Trump on tariffs and ICE: What to expect from State of the Union

President Donald Trump needs his State of the Union address Tuesday to assuage voters anxious about the economy, foreign policy and even more tariff turmoil.

Indications are that he settled on an approach: steamrolling the assembled lawmakers, dignitaries and prime-time audience with a list of accomplishments in hopes of resetting a national mood that has curdled before the midterm elections.

“It’s going to be a long speech, because we have a lot to talk about,” Trump said Monday.

The risk is that it could further alienate voters wary of his immigration crackdown, uneasy with an increasingly interventionist foreign policy and skeptical of his signature tariff agenda after the Supreme Court struck it down. And while the president has championed the rapid development of artificial intelligence, many Americans fear potential threats to their jobs and wonder who will pay for the enormous electricity required to power AI data centers.

But Trump has also reveled in past national addresses as an opportunity to redefine controversies on his terms. A persuasive case for his economic record, new manufacturing commitments and his approach to flash points such as immigration, Iran and Ukraine could give Republicans much needed momentum heading into November.

The speech also serves as the prelude to the nation’s 250th anniversary, a year packed with high-profile events that offers a patriotism-soaked presidency another chance to rally public support.

The president will deliver the address before a joint session of Congress — and justices of the Supreme Court — at 9 p.m. Washington time from the US Capitol. Here’s what to watch:

What will Trump say about affordability?

With affordability at the center of November’s congressional elections, Trump will likely talk about his signature tax package, a new government website aimed at reducing prescription drug costs and his plans to lower energy bills and housing prices. Expect him to highlight a record-high stock market and reports showing job growth beating forecasts and inflation slowing.

“You’re going to hear a lot about the importance of bringing back jobs into our country, of reshoring manufacturing, of all these great factories that are being built,” Vice President JD Vance said Saturday on Fox News.

How will Trump handle tariffs?

Expect Trump to criticize the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling that undermined his economic agenda and reiterate that he will continue to wield the threat of implementing global duties.

Within hours of Friday’s decision, Trump said he would impose a 10% global tariff — which he then increased to 15% — and vowed to use other tools to maintain duties. But they are less nimble than the sweeping authority he was denied from using by the court and will be subjected to fresh legal challenges.

At the same time, thousands of companies big and small are poised to sue for refunds of more than $170 billion the US has collected in tariff revenue.

Will Trump address ICE raids?

Trump’s 2024 comeback was in part fueled by his promise of swiftly deporting people who are in the country illegally and securing the southern US border.

But the violent Immigration and Customs Enforcement blitz in Minneapolis that resulted in the killings of two American citizens touched off nationwide protests and rare bipartisan backlash. It has turned public sentiment, with 54% of Americans saying that the surge in immigration enforcement was a bad idea in retrospect, according to an Economist/YouGov poll released last week.

Expect Trump to reframe the issue as one of criminal justice, especially since Democrats have refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security absent ICE reforms, leading to the ongoing partial government shutdown.

Will Trump tip his hand on Iran?

The possibility of US attacking Iran is looming large.

Trump has said he is considering limited strikes, ratcheting up pressure on Tehran to come to a quick deal over its nuclear program. If there’s no agreement, Trump warned in a social media post Monday, “it will be a very bad day” for the country.

What to expect on Ukraine and the drug war

Trump’s speech comes as Kyiv marks its fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The president, who has lamented that he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on foreign conflicts, has blamed both Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy at different times for stalling the peace process. The US led trilateral talks in Geneva last week, which broke up after barely 90 minutes with little headway on key issues.

Many of the president’s supporters remain skeptical about US involvement overseas. But expect to hear him tout his global moves, including the military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels near South America as well as efforts to reopen Venezuela’s oil industry after the surprise capture and arrest of that nation’s president Nicolás Maduro.

Will Trump preview his budget?

By law, Trump must deliver his budget proposal to Congress by the end of the month. The address is a chance for the president to outline his spending priorities to sway a populace that last year handed key election victories to Democrats who zeroed in on the cost of living.

The president’s previous budget focused on drastic cuts to federal programs for housing, health, education and research programs while increasing military spending.

Who are Trump’s guests?

The State of the Union might have an Olympic twist: Trump invited the US men’s hockey team to attend when he congratulated members after their gold-clinching overtime victory over Canada Sunday.

The women’s hockey team, which also won gold in an overtime finish against Canada, declined a similar invitation to the address because of previous commitments, according to its representatives.

• With assistance from Mark Niquette and Gregory Korte.