Just 32% of Americans believe Trump has the right priorities, CNN poll finds
A recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS indicates a decline in former President Donald Trump’s approval ratings ahead of his State of the Union address.
The poll revealed that Trump’s approval among independent voters has reached a new low at 26%, according to CNN. Overall, only 32% of Americans believe Trump has the right priorities. His job approval rating among all adults stands at 36%, while 61% of respondents feel his policies are steering the country in the wrong direction.
The poll also highlighted a significant drop in approval among Latino Americans, with a 19-point decrease, and among Americans under the age of 45, who showed an 18-point decline.
Respondents expressed a desire for Trump to address the economy and the cost of living during his State of the Union speech, which was the most requested topic by a considerable margin.
Justice Department to drop case against six Democratic lawmakers accused by Trump
The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, will dismiss the case against six Democratic lawmakers whom Trump labeled as "seditious" after they released a video urging troops to refuse unlawful orders, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to ’s Sam Levine.
This decision follows a grand jury indictment earlier this month in Washington, D.C., against Elissa Slotkin, Mark Kelly, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, and Chrissy Houlahan, all of whom have military or intelligence backgrounds.
It remains unclear whether the Justice Department might pursue the case through other jurisdictions, though media reports suggest this is unlikely. NBC News was the first to report the decision.
Conservatives criticize Gavin Newsom’s remarks on SAT scores during book tour
During a stop in Atlanta on Sunday as part of his book tour, California Governor Gavin Newsom made comments about his low SAT score that conservatives have interpreted as disparaging Black Americans.
Newsom was asked by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who is Black, what he wanted audiences and readers of his memoir to understand about him. Newsom responded at length, stating:
“I’m like you. I’m no better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy,”
referring to his below-average score on the standardized college admissions test, before discussing his dyslexia and difficulties with reading.
Conservatives reacted strongly. Fox News commentator Sean Hannity posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“@GavinNewsom Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Americans. Let That Sink In.”
Newsom replied on X:
“You didn’t give a shit about the President of the United States of America posting an ape video of President Obama or calling African nations shitholes — but you’re going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia? Spare me your fake fucking outrage, Sean.”
Mayor Dickens defended Newsom, urging viewers to watch the full clip and stating on Instagram:
“That wasn’t an attack on anyone. It was a moment of vulnerability about his own journey.”
Gavin Newsom’s memoir released amid speculation of 2028 presidential run
Gavin Newsom’s memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, was released in the U.S. today. The book tour began in the South with stops in Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina, and Newsom is scheduled to appear in New York tonight. Publishing a memoir is often seen as a prerequisite for a presidential run, and Newsom has not concealed his intentions to seek the Democratic nomination in 2028.
Newsom has raised his national profile by frequently criticizing Trump through lawsuits, redistricting efforts, and numerous social media posts.
In a characteristic post on X on Wednesday, Newsom claimed that Fox News’s extensive coverage of his book tour had overshadowed Trump’s "Big Speech Day":
“WOW!!! JUST GOT A CALL FROM A VERY RELIABLE SOURCE (TOP LEVEL) THAT DONALD TRUMP IS FURIOUS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I, GAVIN C. NEWSOM (GOVERNOR OF THE FREE WORLD) HAVE COMPLETELY ‘HIJACKED’ THE NEWS ON HIS ‘BIG SPEECH DAY’ WITHOUT EVEN TRYING. FOX NEWS IS WALL-TO-WALL COVERAGE OF ME…”
In his memoir, Newsom discusses his upbringing between "two worlds"—being raised by a single mother who worked multiple jobs and his father, a close friend of the Getty family, who introduced him to a privileged environment. The memoir, which Newsom describes as "raw," details his lifelong struggle with dyslexia, his tumultuous four-year marriage to Kimberly Guilfoyle (now the Trump administration’s ambassador to Greece and former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr.), his wife’s emergency abortion shortly before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and sitting with his mother during her assisted dying.
The memoir presents a complex portrait of a political figure both widely criticized by Republicans and praised by figures such as Nancy Pelosi, who has called him "masterful."
Trump’s State of the Union speech expected to be lengthy
Trump has indicated that his upcoming State of the Union speech will be lengthy. His joint address to Congress last year lasted 99 minutes, setting a record.
Polymarket, a political prediction market, has assigned the highest odds to the speech exceeding 100 minutes.
Erika Kirk to attend State of the Union as special guest
Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, will attend the State of the Union as one of President Trump’s special guests, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced.
Kirk was killed during a college campus tour last year. Tens of thousands attended her memorial service in Phoenix, Arizona, where Trump intensified his calls for political retribution against the left and stated,
“I hate my opponents.”However, for Wednesday’s speech, Leavitt indicated Trump is expected to deliver a different message, citing a Daily Caller article that said:
“The president will call on Congress to ‘firmly reject political violence against our fellow citizens.’”
