The Right champions citizens first. The Left fumes at the idea.

By Elle Purnell | Commentary, The Federalist

At Tuesday’s State of the Union, Democrats set themselves up as angry foils to basic civics and feel-good American patriotism.

In the most made-for-TV of many made-for-TV moments in Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, President Donald Trump urged every member of Congress to “stand up and show your support” for the statement: “The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”

Cameras panned to show nearly the entire left-hand side of the chamber awkwardly remaining in their seats. After two minutes of Republican cheering and Democrat scowling, Trump suggested that Democrats should “be ashamed of yourselves,” and the cameras showed Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Mogadishu, shouting angrily in response.

Sure, the question was a setup, but it was a really, really easy setup, the kind of statement you might assume was a trick question if it showed up on a civics exam. Democrats could easily have neutered the stunt just by agreeing that a government’s primary duty is to its citizens, a concept that even the known right-wing radicals at the World Economic Forum recognize in word if not in practice.

Instead, they took the bait, affirming to constituents and voters everywhere that they do not view your interests and rights as their concern and are put out by the suggestion that they should.

In April, Democrat Sen. Chris Van Hollen made a special trip to El Salvador to gaze into the eyes of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal alien who has been found to be a member of MS-13 and is suspected of human trafficking. Van Hollen referred to the El Salvador native as his “constituent,” to the ire of some of his actual constituents back in Maryland. Tuesday night, scowling in their seats, his congressional colleagues sent the same message.

I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return. pic.twitter.com/U9y2gZpxCb

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) April 18, 2025

It was a spectacular gift to GOP midterm campaign ads everywhere, and it wasn’t the only point in the speech where Democrats set themselves up as foils to an evening program of feel-good American patriotism.

Early on in the evening, Trump paraded out the victorious Team USA hockey champions with a dramatic entrance in the press gallery, in a spectacle that should have been a bipartisan moment of celebration. A handful of Democrats couldn’t bring themselves to join the prolonged standing ovation, taking cues from the corporate media guilt-tripping of the team for accepting kudos from the president and laughing at his joke.

Throughout the address, Trump handed out medals to American heroes left and right: Medals of Honor to 100-year-old war hero Navy Captain Royce Williams and to Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover, a pilot in the recent capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom to Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and the Legion of Merit to Petty Officer Scott Ruskan, who saved 165 lives during a deadly flood in Texas last year. And Purple Hearts to the parents of National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and to Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, for wounds inflicted when Beckstrom and Wolfe were attacked while peacefully patrolling in the nation’s capital, allegedly by an Afghan national. Wolfe’s smile of surprise at the honor — and his appearance after surviving a gunshot to the head — was one of several tearjerker moments of the night.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THE FEDERALIST

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