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SOTU Preview: Theater Kids Hope to Steal the Show From Trump

Democrat members of Congress protest during President Donald Trump's 2025 address to Congress. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Al Perrotta is a contributing editor for The Daily Signal. He is the creator of the daily Bananas Republic Substack, former managing editor and writer of The Brew newsletter for The Stream, co-author of "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration" and "Hostile Intent," former vice president and creative director for All Comedy Radio, and writer-producer for the Voice of America.

Abraham Lincoln never delivered a public State of the Union address.

However, he does know something about drama-loving Democrats spoiling a president’s good night out.

On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump will not be at Ford’s Theater. But he will be walking into a theatrical production staged by theater kids wearing congressional pins shouting not Sic Semper Tyrannis but “No More Kings.”

One may say my comparison of today’s congressional Democrats to John Wilkes Booth is cheeky and itself overdramatic, but does anyone really believe at this point that the Democrat vitriol toward Trump is any less intense than Booth’s toward Lincoln? Has the assassination porn of recent years, the dogged determination to destroy the man and anyone even associated with him, not shown that?

How about the acceleration of violent rhetoric against Trump even in the wake of Butler, Pennsylvania … even in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s public slaying?

Do we expect it to slow even in the wake of Sunday’s breach of Mar-a-Lago’s security perimeter by an armed young man?

The best we can do is tell ourselves—lie to ourselves?—that they don’t really mean it. That it’s all a show. They’re not Booth with a pistol in the president’s box, but Booth in a production of “Julius Caesar.”

Or more accurately, a farce. So let us see it as such.Trump will be at the U.S. Capitol to deliver his State of the Union. Democrats will be there to deliver performative, disruptive stunts for their radical base, fundraising coffers, and social media hits. It’ll be a tacky, disrespectful, trashy display in the hallowed House chamber.

After all, these people were weaned not on Robert’s Rules of Order but on Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” … and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

What will this year’s production look like? Who will try topping that infamous State of the Union where Nancy Pelosi ripped up Trump’s speech the way Hulk Hogan used to rip off his shirt?

Trump’s 2025 speech to Congress starred Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, yelling and screaming and waving his cane like he was desperately trying to hail a taxi in a blizzard.

A gaggle of radical congresswomen held up cute little signs near their faces, like actresses in anti-depression medication ads.

Who knows what displays we’ll see this year? “Welfare Fraud is a Natural Right,” “I Heart Violent Criminal Illegals” or perhaps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez holding up a sign asking, “Which Way Is Taiwan?”

It is guaranteed we will see signs, buttons, or bellowing evoking ill-fated ICE protester Renee Good. If we’re lucky, members will do an interpretive dance in her honor as protesters did the other day outside the Trump Kennedy Center … a couple days before fellow protesters dumped toxic chemicals on the center’s ice rink.Certainly, we’ll see ICE-related protests. Who knows? Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., may even bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia as his plus-one in the gallery.

Last year also featured Democrats staying stone cold silent at every Trump proclamation of good news. They used their hands as booty warmers rather than applaud the families of those slain by illegal immigrants.

They couldn’t even bother to move a muscle for a courageous little boy with brain cancer becoming an honorary Secret Service agent.

Oh, if they would only try the silent treatment again Tuesday night!

Trump will be sharing all the positive things that have happened for the American people this past year. And as each positive thing is met with silence from the Democrat side of the aisle, the president must say, “And the Democrats are not happy for you.”

Wages are up. “And the Democrats are not happy for you.”Drug prices are down. “And the Democrats are not happy for you.”Tax refunds are up by four digits. “And the Democrats are not happy for you.”Inflation is way down. “And the Democrats are not happy for you.”Fact Check: They aren’t.

Which gets to the three huge problems the Democrats will face showboating this State of the Union:

First, the list of accomplishments in Trump’s first year is longer than Mitch McConnell is in the tooth. So many good things have happened, big and small, foreign and domestic, that Democrat petulance will look pathetic. More Lesley Gore than Al Gore. “It’s Trump’s party and I’ll cry if I want to, cry if I want to.”

Second, given the speech is against the star-spangled backdrop of America’s 250th birthday, and the warm glow of Olympic gold, not showing love for Team USA … particularly in defense of illegal immigrants … will look, well, un-American.

Third, Democrats will never be able to out showboat Donald Trump. It’s like competing in a karaoke competition with Kelly Clarkson, a three-point shooting contest with Caitlin Clark, a pie eating contest with Chris Christie.

The State of the Union will be Donald Trump’s show. You can no more upstage Donald Trump than you can find wine at Ilhan Omar’s winery. It’s foolishness to try.But try they will.

Which is why we offer a particular prayer for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the falsely billed “moderate” whom Democrats have picked to give the official Democrat Party response. Following Trump is like having to take the stage after KISS. Spanberger will try singing from the Democrat songbook, but nobody would hear and notice amid the smoke, confetti, and ringing ears.

The curtain goes up at 9 P.M. Eastern.

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