Following Charlie Kirk’s death, Erika Kirk was appointed chair and CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the conservative youth organization founded by her husband. She has since traveled to college campuses and made several media appearances to continue her husband’s work in building a conservative youth movement.
Senator Ted Cruz comments on Supreme Court tariff ruling
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas described the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down certain tariffs imposed by Trump as "unfortunate." He stated:
“I think it’s going to cause a lot of chaos, a lot of litigation. I think you’re going to see billions of dollars litigation drag on for years. That’s unfortunate.”
The Court ruled against tariffs Trump enacted under emergency powers, asserting that Congress must approve such tariffs because taxing authority resides with Congress. Trump criticized the ruling and implemented a broad 10% tariff, threatening further tariffs if countries attempt to "play games" over previously negotiated agreements.
Cruz, a lawyer, supported the dissenting conservative justices who believed the president could exercise this power as he did. He added:
“The supreme court decision, I don’t think is going to have much consequence other than a bunch of chaos and litigation, because there are a host of other federal statutes that let the president impose basically the same tariffs.”
Tuesday’s key developments
Key events and issues on Tuesday include:
- Trump will deliver his State of the Union address tonight, warning it will be long, so a late evening is expected.
- He is anticipated to focus on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence and affordability, including announcing new initiatives such as a pledge from tech companies to cover increased electricity costs for data centers.
- A new CNN poll shows Trump’s approval ratings declining ahead of the address, with only 32% of Americans believing he has the right priorities, a 36% job approval rating among adults, and 61% saying his policies are moving the country in the wrong direction.
- Dozens of Democrats plan to skip the event, attending a counter-program instead. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the customary Democratic rebuttal speech.
- Republican Senator Mike Lee responded to reports of Democrats skipping the address with the remark:
“More room for the hockey team.”
- Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, who has been criminally charged by the Trump administration, delivered a prebuttal address warning that Trump will lie and highlighting the administration’s expanded power and politicization.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski devised a plan to suspend TSA PreCheck services at airports amid the partial government shutdown, according to The Washington Post.
- The U.S. State Department continues to issue safety advisories regarding travel in western Mexico following the killing of a major drug lord and subsequent cartel violence.
LaMonica McIver’s prebuttal address
Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver, who faces criminal charges related to a visit to an immigration detention facility, delivered a prebuttal address to Trump’s State of the Union speech. She focused on Trump’s consolidation of power and its impact on the rule of law.
Her prosecution, initiated in December as part of a series targeting individuals Trump has sought to punish, exemplifies a pattern of silencing dissent and increasing politicization. McIver stated:
“The administration is testing our humanity, and they are testing the strength of our democracy - pushing, bending, and even breaking the guardrails that hold it together. The administration weaponizing the Department of Justice against me is just one example. They are doing something that hasn’t happened in our country since the 1700s: trying to put someone who the people elected in jail for using my voice to question his.”
She predicted that Trump will:
“do what he always does: lie”
and claim Americans are safer and better off than before his presidency. McIver argued that Trump has worsened conditions and prioritizes only himself, his family, and billionaires.
She urged:
“Watch not just what the president is saying, but what he is doing. Think about what he has done. Is this the America you want? Because that is the real measure of the state of our union. And if the answer to that question is no, then the work is ours. And I know that we can do it together. We must.”
Senator Mike Lee’s remarks on Democratic boycott
Republican Senator Mike Lee responded to reports that Democrats would skip the State of the Union address by saying:
“More room for the hockey team.”
This comment references the U.S. men’s hockey team, which won a gold medal at the Olympics and celebrated in the locker room with FBI Director Kash Patel.
Trump invited the team to attend the State of the Union and joked that he would "have to bring the women too," referring to the U.S. women’s hockey team, which also won gold. The men’s players laughed as Trump continued that failing to invite the women’s team might lead to impeachment.
The remarks sparked backlash, as the women’s team, more decorated than the men’s, was perceived as being treated as a joke rather than equals.
Plan to suspend TSA PreCheck amid shutdown reversed
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski developed a plan to suspend TSA PreCheck services at airports during the partial government shutdown, according to The Washington Post, citing unnamed officials.
The plan was rescinded after White House intervention, and PreCheck is now available on a case-by-case basis depending on each airport’s capacity, the Post reported.
The temporary suspension of PreCheck, a paid program allowing expedited security screening for pre-screened travelers, lasted only a few hours and was met with criticism from travelers and Democrats.
Juliette Kayyem, a former DHS official under President Obama, told the Post that shutting down PreCheck appeared to be a political move against Democrats rather than an operational necessity. She explained:
“If your goal is to process many people as efficiently as possible to limit the number of staff you need, you would actually enhance or quickly clear the TSA lines and then go to your general aviation line — so that did not make sense.”
Noem, Lewandowski, the White House, and DHS did not directly respond to questions from the Post regarding whether the two DHS officials were responsible for the plan.
