the audience,» he said, adding that a State of the Union address requires the opposite.
MIKE JOHNSON REVEALS SPECIAL GUESTS FOR TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION
Lawmakers arrive for a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Donald Trump’s primetime address Tuesday night from Capitol Hill, billed as a chronicle of his «Renewal of the American Dream,» comes at a critical juncture early in his second term, as voters who elected him to tackle inflation and improve the economy are beginning to weigh the impact of his agenda. (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Former Joe Biden speechwriter Dan Cluchey expressed skepticism that Trump would be able to rise to the occasion.
«President Biden has a deep reverence for both the constitutional role of Congress and the dignity of the presidential office, so he approached the State of the Union as an opportunity to rise above the fray and bring Americans together,» Cluchey said, pointing to what the Delawarean considered the «Unity Agenda» laid out in his 2022 address.
When asked what could surprise him about Trump’s Tuesday address, Fallows said sticking to his script would be a novelty.
«[Also,] given what the next day’s news will describe as a ‘big tent speech’» à la Reagan, the Carter speechwriter said.
Former George W. Bush speechwriter and current Wall Street Journal editorial board member Bill McGurn said presidents do tend to differ, sometimes greatly, from each other in style, contrasting the president with his former boss.
«George W. Bush was very driven by logic — the speech had a flow and had a logic that was coherent.»
«He’d always say, ‘make it so Bubba would understand what that meant’ — don’t dumb it down; but make it so an intelligent person listening can get the idea of what you’re about.»
Trump, he said, will likely repeat what many presidents often say, that «the State of the Union is strong.»
«Even if it is a laundry list, there’s ways to make it more compelling if you find a unifying thread to it.»
Fallows told Fox News Digital there are many «structural challenges» for any president and his team crafting a State of the Union.
«So much to cover and only so much time you can hold the attention of even a captive audience.»
Fallows, who now writes «Breaking the News» on Substack, said the SOTU is a rare moment for a president to address the nation as a whole, not just partisan supporters.
BILL MAHER CALLS FOR COMPLETE END TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AHEAD OF TRUMP SPEECH
President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address. (Ricky Carioti/Getty Images)
McGurn agreed.
«For all the grandiosity and the important things they cover, they’re usually not remembered,» he said, noting how many more Americans remember Bush’s 9/11 speech or his brief address through a bullhorn atop the rubble of the Twin Towers.
«A dirty little secret is most speech artists hate the State of the Union for the laundry list kind of thing,» he added.
Sometimes, a State of the Union may not be remembered itself, but it may lead to something much more memorable.
Judge recalled drafting Reagan’s 1988 address, thinking «this is technical and dull — what I need is an image.»
Settling on the phrase, «1,000 sparks of genius in a 1,000 communities,» the line went viral in then-fledgling «dial» polling — to the extent that Reagan’s protégé, the future President George H.W. Bush, borrowed the line for his «Thousand Points of Light» speech, Judge said.
JOHNSON PRAISES TRUMP’S ‘BOLD ACTION’ IN FORMAL STATE OF THE UNION INVITATION LETTER TO CONGRESS
While the public may not remember everything from every SOTU, the speechwriters collectively said there are parts they still recall today. Cluchey said his best memories are of Biden choosing to share stories of everyday Americans he helped, «in order to illustrate the impact of his policies.»
In other cases, there are times the world takes notice.
Working with Reagan near the end of his successful bid to stifle the Cold War, Judge said crafting the speech was important not just for Congress in front of him and the American people at home, but everyone at once.
«Behind the cameras are the editors and producers — even if they’re hostile, how do I frame something so it gets through? Behind them is our world leaders — what will catch them and move them in the direction you want?»
With Reagan pushing hard to end the Soviet Union, he was also speaking to both the leaders and those to the East.
Reagan would later be greeted by Soviet dissidents in public who would tell him, «You don’t know how important that was – the speeches gave us courage.»
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Fallows said that Trump may have to overcome some habits to give an effective address this year.
«State of the Unions are best in areas that are not Donald Trump’s strengths. They’re meant to be embracing the country as a whole. They’re meant to be delivered from a prompter but without seeming too scripted.»
«We’ll see how this goes.»
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Los casos de infección respiratoria aguda en El Salvador han alcanzado una cifra significativa en lo que va de 2026, con 184.268 registros oficiales. El impacto no se distribuye de manera homogénea: hay 12 municipios catalogados con afectación moderada, entre los que destacan Usulután norte, este y oeste, La Libertad norte y San Salvador centro.
El Ministerio de Salud ha documentado 1.249 casos de neumonía en total. El grupo de personas más vulnerables corresponde a quienes tienen 60 años o más, con 395 casos reportados. Los niños entre uno y cuatro años representan el segundo segmento más afectado, acumulando 308 casos.
Ocho municipios han sido señalados por las autoridades sanitarias debido a su alta incidencia de neumonía. En la región oriental del país, la lista incluye a San Miguel norte, Morazán sur y La Unión norte. Por su parte, el occidente presenta focos en Santa Ana centro, Sonsonate norte, Sonsonate centro y Sonsonate oeste. En la zona central, Chalatenango centro destaca por el número de casos.
