The theme of the speech is “America at 250: Strong, Prosperous and Respected.”

That’s cute.

Because if this is what strong looks like, we need a new definition. If this is prosperous, I’d hate to see broke. And if this is respected, somebody forgot to tell the rest of the planet.

You don’t roll out a 250th birthday slogan when half the country can’t afford eggs without doing math in the aisle. Affordability isn’t a “messaging weakness.” It’s rent. It’s insurance. It’s child care that costs more than college used to. It’s people with full-time jobs still playing financial Jenga every month.

But sure — let’s talk about tax cuts.

Tax cuts are like those coupons you get for a store you don’t shop at. Some people save a lot. Most people save a little. And a few people somehow end up paying more anyway. You can call it economic stimulus. Regular folks call it “why is my grocery bill still insane?”

Then there’s tariffs. Tariffs are being sold as “national security.” That’s political code for “this might get expensive, but trust me.” Tariffs don’t punish foreign governments. They raise prices. That’s how they work. It’s not a mystery. You tax imports, costs go up. Businesses pass that along. Consumers pay it. That’s not patriotism — that’s math.

And the speech will defend it in front of Supreme Court justices who just handed the administration a loss on the policy. Nothing says “respected” like arguing your case in front of people who already said no.

Foreign policy will be packaged as “peace through strength.” Which is fine, except peace isn’t a bumper sticker. Peace is stability. It’s predictability. It’s allies who don’t feel like they’re on a reality show where the rules change every season.

Meanwhile, at home, the country feels less like “strong” and more like “stretched.” People are tired. Not sleepy — tired. Tired of outrage as a business model. Tired of everything being either a triumph or a catastrophe. Tired of politicians talking like they’re auditioning for cable news instead of running a country.

And let’s talk about “respected.” Respected by who? The stock market? That’s not respect. That’s volatility with a good PR team. Respect internationally comes from consistency. When policy swings hard every few years, allies hedge their bets. That’s not fear. That’s risk management.

The biggest gap in the speech is going to be trust.

Trust in institutions is on life support. Trust in elections? Fractured. Trust in media? Divided. Trust in government? Historically low. You can’t brand your way out of that. You can’t slap “250” on it like it’s a limited-edition sneaker drop.

And the generational divide? Younger Americans are not measuring strength by how loudly we say it. They’re measuring it by whether they can buy a home before 40. Whether their student loans shrink. Whether climate disasters stop feeling seasonal. Whether AI replaces their job or just their patience.

That’s the real State of the Union: anxious.

Not collapsing. Not apocalyptic. Just anxious.

Anxious about bills.
Anxious about political whiplash.
Anxious about whether “prosperity” means “GDP” or “me.”

The irony is this: you don’t need a perfect country to celebrate 250 years. You just need an honest one.

If the administration wants to convince people the union is strong, it has to explain why so many people feel one bad month away from disaster. If it wants to say we’re prosperous, it has to show that prosperity isn’t concentrated in boardrooms and press releases. And if it wants to claim respect, it has to prove we’re steady — not just loud.

Because here’s the most unpoetic truth of all:

You don’t fix despair with adjectives. You fix it with results people can feel.