As expected, divided reactions to Trump speech

By Jayvee Vallejera

As expected, reactions to President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union Address fell largely along partisan lines, with the Republican Party of Guam describing it as one that all Americans can be proud of and Del. James Moylan saying it reflected priorities that matter to the people of Guam.

Sen. William A. Parkinson, a Democrat, said the real state of the union is unaffordable for Guam’s working families, and Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, also Democrat, described it as the most unpresidential State of the Union he has ever heard.

In a news release today, the Republican Party of Guam echoed three of Trump’s talking points: that crime has fallen nationwide, that drug prices have dropped due to discounted prices under the Trump administration’s TrumpRx program and that the United States’ southern border is now secure.

Del. James Moylan, a Republican, noted that several of Trump’s priorities, including lowering prescription drug costs, improving public safety, and protecting federal programs from fraud, will directly impact families across Guam.

“These are areas where Guam benefits when the federal government takes action,” he said. “Our manåmko’, our veterans, and our working families all feel the effects.”

Moylan said the address underscored the importance of continuing the nation’s forward momentum and of Trump’s commitment to it.

“That is how we deliver results for Guam, by staying engaged, staying focused, and working with every federal partner willing to help us advance the issues that matter to our island,” Moylan said. 

He said Trump outlined a vision focused on strengthening the nation’s security, stabilizing the economy, and restoring confidence in government. “For Guam, these are issues that directly impact our families, our workforce, and ultimately our future,” he added.

The Republican Party of Guam is optimistic that Guam will play a key role in creating what will become known as “America's Golden Age.”

Trump said in his speech that the nation’s borders these days are secure, “our spirit is restored, inflation is plummeting, incomes are rising fast. The roaring economy is roaring like never before, and our enemies are scared, our military and police are stacked, and America is respected again, perhaps, like never before.”

The view from the other side of the political divide was not as rosy.

Parkinson said the test of national leadership “is not how many superlatives you can fit into a speech” but whether the people listening at home can afford to live in the country that Trump claims is thriving.

“For too many families on Guam and across this nation, the answer is no,” he said.

Parkinson said the speech may have been the State of the Union, but the reality falls short for Guam’s working families.

“We heard plenty of applause lines, chest-thumping, and victory laps. But if you are a working family on Guam, you are not measuring the economy by how loudly the Washington swamp claps for itself. You are measuring it by rent, groceries, power bills, childcare, and whether your paycheck survives to the end of the month,” he said.

In his speech, Trump spoke about massive investment commitments totaling $18 trillion, but Parkinson said these investments should not only benefit the U.S. military but also the U.S. territories themselves.

He said if Trump is serious about investments, he must also direct sufficient funding to affordable housing, resilient utilities infrastructure for water and wastewater and underground power lines, a medical complex capable of handling mass casualty events and even defense shelters where Guam civilians could take cover in case of conflict.

“Right now, contractors are cashing checks while working families struggle to pay for groceries. Defense spending rises. Wages stay flat. Rents go up. People fall behind. That is not shared prosperity. That is an economy out of balance,” he said. “Our people deserve more than speeches about strength abroad while families struggle at home.”

Case, the representative from Hawaii, criticized Trump’s speech for stoking fears, inflaming prejudices, playing to division, turning Americans against Americans, refusing responsibility, undermining democracy, minimizing the real challenges Americans face and further alienating the world.

“Most directly, the President again scoffed at affordability, as if somehow we should not believe the reality we live of unacceptably high costs of food, health care, housing, childcare, education, small business, and on and on. Mr. President, the people of Hawai‘i do not feel that life is better on your watch,” he added.

Still, Case said he will continue to work with the administration, his colleagues in Congress and anyone else who wants to find solutions to the challenges many Americans face.

Delegate candidate Mary Camacho Torres has one question for Moylan: Whether Guam is sharing in the promise of America as Trump outlined in his speech or is Guam getting left behind.

“When Washington speaks about security, our runways—and our families—feel the impact. When Washington speaks about economic growth, our small businesses and working households need to see it. When Washington speaks about supporting veterans, our community expects timely care and real accountability. From radiation exposure to Agent Orange, to forever chemicals in our water— Guam deserves results. Especially when our party controls every branch of government,” she said.

Regardless of who sits in the White House, she said, Guam’s representative has one responsibility: show up, stay engaged, and deliver.

That means delivering federal investment that strengthens Guam’s infrastructure, a military buildup that supports the Guam community instead of straining it and policies that improve daily life on the island, she said.

The election will take place in November 2026.

Trump’s speech in front of members of the U.S. Congress clocked in at 1 hour and 48 minutes, reportedly the longest State of the Union speech so far.

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