Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized President Donald Trump after his latest State of the Union address, calling the speech “lazy.” However, official records show that Trump delivered the longest address of its kind in modern history.
According to data from the American Presidency Project, Trump’s speech lasted nearly one hour and 48 minutes. That runtime makes it the longest State of the Union style address ever recorded. In fact, Trump now holds three spots among the five longest speeches delivered before Congress.
Trump Sets New Records for Length
Trump’s latest address not only broke his previous time record but also set a mark for word count. Estimates place the speech at around 10,599 words. While some past presidents submitted longer written messages to Congress, Trump’s address ranks as one of the longest ever spoken aloud.
Additionally, both Trump and former President Bill Clinton dominate the list of longest speeches when applause and standing ovations are included in total time.
Although one of Trump’s earlier addresses occurred during the first year of his term and technically did not qualify as a formal State of the Union, it still ranks among the longest joint session speeches in history.
Pelosi Questions Focus of Speech
Pelosi expressed frustration over the amount of time Trump spent highlighting patriotic stories and honoring guests. During the address, Trump recognized members of the gold medal winning Team USA men’s hockey team, as well as several families affected by violence.
Among those acknowledged were Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk, Purple Heart recipient Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, and the Gold Star parents of Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom. Trump used these moments to spotlight what he described as American courage and resilience.
Pelosi argued that while such recognitions may be appropriate, they should not dominate the speech. She questioned whether the focus reflected the broader condition of the nation.
Direct Exchange Over Insider Trading Bill
At one point, Trump addressed Pelosi directly while urging Congress to pass the Stop Insider Trading Act. The proposed legislation would bar members of Congress and their immediate families from trading individual stocks.
The bill has strong Republican backing and limited Democratic support. When Trump called for action on the measure, some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle applauded.
He responded by noting the bipartisan reaction, expressing surprise at seeing Democrats stand in agreement.
