Opinions expressed in editorials on The Central Trend are the view of the individual writer and are not the opinion of the entire staff of The Central Trend, the Forest Hills Central staff, or the administration.

For once, Trump has set a new record that isn’t directly linked to a political scandal. He has now set the record for the longest State of the Union address in U.S history, at a whopping 107 minutes. Full of rambles, baseless facts, and an incredibly targeted speech, he has also made it completely clear how he views the people in our country—especially those who oppose him.

Sitting down right at 9 p.m., I watched as the building was filled with Republicans flooding both sides of the stands, standing, with a small sector of Democratic representatives noticeably sitting during the entirety of Trump’s entrance. Another significant factor of the address was the representative Al Green holding up a “Black People Aren’t Apes” sign. This sign was seemingly directed towards Trump’s now-deleted tweet of former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as AI apes. He was escorted out soon after he was seen. That was just the beginning of the continuous cover-up’s to gaslight Americans into believing that our country is “great again.”

The beginning of the speech had already marked a chaotic, divided United States. Five minutes in, and I had already realized that the entirety would be a fact-checking nightmare. Trump said within the first ten minutes, “Today our border is secure, our spirit is restored, inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast, the roaring economy is roaring like never before, and our enemies are scared.”

Everything within this statement is a blatant falsehood. Our borders might be more protected, but it’s at the cost of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents taking down and detaining innocent people with no warrants for arrest. Coincidentally, Trump never once commented on the killings of people in Minnesota, by the very people who have been supposedly “protecting America.”

The spirit of America is sad. Though this statement might not be able to be measured by data points, grief-stricken people roam the streets of almost anywhere currently. The country is divided by those who wish for basic human amenities and those who want aggressive measures. Kids of my own generation are actively losing hope for the future. AI is using so much water that there will be a water shortage by 2028 in America and possibly globally. Our planet has risen a total of 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1850. Our spirit is anything but proud. We are destroying our planet, and our people are terrified—at least they should be.

The economy might be rising, but with recent efforts to increase tariffs, it’s not looking good. Tariffs make imported goods extremely expensive, and with Trump’s recent plan to increase them by a total of 15%, that would mean the prices of goods would skyrocket. Though it is seen on the presidential website as a “benefit to domestic production,” this also means that the price of any products listed to be affected by this rises for American businesses, leading to an increase in prices for consumers.

This very tariff increase Trump is looking to create was denied by the Supreme Court on Feb. 20th. In the ruling, Trump wanted a 25% tariff increase on Canadian goods and 10% tariff increase on Mexican goods. Though the Supreme Court has previously been primarily on the side of Republicans when making their rulings, this time was historically different. One of the reasons explained on page five of the ruling is that the President wants complete and independent power over the rulings on taxes. This should be taken seriously and is honestly alarming, as the constant need for independent power from President Trump is one of the first signs of a soon-to-be authoritarian government.

Since the Supreme Court has made such a drastic declaration by denying this plan, Trump appeared at the State of the Union address, seemingly furious. He had bashed their “unfortunate ruling” and then went on to imply he wouldn’t be following the ruling at all.

Trump said, “It came down—very unfortunate ruling. But the good news is that almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made, knowing that the legal power that I as president have to make a new deal could be far worse for them. And therefore, they will continue to work along the same successful path that we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement.”

This pledge of his own independence is dangerous. By controlling our economy, he will also have full control over who gets what cut of American dollars. I’m worried to see how the regular people of America will be protected and treated.

A major point in the State of the Union address was Trump’s policy on immigration. He made multiple comments degrading the previous administration for their “open borders,” exemplifying situations where “illegal aliens” had injured others or committed crimes in America. Using an instance of a girl who was severely injured after an undocumented immigrant hit their vehicle with a semi-truck, he continuously brought up the fact that deportations and intense border security were needed.

I find it interesting that he has brought up these specific instances, as ICE officers have killed multiple citizens with the right to be in America—for example, Renée Good. Not only this, but he specifically blamed the Biden administration and California representatives for the fact that this happened, saying, “Joe Biden had given a commercial driver’s license [to the illegal alien] by open borders politicians in California.” This is amusing, coming from a convicted felon who has continuously been in more legal issues than you can count.

Obviously, this does not take away from the hurt of the family who experienced having to watch their daughter grow up differently due to the injuries from this accident, but it’s unfair to target undocumented immigrants for being the sole reason for violence in America. Two things can be true at once: the tragic accident that occurred is terrible and shouldn’t have happened to begin with, but this example doesn’t prove every undocumented immigrant to be malicious.

Data found from Oct. 1, 2025, revealed that as few as 5% of people detained by ICE have violent criminal convictions. Some of the illegalities are from traffic or property charges, which are standard charges Americans commonly face. 

It’s unfair to target undocumented immigrants as the sole reason for the violence in the United States. Not only are they a small portion of the population in the United States, but if 73% of those people haven’t committed a violent crime, they’re likely coming here in search of a better home for their families. Plus, if as few of 5% have these violent charges, then who are we really targeting? 

These are people. It is our duty as Americans to protect every person who remains in the United States under the Fourteenth Amendment. As explained by section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment, it’s understood by everyday people that “The Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause guarantees procedural due process, meaning that government actors must follow certain procedures before they may deprive a person of a protected life, liberty, or property interest.” We, as people, are held by the Constitution to protect every person who lives on this land.

With ICE’s arrests and deportations without due process, along with their racial profiling, it is clear that Trump’s immigration efforts are doing more harm than good. The need to target undocumented immigrants, and any immigrants in general, when they are the backbone of America, is sickening. It’s just one more way for the billionaires who run our country to target those who don’t have enough to defend themselves.

Half the reason this speech was 107 minutes long was because of the many, many silly appearances placed throughout the State of the Union address. 

The men’s Olympic hockey team was brought out near the beginning, with a very grand entrance. There was an incredible amount of discourse about the games, as there were multiple comments degrading the women’s hockey team even though they had also won a gold medal. Trump had said that he “was going to have to bring the women’s hockey team,” before joking that he’d be impeached if not. These disgusting comments were laughed at by the men’s U.S hockey team, leading to surrounding controversy online.

President Trump’s bringing out of the men’s hockey team was met with an immense amount of applause by representatives, even after problematic comments plaguing their reputations. It was clear that Trump didn’t pay any mind to it, and his bringing them out was just for his ego alone. It, to me, was his way of showing off men, and how they specifically have won in his America. Real nonsense if you ask me.

Not only this, but the entire ordeal has no point when taken into the context of the State of the Union speech. It’s simply just one other thing to add in when Trump has nothing else of substance to say. It was useless, stupid, and immature.

It’s clear that Trump isn’t going to start suddenly changing his worldview or way of thinking. The border crisis will continue to be met with violent alternatives, the economy will be met with hefty tariffs that Trump will impose completely on his own against his own Supreme Court, and our country will continue to remain divided.

So, wake up. In this case, neutrality is complicity. If we continue to let this man rule as he has been, irreversible damage will be done. Though I am only 14, this is my way of refusal. 

Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence, and I will do everything in my power to stop it from gaining any more.