On this episode of Network ReACTS, Patrice Onwuka, Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity, is joined by Kamryn Brunner, Budget and Entitlement Reform Policy Analyst at Independent Women, to discuss what Trump Accounts are and their impact on families.
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On this episode of Network ReACTS, Patrice Onwuka, Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity, is joined by Inez Feltscher Stepman, Senior Policy and Legal Analyst, to provide a recap of President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address.
Resources Mentioned:
SOTU: Trump Has Much To Brag About
America Winning – Look At These 5 Highlights From President Trump’s State Of The Union Address
Trump’s SOTU Should Chart Forward Path, Cheer Progress Thus Far
President Trump tonight delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term. The President is expected to use the SOTU to assess that the United States is ‘strong, prosperous and respected’ as it enters its 250th year:
President Trump will use his State of the Union address to sell the public on the economy and unveil new measures meant to lower costs, as Republicans try to address voters’ concerns ahead of the midterm elections later this year.
The official theme of the speech, according to White House officials familiar with the draft: “America at 250: Strong, Prosperous and Respected,” a reference to the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding. The address will emphasize the idea of American exceptionalism, and the president is planning to weave in stories of Americans who say they have benefited from his policies, the officials said.
Fox Digital also looks to tonight.
Coming shortly after the Supreme Court’s ruling against the Trump tariffs, the stakes for the President could be even higher than usual.
The question for the out of power party tonight is: “‘Silent defiance’ or outright opposition? Democrats split over how to confront Trump” MS Now informs us. They tried the first and made fools of themselves last year (it was a presidential speech but not a SOTU) and thus Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is leaning towards the silent treatment this year.
Bummer. But some will boycott the SOTU and there will be an array of options outside the House chamber (where the speech is delivered):
One of those events, dubbed the “People’s State of the Union,” will take place on the National Mall beginning shortly before Trump’s speech is scheduled to begin. Sponsored by liberal activist groups, including MoveOn Civic Action, it’s set to feature a number of prominent Democrats from both chambers, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Ed Markey (Mass.) and Chris Murphy (Conn.), and Reps. Veronica Escobar (Texas), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) and Greg Casar (Texas), who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Another countermessaging event, “The State of the Swamp,” will be staged at the National Press Club near the White House. That gathering is also expected to attract some high-profile Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Reps. Seth Moulton (Mass.), Eric Swalwell (Calif.) and Dan Goldman (N.Y.). At least two other Democrats, Reps. Jason Crow (Colo.) and Eugene Vindman (Va.), have said they will participate in the event but also attend Trump’s speech later in the evening.
And if Eugene Vindman and Dim Dan are not enough star-power, Joy Reid was touted last week as a “sober, centrist” voice at the People’s SOTU. Half dozen or so Democrats have invited Jeffrey Epstein victims to be their guests, presumably because hope springs eternal that next 3 million documents dump will bring down the President. Meanwhile, Team USA hockey star Jack Hughes says the guys are super excited to meet President Trump tonight.
Ruy Texeira of The Free Press writes that the State of the Union has been “overstated:” he argues that the speeches used to make history but are now mired in tribal warfare. Nothing Trump could say will change that. Former George W. Bush speech writer Bill McGurn makes the case for the SOTU. A White House invitation for also triumphant women’s hockey team either was not sent or was declined.
“War in Paradise” blares the New York Post cover headline. “Mexico just decapitated its most dangerous cartel. That means war,” award-winning Mexican journalist Leon Krauze writes in the Washington Post. He urges President Claudia Sheinbaum to stay the course. A piece at Unherd argues that El Mencho death shows President Trump’s growing influence in Mexico. Bloomberg says Sheinbaum has crossed her Rubicon.
More Snow. A record snowfall blankets the Northeast. In response, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has softened his policy forbidding homeless sweeps that was responsible for 19 deaths. And there is much rejoicing because this will save lives of the poor and downtrodden? Nope, “compassionate” left wing activists are furious.
“Tax the Rich—Or Mamdani Will Tax You All” is the headline on Nicole Gelinas’ latest City Journal piece. Galinas observes:
[T]he guy who couldn’t stop smiling last year insists the city is in crisis now. Why? He needs a crisis to push through his proposed $9 billion in annual new taxes on high earners and corporations. He wants to raise taxes for the sake of raising taxes—and the governor, who must sign off on any such increases, won’t cooperate. Last year, Mamdani wanted these tax hikes partly to pay for his universal childcare plan. Instead, the governor swiftly agreed earlier this year to fund the plan’s gradual rollout with existing state revenues.
Meanwhile, a City Counsel member warns Mamdani that his plan not to add 5,000 police will make the city less safe. Meanwhile, a mob tormented police officers during the snow emergency:
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been blasted for fueling anti-cop hate after an unruly mob launched a “disgusting” snowball attack on NYPD officers during Monday’s blizzard.
Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton calls upon Mamdani not to eliminate NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, which keeps protesters safe and does much more.
Police aren’t the only New Yorkers feeling undervalued by the Mayor. “’Jim Snow 2.0′: Critics blast Mamdani’s $19 snow jobs after $30 wage pledge” explains that Mamdani wants you to pay a high minimum wage from which he exempts himself. Give the kid a break—this is the first time he’s ever had to make payroll.
Dumb Like You. Ms. Must thought Andrew Stiles’ Free Beacon piece on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s racial pandering might be satire. Nobody could be that dumb. But no. Somebodu is that dumb. CBS has a story on the pandering and Newsom’s (dumb) attempt to blame the fallout on “MAGA bigotry:”
Newsom spoke Sunday with [Atlanta Mayor Andre] Dickens in front of a packed auditorium, reflecting on his academic challenges. “I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you I’m like you, I’m not better than you,” Newsom said. “I’m a 960 SAT guy and you know, I’m not trying to offend anyone — you know — trying to act all there if you got 940 — but literally, a 960 SAT guy. You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech. Maybe the wrong business to be.”
Another prominent Golden State politician has yet to make public her SAT scores but I for one would be interested.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is a fool and a knave. But Wall Street Journal columnist Gerard Baker writes that “Even Contemptible Men Don’t Deserve Mob Justice.” The “militant wing of Epstein mania” is beginning to worry me.
Wall Street Journal columnist Walter Russell Mead writes that the tariff battles are far from over. Limits will only inspire President Trump to for alternatives to search to increase his leverage at home and abroad. An editorial in the Wall Street Journal complains that (in the opinion of the Editorial Board) the President’s new basis for tariffs is “a relic of a bygone era.” FedEx is suing the administration for return of tariff revenues taken so far. President Trump “smacked” the tariffs in the lead-up to tonight’s speech. National Review’s Jeffrey Blehar deduces:
Yes, tonight’s State of the Union address is probably going to be a dumpster fire, or, for that matter, a zeppelin fire. Donald Trump has already warned: “It’s going to be a long speech. Because we have a lot to talk about.” (Imagine the futility of speechwriting for Trump, knowing that a full 65 percent of your material will never be spoken, given his improvisational tendencies.)
Don’t Miss. There was a wonderful tribute to the kind of masculinity personified in the US hockey team in the Examiner. It’s headlined “The US hockey team knelt — and that is what matters.” I don’t know as much as I should about sports, but I was blown away by this piece.
On this episode of Network reACTS, Patrice Onwuka, Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity, is joined by Carrie Sheffield, Policy Analyst at Independent Women, to discuss the working families tax cuts.
Resources Mentioned:
On this episode of Network reACTS, Patrice Onwuka, Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity, is joined by Kristin Sharp, CEO at Flex Association, to discuss how app-based work provides critical flexibility for women and caregivers – and what policymakers should consider when regulating the gig economy.
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In a riveting moment of TV, Samantha Guthrie, “Today” co-host, and her siblings begged for the return of their missing mother, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie:
Savannah Guthrie opened the family’s plea by thanking supporters for their prayers before describing her mother as the heart of their family and making a direct appeal for contact, stressing Nancy Guthrie’s fragile health and urgent need for medication.
“Our mom is a kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light,” Savannah Guthrie said. “She’s funny, spunky. She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses. She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her and you’ll see.”
The video underscores how little is known about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. Was she abducted? Samantha Guthrie directly addressed possible kidnappers:
“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,” she added. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
Savannah Guthrie later addressed her mother directly, offering words of faith and reassurance as the family waits for answers.
No suspects have been identified. CNN suggests that the emotional video is a way to “humanize” Nancy Guthrie to alleged captors. Not to be a pessimist, but I’m not sure about the kidnapper with a heart approach. An emotional President Trump called Samantha Guthrie and ordered federal law enforcement to assist in the search. This has to be one of the strangest of episodes: Who would take Ms. Guthrie’s mother? Why? The New York Post on an alleged ransom note.
In a previous attempt to overthrow a tyrannical regime, Iranian dissidents cried out to an American President, asking, “Where are you, Obama?” Washington Post Columnist Marc Thiessen writes that President Trump’s place in history will be determined by his response to the current Iranian uprising:
Trump is right to carefully weigh the risks of military action, which must be taken seriously. But there are also risks to inaction, which are arguably far greater.
Start with the risk to America’s credibility. Trump told the Iranian regime in no uncertain terms that if it “violently kills peaceful protesters … the United States of America will come to their rescue,” adding: “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.” The regime ignored his threat and slaughtered thousands. He then urged the Iranian people: “KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. … HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” Iranians listened to those words and took to the streets — and many paid with their lives.
