Spanberger squares up to Trump in State of the Union rebuttal
Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia delivered the official Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s State of the Union from Williamsburg, arguing that the nation did not hear the truth from the president and making affordability and the cost of living the central theme.She criticized Trump’s immigration agenda, saying ICE and Border Patrol have spread fear, and she asserted that tariffs have cost families money and would do more harm. The setting in Colonial Williamsburg was chosen for its symbolic link to American history, and Spanberger’s remarks drew on her background as a former congresswoman and the first woman elected governor of Virginia, highlighting her focus on affordability as a democratic priority. Following spanberger, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) delivered the Spanish-language rebuttal, emphasizing the economy, immigration, and fair elections, and he quoted Bad Bunny to underscore unity with the message “Together, we rise.” The State of the Union address itself was noted as the longest in the record-keeping era dating back to 1964.
‘We did not hear the truth from the president’: Spanberger squares up to Trump in State of the Union rebuttal
Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) said the nation did not hear the truth from President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
Spanberger, who was speaking from Williamsburg, Virginia, for the official Democratic rebuttal, made Trump’s economic stewardship the key thrust of her remarks.
“Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family?” she asked. “We all know the answer is no.”
Spanberger also said in her rebuttal that the cost of living is too high, a complaint she said she heard repeatedly from Virginians. She added that Democrats across the country were also focused on affordability.
The governor also delivered a response to Trump’s deportation agenda, adding that Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents have spread fear across America.
“Every minute spent sowing fear is a minute not spent investigating murders, crimes against children, or the criminals defrauding seniors of their life savings,” she said. “Our president told us tonight that we are safer because these agents arrest mothers and detain children. Think about that.”
In her 12-minute rebuttal, she also took aim at Trump’s tariff policies, claiming they had cost families more than $1,700 each and said that other tariffs Trump said he would introduce would cost them even more.
Spanberger spoke live from Colonial Williamsburg, the restored historic district that preserves Virginia’s colonial-era capital. The setting was selected for its symbolic role in American history: In 1776, Virginia leaders gathered there to advance independence from Britain and approve the Virginia Declaration of Rights — a document that helped shape both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
Spanberger was tapped to deliver the Democratic response, in part, due to her successful gubernatorial campaign, which centered on affordability and prosecuting the case against Trump. It has been seen as a blueprint for other Democrats to emulate going into this year’s midterm elections.
The governor, who previously served in Congress for six years, became the first woman elected governor of the Southern state, flipping control of the office from Republican to Democratic in November.
The former congresswoman and CIA agent won the Virginia governorship last year by 15 points, a victory that buoyed Democrats and gave them hope following a disastrous 2024 election where they not only lost the presidency but also the U.S. Senate and House.
Following Spanberger, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) delivered the Democratic Party’s Spanish-language rebuttal to the State of the Union address. He focused on the economy, immigration, and fair elections.
The son of Mexican immigrants and the first Latino senator from California, Padilla made headlines last year after federal agents forced him to the ground and handcuffed him after he tried to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem questions about ICE during a news conference.
Padilla quoted Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny in his speech, saying,” Together, we are America.” Bad Bunny delivered the message, which was written on a football, at the end of his Super Bowl halftime show.
“Together, we rise, because our faith is stronger than any disappointment or any obstacle — including Trump,” Padilla added.
Trump’s speech was the longest State of the Union address made by any president since the American Presidency Project began keeping records in 1964.
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