{"id":2570517,"date":"2026-02-17T07:47:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-urged-by-gop-to-strike-optimistic-state-of-the-union-tone\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T07:52:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:52:44","slug":"trump-urged-by-gop-to-strike-optimistic-state-of-the-union-tone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-urged-by-gop-to-strike-optimistic-state-of-the-union-tone\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump urged by GOP to strike \u2018optimistic\u2019 State of the Union tone"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-urged-by-gop-to-strike-optimistic-state-of-the-union-tone%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2570517&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article reports that Congressional Republicans wont President Trump to deliver a disciplined, aspirational State of the Union address focused on domestic priorities as the 2026 midterms begin. they urge him to acknowledge affordability concerns, address immigration missteps, avoid gloating about past victories, and leave political grievances at the door.<\/p>\n<p>Key points from GOP lawmakers include:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Sen. Cynthia Lummis says Trump should be aspirational and avoid acerbic attacks.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Sen. Tommy Tuberville argues Trump needs to energize supporters and acknowledge limited legislative progress as July.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Sens. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt seek a speech that tackles housing costs, affordability, energy prices, and a proactive economic agenda.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Democrats are reportedly weighing skipping the address,adding a layer of strategic complexity.<\/p>\n<p>The White House frames the address as a mandate to focus on inflation, the economy, and border security, while Trump\u2019s prior messages and the management\u2019s initiatives influence the anticipated tone. The piece places the speech in the broader political context of the upcoming elections and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >notes related recommended stories<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">What Republicans do, and don&rsquo;t, want to hear from Trump at State of the Union<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2504726\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Congressional Republicans are pleading with President Donald Trump to exercise message discipline on major domestic issues in his upcoming <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4455884\/senate-democrats-weigh-skipping-trump-state-of-the-union-speech\/\">State of the Union address<\/a> as the 2026 midterm elections kick off.<\/p>\n<p>In interviews with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, GOP lawmakers desire for Trump to acknowledge affordability concerns and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4441587\/defeat-out-of-jaws-of-victory-gop-reckons-with-trump-ice-blunders\/\">immigration blunders<\/a>, avoid 2024 election gloating, and leave political grievances at the door.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4458765\/schumer-spurn-save-act-despite-support\/\">Schumer latest Democrat to spurn SAVE Act despite mass voter ID support: &#8216;Jim Crow 2.0&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4457833\/mike-rogers-win-young-michigan-voters-housing-plan\/\">Mike Rogers tries to win over young Michigan voters with housing affordability plan<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4457612\/dhs-shutdown-congress-skips-town-without-deal-ice\/\">DHS enters shutdown after Congress skips town without deal on ICE<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;I think he should avoid being acerbic &mdash; kind of taking shots at people &mdash; and be aspirational,&rdquo; said Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), who&rsquo;s among the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4040585\/where-house-senate-retirements-stand-2026\/\">members retiring from Congress<\/a> next year. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s at his best when he&rsquo;s being aspirational.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump speaks to the public virtually every day in Truth Social posts and remarks to reporters. But his annual speech before Congress, slated for Feb. 24, will mark one of the few remaining opportunities ahead of the midterm elections to speak to a wide audience of the public.<\/p>\n<p>If the president fails to drive home the party&rsquo;s tax cuts from Trump&rsquo;s One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year to instead &ldquo;spend time talking about how we solve the war in Africa, and the little one in Asia, and we&rsquo;re almost done with the one in Europe, and we&rsquo;re &mdash; it just won&rsquo;t work for the average person,&rdquo; said a GOP member of Congress who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Trump ain&rsquo;t on the ballot, so he&rsquo;s going to have to get out there and try to pull people across the goal line, because I think people are going to be held accountable for us &mdash; we ain&rsquo;t done anything since July,&rdquo; Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who&rsquo;s running for Alabama governor this fall, said in reference to the GOP tax law. &ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t gotten anything done.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump used his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3336836\/trump-presidential-address-congress\/\">2025 address to Congress<\/a> in the months after his return to office to take a defiant victory lap on combating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/psaki-biden-to-unveil-immigration-agenda-next-tuesday\/\" title=\"Psaki: Biden to unveil immigration agenda next Tuesday\">illegal immigration<\/a>&nbsp;and temper expectations that cost-of-living increases could be reversed. The president&rsquo;s greatest achievement more than a year into his second term is his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/demos-lay-out-immigration-demands-as-congress-barrels-toward-shutdown\/\" title=\"Demos lay out immigration demands as Congress barrels toward shutdown\">mega tax law<\/a>, but his speech will come amid fallout from his administration&rsquo;s aggressive deportation tactics that he&rsquo;s vowing to approach with a &ldquo;softer touch.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s still committed to removing illegals from this country, especially starting with illegals who&rsquo;ve committed crimes in this country,&rdquo; Lummis said. &ldquo;But acknowledging that the lighter touch is doable &mdash; I think that&rsquo;s important.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump listens as Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., speaks during an event in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In a statement to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, the White House said Trump had an election mandate to focus on illegal immigration and the economy and that the president would continue to do so.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Nearly 80 million Americans gave President Trump a resounding Election Day mandate to end Joe Biden&rsquo;s economic disaster and immigration crisis,&rdquo; White House spokesman Kush Desai said. &ldquo;The Trump administration remains laser-focused on continuing to cool inflation, accelerate economic growth, secure our border, and mass deport criminal illegal aliens.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has a populist streak similar to Trump, but it sometimes lands him in Democrats&rsquo; corner on affordability troubles such as expired Obamacare subsidies and government benefits for lower-income people. He&rsquo;s hoping to hear Trump stand firm on the administration&rsquo;s desire to tackle housing costs by barring large investors from gobbling up homes, promote a bipartisan credit card cap proposal, and expound on how to stop data centers from driving up electricity prices. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I just think that his economic agenda that he outlined recently is really good,&rdquo; Hawley said. &ldquo;I hope he&rsquo;ll talk about that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) is predicting a &ldquo;forward looking, optimistic speech.&rdquo; But he countered that the president is neither pivoting on his immigration enforcement strategy nor does he need to.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4455884\/senate-democrats-weigh-skipping-trump-state-of-the-union-speech\/\">SENATE DEMOCRATS WEIGH SKIPPING TRUMP STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Despite how GOP lawmakers may prefer Trump navigates his address in an election year that Republicans fear Democrats could dominate, there&rsquo;s the reminder that &mdash; as put by Tuberville &mdash; &ldquo;President Trump&rsquo;s going to be President Trump.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Thank God he got elected and we got everything going in the right direction,&rdquo; Tuberville said. &ldquo;But now we&rsquo;re just coming out of the block, so we got three more years. The problem is if [Democrats] win the House and possibly the Senate, I mean, he&rsquo;s going to be fighting for his life.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GOP wants restrained Trump on SOTU topics<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2570518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP25245724983756.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[6203,16409,52262,51662,3634],"class_list":["post-2570517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-gop","tag-messaging","tag-optimism-2","tag-state-of-the-union","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP25245724983756.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2570517"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2570522,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570517\/revisions\/2570522"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2570518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2570517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2570517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2570517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}