De acuerdo con el Ministerio de Salud, el país ha registrado 946 egresos hospitalarios asociados a infecciones respiratorias agudas. El índice de letalidad se sitúa en 3,6%, una proporción que subraya la gravedad de los cuadros clínicos en ciertos grupos de riesgo.
En la última semana con datos publicados, el Ministerio de Salud confirmó la circulación de adenovirus con un caso detectado, además de la presencia de influenza A (H3N2), virus conocidos por causar brotes en temporadas de baja temperatura y en poblaciones susceptibles.
El Salvador enfrenta desafíos recurrentes ante los brotes de infecciones respiratorias, especialmente en municipios con alta densidad poblacional y acceso limitado a servicios de salud. La vigilancia estrecha y la respuesta temprana del Ministerio de Salud permiten identificar rápidamente los focos y adaptar las estrategias de atención a los grupos más expuestos, como los adultos mayores y los niños pequeños.
La persistencia de neumonías y la circulación de virus respiratorios refuerzan la necesidad de campañas de vacunación, así como la promoción de hábitos de higiene y la consulta temprana ante síntomas de alarma. Las autoridades mantienen el monitoreo activo en los municipios con mayor incidencia para contener la propagación y reducir las complicaciones severas.
Las manifestaciones clínicas de la neumonía pueden variar en intensidad según cada caso. La Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) advierte que los síntomas más habituales comprenden la tos, la dificultad para respirar y la fiebre acompañada de sudoración o escalofríos. En muchos pacientes se presenta fatiga y dolor en el pecho. Además, pueden aparecer náuseas, vómitos o episodios de diarrea. En los adultos mayores, la confusión suele ser un signo relevante y puede dificultar el diagnóstico oportuno en este grupo etario.
Diversos elementos pueden aumentar la probabilidad de desarrollar neumonía y agravar su evolución clínica. Las personas con enfermedades crónicas como diabetes, asma, insuficiencia cardíaca o inmunosupresión presentan mayor vulnerabilidad ante infecciones pulmonares, según expertos. La exposición al humo del tabaco, la contaminación ambiental y la convivencia en espacios cerrados también elevan el riesgo.
Para reducir la incidencia y las complicaciones, la OPS y el Ministerio de Salud recomiendan medidas integrales de prevención. La vacunación es la principal herramienta, con esquemas que incluyen vacunas contra neumococo, sarampión, influenza y tos ferina. Estas inmunizaciones deben aplicarse desde la infancia y reforzarse en la adultez y en grupos de riesgo.
Otras prácticas recomendadas son el lavado frecuente de manos, la ventilación adecuada de los ambientes y la eliminación del consumo de tabaco. Es fundamental mantener una nutrición equilibrada, descanso y actividad física regular. En el caso de los recién nacidos, la lactancia materna exclusiva durante los primeros seis meses de vida fortalece las defensas naturales y previene infecciones respiratorias graves.
La detección temprana y la consulta médica oportuna ante síntomas respiratorios resultan esenciales para evitar cuadros graves y hospitalizaciones prolongadas.
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Report card: Conservative and liberal strategists reveal how Trump has fared on campaign promises
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Ahead of President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address since returning to the White House, his record on key campaign pledges is mixed, as some promises have been fulfilled while others are still pending or tied up in legal challenges.
Trump’s 2024 campaign centered on immigration, the economy, sweeping tariffs and ending the United States’ involvement in foreign conflicts. More than a year into his second term, Republican and Democratic strategists alike told Fox News Digital the administration has made significant strides in some of those areas but fallen short in others.
Voters, meanwhile, view Trump as weak on the economy (40% approval), foreign policy (37% approval) and tariffs (37% approval), according to a Fox News poll last month. His approval rating is slightly higher on immigration at 44%, and a net positive 52% when it comes to border security.
Border crossings drop, but deportations remain contentious
One of Trump’s top promises was stopping what he described as an «invasion» at the southern border by curbing illegal crossings and pursuing an aggressive deportation agenda.
Department of Homeland Security data since Trump took office shows a sharp decrease in border crossings between ports of entry, an achievement Trump is likely to highlight in Tuesday’s speech.
But Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations on a historic scale remains mired in controversy. ICE raids and enforcement initiatives, such as Operation Metro Surge, have not at this stage led to the removal of millions that Trump articulated on the campaign trail. Deportations have also been met with hundreds of lawsuits, intensifying scrutiny of them.
A federal law enforcement agent outside a home during a raid in south Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 13, 2026. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Julian Epstein, a Democratic consultant and former chief counsel on the House Judiciary Committee, said Trump has «secured the borders, but he has not explained to the public adequately enough his purpose and rationale on deportation.»
