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A top Democrat in the House of Representatives fact-checked President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday in real time.

During the speech, Trump claimed that inflation has come down to the lowest point since he became president last year. He also repeated one of his favorite phrases that America is the "hottest country" right now.

President Donald Trump's State of the Union Address got off to a drama-filled start as Rep. Al Green (D-TX) held up a sign saying "BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T APES" — a reference to a racist post Trump promoted on his Truth Social platform earlier this month — and then exited after being harassed by Republicans.

Trump supporters fumed over the protest by Green, who routinely introduces impeachment resolutions against the president in the House, and attacked him on social media.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a rare Iran briefing on Tuesday afternoon to the "Gang of Eight," or the congressional leaders typically informed of sensitive intelligence and covert operations. CIA Director John Ratcliffe's attendance as a ninth official sparked speculation about potential military action. Journalist Adam Cochran suggested Ratcliffe's presence signaled either an imminent or already-executed U.S. attack, speculating Trump could announce strikes during his State of the Union address. Cochran wrote: "Wouldn't surprise me to see something like 3pm briefing -> 5pm initial strikes after market closure -> announce strikes + larger campaign tonight to MAGA cheers." The briefing comes amid a massive U.S. military buildup near Iran—the largest mobilization since the 2003 Iraq invasion. According to Axios, Trump appears ready to launch an attack, with diplomatic negotiations over Iran's weapons capabilities having reached an impasse.

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Republicans cheered as a Texas Democrat was escorted out of President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech on Tuesday night.

Rep. Al Green (D-TX) was escorted out of Trump's speech after holding a sign that read "Black people aren't apes," in reference to a video Trump shared on social media depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, as monkeys. A couple of lawmakers tried to snatch the sign from him before the speech began.

President Donald Trump no longer even cares if the Republican Party gets blown out in the midterms, MS NOW's Chris Hayes argued in a panel leading up to the president's first State of the Union Address of his second term.

Or at least, Hayes said, he doesn't care about it to the extent that it isn't a personal problem for himself.

Democrats are on track for a blowout win in the fall, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) told MS NOW's Chris Murphy ahead of President Donald Trump's first State of the Union Address of his second term — and they plan to use it to get justice and accountability.

"You know, we were saying earlier that the sort of context here is so different from a year ago because of the political situation the president finds himself in, which is way, way, way weaker than it was a year ago," said anchor Chris Hayes. "And I'm curious, as you look at the trajectory of the last year, how you understand the deterioration of his political standing in sort of three different lanes of decisions."

The Wall Street Journal's conservative editorial board ripped President Donald Trump's Food and Drug Administration leader in a new editorial on Tuesday.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said Monday that his office is pursuing a new way to provide more flexible reviews of drugs used to treat rare diseases. However, the Journal's editors argued that the idea seems to fly in the face of the FDA's mission.

As President Donald Trump's approval ratings decline, his fundraising appeals have grown increasingly desperate, employing messaging with implicit threats against supporters who don't contribute financially. According to Salon analyst Chauncey DeVega, Trump seeks both money and personal affirmation that his MAGA base remains loyal as broader support erodes. Recent fundraising emails contain veiled intimidation, including a message asking, "Does ICE need to come and track you down?" DeVega characterizes the appeals as part of a menacing campaign, likening Trump to "an obsessed former lover" who claims to love supporters while expressing hurt that they ignore his emails and calls. Political psychologist Steven Ducat describes the dynamic as cult-like, creating what researchers call a "trauma bond" where the leader is both source of fear and protector. DeVega warns Trump will likely intensify control over his base as his overall support continues declining.

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The internet erupted Tuesday after an anonymous post on X contained a baseless claim that it obtained a "leaked draft" of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address just before the president was set to speak directly to the nation — casting serious skepticism among people who read it.

The X account Rogue WH Snr Advisor shared an image of the purported "leaked" draft that included claims that Trump had planned to create a new system to rate people for their "loyalty."

President Donald Trump has alarmed banks after floating his latest executive order idea, according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the Trump administration is considering issuing an executive order requiring banks to collect citizenship information from customers. It is part of the administration's broader push to crack down on illegal immigration and would require banks to verify customers' passports and other legal documents to maintain their accounts.