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- President Joe Biden delivered the most political State of the Union in recent memory.
- He repeatedly tore into Donald Trump, criticizing "my predecessor" throughout the high-energy speech.
- It's clear Biden seized his biggest audience of the election so far.
President Joe Biden delivered a State of the Union unlike any in recent memory. He tore into former President Donald Trump, lighting into his predecessor over his handling of issues as varied as the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration, gun control, and China.
Biden seized what may be his largest audience of the election to make the opening argument in a rematch that's likely to be uglier and more costly than the 2020 showdown. It didn't even cost his campaign a penny, though he already has more money stockpiled than Trump.
Biden referenced "my predecessor" about a dozen times throughout his roughly 67-minute speech. Speaker Mike Johnson could be seen rolling his eyes and deeply sighing numerous times throughout the address.
When Republicans in the House chamber pushed back at times, Biden welcomed their jeers and boos.
"Oh no, you guys don't want another $2 trillion tax cut? I kind of thought that was what your plan was," Biden said to shouts of "liar" as he described the GOP's future tax plans. "Well, that's good to hear."
Biden's White House communications director later confirmed that getting under the GOP's skin was part of the point, in reference to Biden's attacks on Trump's signature tax law.
The president was unsparing in his criticism of Trump. He said Trump's pandemic response showed he didn't care about Americans.
"My predecessor failed the most basic presidential duty that he owes to the American people, the duty to care," Biden said. "I think that's unforgivable."
Trump wasted little time to vent his fury.
"That may be the Angriest, Least Compassionate, and Worst State of the Union Speech ever made," he wrote on Truth, his social-media platform. "It was an Embarrassment to our Country!"
Fellow Republicans responded to Biden by taking their gripes to social media.
"That was by far the most disastrous State of the Union address I've ever witnessed — in my 52 years on this planet," Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, wrote on X.
Biden also called out Trump's recent comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said during a February rally that as president, he told NATO allies he would "encourage" Russia to invade them if their nations hadn't spent the necessary funds on their own defense to meet the alliance's benchmark.
"My message to Putin is simple: We will not walk away. I will not bow down," Biden said.