President Trump delivered an 18-minute national address defending his first year in office and promoting his vision of a 'Golden Age.' The speech was marked by a combative tone, frequent exaggerations, and selective use of statistics, as he sought to contrast his record with that of former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Trump touted economic improvements and promised new financial benefits, including one-time checks for military personnel and Americans below a certain income level, but many of his claims were at odds with official data.

The president's arguments risked alienating voters by insisting they should feel better about the economy, echoing a mistake he once criticized his predecessor for. He also relied heavily on tariffs to fund his promises, even as the Supreme Court considers the legality of his trade policies, posing a significant risk to his agenda. On foreign policy, Trump declared himself a peacemaker but omitted mention of recent aggressive moves toward Venezuela, raising questions about the consistency of his message.