The U.S. and Iran will hold nuclear talks tomorrow in Oman. I thought that was John Kerry’s schtick? Townhall’s Kurt Schlichter is not subtle: Kill the mullahs, he advises.
Polling indicates that Americans haven’t yet fallen in love with President Trump’s tariffs. Nor has the Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board. “Are Trump’s Tariffs Winning?” is the headline of a WSJ editorial, which is a decided thumbs down. Another poll indicates that most Americans want the Supreme Court to reverse the tariffs.
The Washington Post, the Watergate newspaper, now owned by Jeff Bezos, has announced stunning layoffs—around a 30% reduction in its staff. The Atlantic calls it “murder,” while the New Yorker settles for “How Jeff Bezos Brought Down the Washington Post.” Never known for modesty, the Washington Post calls it a “blow to a legendary news brand.”
Meanwhile, as National Review’s dry-eyed John Puri writes, “People Aren’t Actually That Upset over the Washington Post Layoffs,” and at the same esteemed outlet, Jeffrey Blehar comments on the Grim Reaper’s visit to the hallowed newspaper. Them’s the breaks, as Charles Darwin might characterize the situation.
The Verdict Is In: Ryan Routh, President Trump’s attempted assassin, is sentenced to life in prison. It should carry weight that Fox Special Report Anchor Bret Baier told FBI Director Kash Patel that he doesn’t believe we yet have the full story on the earlier Butler attempt on the president’s life. Look for “Free Bryan Routh!” signs sprouting at your next zany lefty rally. (Just kidding—I hope.)
“Blue States’ Demographic Nightmare” is the headline on Steven Malanga’s latest City Journal piece:
When we seek explanations for why today’s Democrats refuse to call those here without permission “illegal,” oppose lawful deportations, and seek government benefits for those who’ve snuck into the country, we probably need to look no further than the population woes of Democratic states. …
Looking at these results, one might conclude that Democratic voters and the politicians they elect would consider reforms to keep and attract more voters. But states like California, New York, and Illinois have been racking up losses for more than a decade with no sign of political change. If anything, Democratic states seem to be pressing ahead with the very policies that repel a substantial number of citizens and businesses. During the Biden years, Democrats decided that the solution to this problem was to import a cohort of new voters. That immigration policy, ironically, had as much to do with the improbable reelection of Trump as any other Democratic strategy.
Considering this, it’s interesting that California’s Governor U-Haul—aka Gavin Newsom—is considered the Democratic frontrunner for 2028. Ms. Must has been hearing a lot about New York Times columnist Bret Stephens’s recent offering, “Will Newsom Be the Democrats’ Next Mistake?“
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s attendance at the anti-Trump Grammy awards hasn’t gotten as much attention as others. Until, that is, Miranda Devine explained the meaning of the Justice’s applauding the anti-ICE speeches removed any shred of impartiality regarding many issues likely to come before the Court:
But she should have stayed home rather than laughing and clapping in the audience with a bunch of virtue-signaling luvvies ranting “F–k ICE” every time they got on stage. …
Her attendance at the rancidly partisan anti-ICE Grammy Awards on Sunday was a joke.
The 55-year-old Biden DEI candidate was nominated for a Grammy for narrating the audiobook of her memoir “Lovely One,” which she unashamedly believes herself to be.
Meanwhile, singer Billie Eilish’s “stolen land” comments led an LA real estate law firm to question whether to evict her because her mansion sits on land of the Tongva Tribe, the land’s original inhabitants. This apparently is a joke. But Ms. Must wishes it weren’t. Would love to see Ms. Eilish defend her stolen property.
“Is AI the Next Climate Change?” Another terrific piece from the Wall Street Journal’s Barton Swaim. “Disaster looms, they tell us. Empower experts, raise taxes! Here we go again.”
Must Be Briefly Noted: Warm the of Collectivism Update: Tens of thousands of New Yorkers left without heat as temperatures drop to 4°—and tenants blast Mamdani for failing to act. … But the Mayor’s Health and Mental Hygiene is very active. They are busy organizing employees to protest against the state of Israel. … “Hillary Clinton Wrote a Hit Piece on Me. Here’s My Response” in The Free Press is by Allie Beth Stuckey, whom Mrs. Clinton accused of being lacking in empathy! … Amazon reportedly asked a movie theater in Oregon to cancel showings of Melania after it posted this on its marquee: “To defeat your enemy, you must know them. Melania starts Friday,” a quote attributed to Sun Tzu, author of “The Art of War.” Another line read, “Does Melania wear Prada? Find out Friday.” … Calling Mamet Mavens. The playwright sits for a chat with The Free Press.