Theo Wold, a former assistant attorney general and policy official in the first Trump White House, said the Biden administration’s lax border policies amounted to a «criminal undermining of federal immigration law» that Trump has completely reversed. But he acknowledged that contention over deportations has clouded the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
«The work to remove hundreds of thousands of criminal illegal aliens continues and will be an ongoing fight, as Democrats look to obstruct ICE’s progress,» Wold said. «But the ongoing fight over mass deportations has obscured President Trump’s novel regulatory rulemakings to ferret out asylum fraud and to ensure that foreign labor visas are not wielded to undermine the economic mobility of the American worker.»
Epstein gave Trump an A-.
Wold gave Trump an A-.
Tariffs face court setback, but Trump pivots
Trump vowed to impose steep tariffs on imports from around the world to protect U.S. manufacturing. But that plan took a hit when the Supreme Court ruled that he could not unilaterally impose broad tariffs on an emergency basis without congressional approval.
Undeterred, Trump announced a new set of 10% global tariffs under a different legal authority, and the president has signaled he plans to raise that rate to 15%.
«He has a good reason to claw back the losses of the middle class in the last three decades, that’s an honorable thing that he’s doing, but the policy has been too diffuse, not sufficiently targeted, and poorly explained to the public,» Epstein said.
US ECONOMY GREW SLOWER THAN EXPECTED IN FOURTH QUARTER
President Donald Trump shows off non-reciprocal tariff examples. (Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)
Bradley Devlin, an editor at the conservative Daily Signal, said doomsday predictions about Trump’s tariffs have not panned out.
«Tariffs, they claimed, would cause a recession. But for the first time in a long time, real wages are rising for working Americans,» Devlin said.
Epstein gave Trump a B.
Devlin gave Trump an A.
Foreign policy in flux
On foreign policy, Trump repeatedly suggested he could end the war in Ukraine, but that has not materialized. Trump’s other diplomatic efforts have, however, been met with praise.
«He’s put out eight wars, moved us light years ahead of where Biden was in the Middle East, and is securing the Western Hemisphere by squeezing out the communist dictators in Venezuela and Cuba,» Epstein said.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gestures during an anti-government protest on Jan. 9, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Devlin said Trump’s threats of military strikes on Iran, which the president has said are aimed at forcing the country to negotiate over its nuclear program, did not jibe with a message of peace.
«Two driving foreign policy issues of the 2024 campaign, brokering peace in the Russia-Ukraine war and an end to the conflict in the Middle East, remain elusive,» Devlin said. «And the president seems on the verge of a war with Iran that would likely make an American pivot away from the Middle East unachievable by the end of his term.»
Epstein gave Trump an A.
Devlin gave Trump a C+.
U.S. economy
Central to Trump’s campaign was economic prosperity. Trump vowed to ease inflation and boost domestic energy production. Recent government data show inflation has indeed eased but that it remains a point of concern.
Trump has also pointed to tax cuts enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping tax and spending law signed in July 2025, as a success tied to his agenda.
Epstein said the economy is «headed in the right track» but that Trump has not fully addressed the concerns of an «anxious public.»
Elizabeth Pipko, a Republican National Committee spokesperson, said economic growth under Trump has been «robust.»
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«Inflation has gone down, gas prices have fallen significantly, wages are rising, and the progress made in one year has far surpassed what anyone could have predicted,» Pipko said.
Pipko gave Trump an A.
Epstein gave Trump a B+.
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American forces operating in the Indian Ocean intercepted another fugitive tanker ship, the Department of War announced Tuesday.
The development comes after President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela in mid-December, as Washington increased its naval presence in the Caribbean to put pressure on now-former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
The ship involved in Tuesday’s interdiction — the Bertha — was flagged by The New York Times as leaving Venezuela’s main oil port in early January following the U.S. military operation to capture Maduro.
«Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the Bertha without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility,» the Department of War said on X. «The vessel was operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean and attempted to evade.»
The Department of War announced on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, that U.S. forces intercepted the Bertha oil tanker. (Department of War)
«From the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, we tracked it and stopped it. No other nation has the global reach, endurance, or will to enforce sanctions at this distance,» it added.
The Department of War said three boats that tried to flee the scene were captured.
«International waters are not a refuge for sanctioned actors. By land, air, or sea, our forces will find you and deliver justice,» it also said. «The Department of War will deny illicit actors and their proxies freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain.»
US KILLS 3 SUSPECTED NARCO-TRAFFICKERS IN CARIBBEAN, PENTAGON SAYS
The Department of War said the interdiction of Bertha unfolded in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility. (Department of War)
U.S. forces previously intercepted the Veronica III oil tanker on Feb. 15 in the Indo-Pacific.
According to OpenSanctions, the Veronica III is listed on the U.S. Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals sanctions list.
The Department of War said following the interdiction of Bertha that, «International waters are not a refuge for sanctioned actors.» (Department of War)
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That tanker, a large crude oil carrier built in 2006 and flagged in Panama, has been linked to the transport of hundreds of thousands of metric tons of sanctioned Iranian oil and is affiliated with a Chinese ship-management company that has also been sanctioned.
Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
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