Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech has drawn attention not only because of the multiple exaggerated claims that he made but also because of how he presented them in front of the attendees. Trump’s speech lasted a whopping 108 minutes, the longest SOTU address in history.
Analyzing his speech and his way of presentation, psychotherapist Shelly Dar pointed out that the President had strategically prepared his words to ensure maximum impact. Talking about its length, Dar said, “A 108 minute address is not accidental. Length itself becomes dominance. It signals stamina, command and refusal to be rushed, particularly at a moment when approval ratings and court rulings are challenging him.”
Moreover, another key aspect of Trump’s address was repetition of whatever he was claiming. It is a well known technique of assurance and when a person having so much power as Trump continuously repeats something, it is bound to have an effect on the mind of his supporters.
Let me ask you something Mr. President, who’s winning?
❌Not the families being torn apart.
❌Not the folks staring at grocery receipts wondering how it got this bad.
❌Not the workers losing coverage or watching premiums skyrocket.
New Mexicans deserve better. https://t.co/qMSxP9NS00
— Deb Haaland (@DebHaalandNM) February 25, 2026
Explaining the same, Dar said, “The repeated line ‘we’re winning so much’ is classic narrative override. When external indicators are mixed, repetition works to implant certainty. It is less about data and more about emotional contagion. If he sounds convinced, supporters feel steadied.”
This is not the first time Trump has done this, since most of his speeches have always been filled with dramatic and often false statements to ignite more support from his MAGA base. During the SOTU speech also, Trump falsely claimed himself to be the only president in history to end “the wildly inflated cost of prescription drugs.” However, that is not true since Joe Biden had signed the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which significantly helped reduce the inflation on prescription drugs.
What Trump did, in contradiction, was striking voluntary deals with at least 16 drug makers in exchange for tariff reduction. He also launched TrumpRx, a self pay platform. However, the deals there do not generally help much in regard to the drug prices paid at pharmacy counters, especially for people who already have private insurance or Medicare.
Trump, however, put forward multiple such false and exaggerated claims with his signature confidence. He also maintained a dissecting tone throughout his speech, which, according to Dar, was another strategic move.
Commenting on the same, Dar said, “His tone, less bombastic but still combative, suggests modulation rather than softening. The stoic exchange with Chief Justice Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett’s expressionless response create a visible tension.”
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Trump also showed his support for the US men’s hockey team who attended the SOTU in contrast to the women’s team, who rejected Trump’s invitation. Trump has faced a lot of backlash for inviting the women’s team in a derogatory way as he told the men’s team that he needed to invite the women as otherwise he might be impeached.
According to Dar, “the theatrical use of hockey players and military figures injects patriotism and spectacle. It shifts the emotional temperature from legal controversy to national pride. That is strategic anchoring.”
With careful strategy aimed at winning over his followers and demoralizing his opponents, Trump’s SOTU speech showed a mixture of political agenda and psychological planning.
