Trump’s State of the Union address

In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer reacts to President Trump’s State of the Union address, calling it “a rehashing of the greatest hits” with little new policy direction.

Ian argues the real question isn’t the speech, it’s performance. “At this stage in the presidency, not great."

On the economy, Ian says that for the average American “they feel stretched,” noting that while markets are strong, much of the growth benefits only the top 10%.

On trade, Trump is doubling down. “The tariffs aren’t popular,” Ian notes, warning that higher prices are increasingly being passed on to consumers and that relief before the midterms looks unlikely.

His conclusion: The speech “has done nothing” to address the deeper systemic issues, leaving Americans and the political system largely unchanged as the midterms loom.