Story perspectives

Trump's Longest State of the Union Sparks Controversy

2/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a State of the Union address lasting 108 minutes, the longest in history.
Rachel Maddow described the speech as containing "violent pornographic riffing" with graphic-violence descriptions.
She fact-checked Trump's economy claims, saying he misrepresented inflation and job creation figures.
Under President Joe Biden, more than 2 million jobs were created in 2023 and 2024, while Trump created fewer than 200,000 in 2025.

History

Historical Context

President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address on January 30, 2018, lasting 108 minutes and watched by 45.6 million viewers. This event marked a significant moment in U.S. political discourse, as it highlighted contrasting economic claims between Trump, who reported fewer than 200,000 jobs created by 2025, and President Joe Biden, who announced over 2 million jobs created in 2023 and 2024.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a State of the Union address lasting 108 minutes, the longest in history.
Rachel Maddow described the speech as containing "violent pornographic riffing" with graphic-violence descriptions.
She fact-checked Trump's economy claims, saying he misrepresented inflation and job creation figures.
Under President Joe Biden, more than 2 million jobs were created in 2023 and 2024, while Trump created fewer than 200,000 in 2025.

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