Dozens of congressional Democrats boycotted President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address on Feb. 24, opting for an alternative resistance rally featuring activists dressed in animal costumes. Some members of the opposition party who actually bothered to show up displayed zero control of their emotions, impotently shouting at and heckling the president on multiple occasions. As for the rest of the glum Democrats, they stood and clapped a small handful of times — but on nearly every policy-related issue, they remained glued to their seats, stone-faced.

Message: We hate this guy and oppose everything he says. Trump decided to use this dynamic to his political advantage, calling attention to the lines his opponents steadfastly refused to applaud. Two such moments were particularly memorable. On immigration, the president issued this challenge to the gathered politicians. In a sane world, this wouldn’t be a controversial sentiment or a “gotcha” question for anyone representing our country. But for Democrats in 2026, it was:

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“Tonight, I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle. If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”

Republicans leapt to their feet, roaring their approval. Of course, the first duty of the federal government is to serve its citizens, not people who’ve entered our country illegally. Democrats sat planted in their seats, silent. They could not affirm even that fundamental principle. Trump let them have it, making sure the audience at home understood how........

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