President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address since his triumphant return in 2024’s presidential election on Tuesday night and television viewers liked what they saw.
A CNN Instant Poll taken in the immediate aftermath confirmed that fact with some 64 percent of those polled affirming Trump is moving the country in the right direction.
Pre-speech only 54 percent of watchers said he was moving the country to their liking such was the impact of his words and deeds.
Now CNN poll confirms 64% believe Trump’s policies are moving US in the right direction pic.twitter.com/EsGbATXqRU
— Dr Nilima Srivastava (@gypsy_nilima) February 25, 2026
This result confounded critics who CNN’s own Abby Phillip who sneered at the president.
She called Trump bestowing the Presidential Medal of Freedom, two Medals of Honor, two Purple Hearts, and the Legion of Merit “gameshow type moments” that “he had to do” because his other messages are a “hard pill for Americans to swallow.”
Clearly viewers felt otherwise.
MUST WATCH: CNN’s Abby Phillip calls President Trump awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom, two Medals of Honor, two Purple Hearts, and the Legion of Merit “gameshow type moments” that “he had to do” because his other messages are a “hard pill for Americans to swallow.” pic.twitter.com/VbBYTNlZmb
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) February 25, 2026
In all Trump broke his own record for a president’s longest-ever State of the Union speech at 108 minutes on Tuesday night, as Breitbart News reported.
Trump began speaking at 9:11 p.m. ET and concluded his remarks at 10:59 p.m. ET, eclipsing the record he set in his 2025 joint address to Congress at 100 minutes on the dot, according to Axios.
For 25 years before that, former President Bill Clinton’s 2000 address was the longest at 89 minutes.
