This is the most politically charged State of the Union since Bill Clinton stood before Congress during his impeachment trial in 1999.
President Donald Trumpwill address the nation on Tuesday, 24 February at 9 p.m. EST. All major networks will carry the speech live. So will theWhite House YouTube channel. But what he says matters far more than where Americans tune in.
Three days ago, the Supreme Court gutted his tariff policy. His Department of Homeland Security has been unfunded for over a week. Two aircraft carriers sit off the coast of Iran. And a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released Saturday found that 60% of Americans disapprove of his job performance, matching his lowest mark since the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack.
The Supreme Court's 6-3 decision on Friday wasn't close. Chief Justice John Roberts held that Trump's sweeping 'reciprocal' tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act exceeded presidential authority.
'When Congress grants the power to impose tariffs, it does so clearly and with careful constraints,' Robertswrote. 'It did neither here.'
What does that mean in dollars? According to Justice Brett Kavanaugh's dissent, the government has collected more than $130 billion (£96 billion) from importers under these now-invalidated duties. The Court said nothing about how, or whether, that money gets refunded.
Trump called the decision 'a disgrace.' Hours later, hesigned a new 10% global tariffunder a different legal authority. It takes effect Tuesday at 12:01 AM EST, hours before his speech. For families already stretched by inflation, the whiplash creates fresh uncertainty.
The Department of Homeland Security hasn't received funding since 14 February. That's 260,000 employees working without paycheques.
The trigger? Two American citizens were fatally shot by immigration agents during protests in Minneapolis last month. Senate Democrats demanded reforms. Republicans refused.
Over the weekend, DHS Secretary Kristi Noemannounced emergency measures. Global Entry processing is now suspended at all participating airports. TSA PreCheck remains active, but staffing strains could change that. Spring break starts in two weeks.
Source: International Business Times UK
