CBS' Tony Dokoupil praises Trump’s State of the Union address: 'It was an extraordinary speech'
WASHINGTON, DC: CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil gave a strong, positive review of President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address.
He called the speech ‘extraordinary’ and ‘vintage Trump’ during the post-speech coverage.
Dokoupil praised both the substance and delivery of the address, emphasizing the president’s command of the message and his ability to engage the audience throughout the lengthy speech.
Tony Dokoupil calls Trump speech extraordinary and vintage
Describing President Trump’s remarks as “extraordinary,” Dokoupil said the address reflected the president’s signature blend of policy assertion and rhetorical flair.
He added that the speech felt distinctly characteristic of Trump’s style, bold, unapologetic, and designed to mobilize supporters ahead of upcoming elections.
“The first State of the Union address of Donald J Trump’s second term is in the books,” Dokoupil began. “It was an extraordinary speech, the longest to a joint session in history, the longest State of the Union in history. In some ways, vintage Trump: combative, populist. Historic for other reasons, as well.”
Dokoupil’s assessment, delivered on national television, added a notable voice to the positive side of the post-speech reaction.
Tony Dokoupil highlights energy of Trump’s speech
The anchor’s praise came amid a broader media landscape in which coverage of the State of the Union ranged from critical to laudatory, depending on the outlet and commentator.
“The first part of the speech, all about the economy, an issue we know a lot of Americans want to hear about. He touts it but he does it against a wall of negative opinion that we see in our polls.”
“And then, really, all the energy of the speech, the heart of the speech, on culture issues through the middle. Immigration, gender, voter ID” “He seemed at times to be goading Democrats into reacting, and at times they took that bait.”
President Trump’s State of the Union included an array of policy proposals and partisan critiques.
