Trump threatens Iran in State of the Union speech, Tehran compares him to Goebbels

· France 24

 

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25/02/2026 - 08:59

State of the Union address: Do Trump's claims on economy stand up?

Donald Trump boasted in his State of the Union address on Tuesday that he had ushered in "the golden age of America", saying he had slowed inflation, driven the stock market to record heights, signed sweeping tax cuts and lowered drug prices. But, says Nicolas Véron, senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank, the true outlook for the American economy is far more uncertain.

25/02/2026 - 08:47
25/02/2026 - 08:14

Iran slams US claims on missile programme as 'big lies'

Iran's foreign ministry has dismissed US claims about its missile programme as "big lies", after President Donald Trump claimed Tehran was developing missiles that can strike the United States.

"Whatever they're alleging in regards to Iran's nuclear programme, Iran's ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January's unrest, is simply the repetition of 'big lies'," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on X.

"'Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth', is a law of propaganda coined by Nazi Joseph Goebbels," noted Baqaei.

25/02/2026 - 08:04

25/02/2026 - 08:03

Trump’s 2026 State of Union address shows US politics ‘as divided as ever’

President Donald Trump made “very little effort to reach across the aisle to Democrats” in his 2026 State of the Union speech, the longest in US history. He zeroed in on his “red meat issue, which is immigration”, sparking heckles at times from some Democrats, David Smith, The Guardian’s Washington DC bureau chief, tells FRANCE 24 shortly after the address.

25/02/2026 - 07:02

Democrats bet on centrism in rebuttal to Trump speech

The rebuttal to Donald Trump's State of the Union was delivered by a stalwart of the Democrats' moderate wing -- seen as a model for the centrism some bet is key to winning November's midterm elections.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger criticised the US president for his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein affair as well as alleged corruption, but mostly focused on cost-of-living issues centrists believe will have cross-party appeal.

"Costs are too high in housing, health care, energy and child care," Spanberger said in a staid, measured speech.

"Americans deserve to know that their leaders are focused on addressing the problems that keep them up at night."

Spanberger, a former CIA officer and three-term Congresswoman, successfully won back the Virginia governor's mansion from Republicans last year with an affordability-focused platform.

Her selection to deliver the party's formal rebuttal to Trump's address to Congress was clearly aimed at putting forward an example for the rest of the party to follow.

25/02/2026 - 06:08
25/02/2026 - 05:43

Top Democratic senator calls Trump's speech to Congress 'delusional'

The top Democratic senator called US President Donald Trump's record-length State of the Union speech "delusional" and said it failed to address the struggles of ordinary Americans.

"Americans have never seen a State of the Union so disconnected from reality. The president's rhetoric and the country's reality are worlds apart," Senator Chuck Schumer said. "Donald Trump painted a delusional portrait of America that hardly any working American would recognize."

25/02/2026 - 05:29

Trump boasts of stock market rally, promises $1,000 retirement savings contributions

Trump boasted of stock market gains in his State of the Union speech and pledged that the government would contribute to workers' retirement ​savings, while saying ‌little to reduce jitters on Wall Street about the future of his tariffs ⁠and global trade policy.

Trump boasted of 53 ⁠stock market record highs since he won his second term in November 2024 in his address.

He also ‌announced plans next year to match 401k employee contributions of up to $1,000 each for "forgotten American workers" who do not have access to retirement plans that offer employer contributions, without providing details.

25/02/2026 - 04:57

Trump puts VP Vance in charge of 'war on fraud'

Trump appointed his vice president to lead a "war on fraud" as he railed against alleged abuses of government benefits in Democratic-controlled states -- particularly Minnesota.

The US president charged in his State of the Union address that similar problems are taking place elsewhere, in states like California, Massachusetts and Maine.

"I am officially announcing the war on fraud, to be led by our great Vice President JD Vance," Trump said.

He claimed that if his administration could "find enough of that fraud, we will have a balanced budget overnight".

25/02/2026 - 04:50

Trump beats Bill Clinton's record for longest State of the Union speech

US President Donald Trump delivered the longest-ever State of the Union address on Tuesday, beating Bill Clinton's 2000 record of one hour and 20 minutes.

Republican Trump also smashed his own 1 hour and 40 minute record for a presidential speech to Congress, which he set last March in an annual address that was not technically a State of the Union.

25/02/2026 - 04:41

Trump claims Iran building missiles that could reach US targets

President Trump claimed Iran is seeking to develop missiles that can strike the United States – long-range weapons technology that only a limited number of countries possess.

"They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America," he said.

25/02/2026 - 04:37

Trump says diplomacy is his preference to resolve Iran nuclear issue

Trump said he wanted to solve the confrontation with Iran through diplomatic means but warned that he would never allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.

"We are in negotiations with them, they want to make a deal but we haven't heard those secret words: 'We will never have a nuclear weapon,'" Trump said in his State of the Union speech. 

"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy but one thing is certain: I will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon."

25/02/2026 - 04:16

Trump demands Congress pass voter ID law

“I’m asking you to approve the Save America Act to stop illegal aliens and other who are unpermitted persons from voting in our sacred American elections. The cheating is rampant in our elections," he said.

25/02/2026 - 04:11

He blames Democrats for high healthcare costs

He directly blame Democrats for health care costs, a problem he told them is “caused by you”.

He cited the Affordable Care Act, former president Barack Obama’s health care law that Republicans have tried and failed to repeal.

“I took prescription drugs, a very big part of health care, from the highest price in the entire world to the lowest. That’s a big achievement. The result is price differences of 300%, 400%, 500%, 600% and more.”

25/02/2026 - 04:03

Trump to give top civilian honour to US men's hockey goalie

Trump said he was giving the nation's highest civilian honour to national ice hockey team goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck as he honoured the squad at his State of the Union address to Congress.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom has been given to popes and political activists and also Olympic athletes in the past.

25/02/2026 - 03:58

Trump: 'We're telling the major tech companies they have obligation to provide their own power needs for AI data centers'

25/02/2026 - 03:47

Trump, in front of justices, slams 'very unfortunate' Supreme Court tariff ruling

Donald Trump slammed the Supreme Court's ruling that struck down his global tariffs, criticizing the decision in front of several judges who had supported it.

The high court's ruling, released on Friday, was "very unfortunate", he said.

But he added that US trading partners "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".

25/02/2026 - 03:45

Lawmaker waves 'Black people aren't apes!' sign at Trump address

A Democratic lawmaker was ejected after holding up a sign reading "Black people aren't apes!", referencing a racist video of the Obamas posted on Trump's social media account.

25/02/2026 - 03:40

On immigration, Trump says US border 'strongest and most secure'

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)