State of the Union: Large majority of viewers back Trump’s speech

The State of the Union address by Trump received mostly positive ratings, according to a survey from CNN conducted by SSRS. The poll indicates that much of the audience perceived the message as strong and compelling, reflecting a favorable reception among those who followed the presidential address.

For the study, 482 adults who watched the speech, in English and Spanish, were contacted by text message. Of the total, 18% identified themselves as Democrats, 41% as Republicans and another 41% as independents or another party.

According to the survey results, 64% of viewers had a favorable reaction to the presidential message, while 36% expressed a negative opinion. Within the group that rated the speech positively, 38% rated it as "very positive" and 25% as "somewhat positive." In contrast, among those who evaluated it negatively, 16% considered it "somewhat negative" and 20% "very negative."

The data also reflect a slight decrease from the previous year: following the March 4, 2025 speech, delivered to a joint session of the Congress and equivalent in practice to a State of the Union address, 69% of respondents expressed a positive reaction, compared to 64% this year. Even so, the overall assessment remains overwhelmingly favorable among those who followed the presidential address.

A country headed in the right direction

According to the survey data, 64% of those who watched the speech believe that the president's proposed policies will move the United States in the right direction, while 36% believe the opposite.

Comparison with previous surveys reveals a notable change. Prior to the speech, between Feb. 17 and 20, only 54% of respondents believed the country would move in the right direction, compared to 45% who were skeptical. The presidential address, therefore, appears to have generated a spike in support among those who followed the message.

The data also shows the evolution with respect to the previous year. After the March 4, 2025, speech, 66% of viewers were optimistic about the country's direction, while 34% were of the opposite opinion. In the measurement prior to that speech, conducted between Feb. 24 and 28, 2025, 61% believed that the president's policies would move the country in the right direction, versus 38% who did not share that view.

The right priorities

The poll results show significant variations in public perceptions of President Donald Trump's priorities. Following the State of the Union address, 54% of respondents felt that the president has had the right priorities, while 46% felt that he has not paid enough attention to the country's most important problems.

Before the speech, that perception was less favorable: only 44% believed Trump was focused on the right priorities, compared to 56% who saw him as disconnected from major national concerns.

A comparison with the previous year reveals a similar trend: after the March 4, 2025, speech, 59% rated his priorities positively, while in the previous measure, taken in late February of that same year, support was 56%.

Taken together, the data suggests that State of the Union speeches tend to improve viewers' perceptions of the president's approach, albeit with fluctuations from year to year.

Consistent confidence in the economic agenda

The survey results show that President Trump's economic proposals generate a mostly favorable perception among those who followed his State of the Union addresses.

In both February 2026 and March 2025, 62% of respondents felt that the economic policies put forward by the president would move the country in the right direction, while 38% felt the opposite. The stability of these figures suggests that, at least among viewers of these speeches, confidence in Trump's economic agenda has remained constant over time.

Perceptions of immigration policies fall

Polls on whether the immigration policies proposed by Donald Trump would move the country in the right direction show significant variations between 2025 and 2026. Following the March 4, 2025, speech, 76% of respondents believed that such proposals would move the country in the right direction, while 24% believed the opposite.

By Feb. 24, 2026, after his last speech, the positive perception dropped to 62% and the negative increased to 38%, with no "no opinion" responses recorded. These data reflect a notable change in the public's assessment of their immigration proposals over time.

High confidence in leadership

Levels of confidence in Donald Trump's ability to exercise effective leadership show variations between the two speeches analyzed.

Following his Feb. 24, 2026 speech, 65% of respondents said they had a great deal or some confidence in the president, while 35% said they had none. A year earlier, after the March 4, 2025, speech, that confidence was higher: 73% expressed some degree of support, compared to 27% who had no confidence in his leadership.

The comparison suggests a decline in the perception of his leadership ability among those who followed both speeches, although most continue to give him a significant level of confidence.

Overall, the figures reflect that the State of the Union addresses continue to have a discernible impact on public perception, especially among those who follow them live. Although variations between years are moderate, the overall trend shows that a majority of viewers tend to receive with optimism the proposals presented by the president during these speeches.