‘Golden age of America’: Top quotes from Trump’s State of the Union address

US President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address 2026, where he said that this was the “Golden age of America” and that the “Nation is back, bigger, better, richer, and stronger than ever before.” Here are the top quotes from his SOTU speech • “My fellow Americans, our nation is back bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before.” • “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.” • “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 this earth—and you’ve seen nothing yet… this is the Golden Age of America.” • “When I last spoke in this chamber 12 months ago, I had just inherited a nation in crisis. Today, our border is secure, our spirit is restored, inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast, the economy is roaring, our enemies are scared, our military and police are stacked, and America is respected again – perhaps like never before.” • “American oil production is up by more than 600,000 barrels a day, and we just received from our new friend and partner Venezuela 18 million barrels of oil.” • “The Biden administration and its allies in Congress gave us the worst inflation in the history of our country. But in 12 months, my administration has driven core inflation down to the lowest level in more than 5 years—and in the last 3 months of 2025, it was down to 1.7%.” • “But the good news is that all countries and corporations want to keep the deals that the already made, knowing that the legal power that I as President have to make a new deal could be far worse for them. And therefore, they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement,” he said. • “As time goes by, the tariffs paid by foreign countries substantially replace the modern-day system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the people I love.” • “Many, if not most, illegal aliens do not speak English and cannot read even the most basic road signs as to direction, speed, danger, or location. That’s why tonight I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Delilah law, barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.” • “I’m asking you to approve the Save America Act. Stop illegal aliens and others who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections. Cheating is rampant in our elections. All voters must show voter ID. All voters must show proof of citizenship in order to vote and no more crooked mail-in ballots except for illness, disability, military, or travel…” • “… In my first 10 months, I ended eight wars… Pakistan and India would have had a nuclear war. Thirty-five million people said the Prime Minister of Pakistan would have died if it were not for my involvement…” • “In the past 9 months, zero illegal aliens have been admitted to the United States… The flow of deadly fentanyl across our border is down by a record 56%…And last year, the murder rate saw its single largest decline in recorded history…the lowest number in over 125 years.” • “After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program—yet they continue, and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions.” • “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy – but one thing is certain. I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon.” The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More