Trump called it a ‘golden age’ in front of millions, and the Democrat chosen to respond had three questions that cut right through it

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic response to President Trump‘s State of the Union address, focusing on the high costs that many American families are still facing more than a year into his second term. She spoke from Colonial Williamsburg, a location tied to early American opposition to British rule.

Spanberger built her response around three direct questions for viewers at home, saying she wanted to speak “plainly and honestly” to the public. Her questions were: “Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the president working to keep Americans safe, both at home and abroad? Is the president working for you?”

According to AP News, she pointed out that he “has sent poorly trained federal agents into our cities, where they have arrested and detained American citizens and people who aspire to be Americans.” She also argued that Trump tries to “pit us against one another” while “enriching himself, his family, his friends,” concluding that the answer to whether the president is working for the people is “no.”

Spanberger’s 13-minute rebuttal came after Trump’s record-breaking speech of over an hour and 48 minutes

Spanberger spoke for only about 13 minutes, while Trump’s address ran just over an hour and 48 minutes, making it the longest State of the Union in history. Before the address, Democrats had already been looking for ways to make Trump uncomfortable during his State of the Union by inviting up to 12 people he had been avoiding. During his speech, Trump said costs were lower than when he first took office and declared, “This is the golden age of America.”

Trump also taunted Democrats in the chamber for not standing, calling his opponents “crazy.” Most Democrats remained silent throughout, though Representative Al Green of Texas was removed early in the address for holding a protest sign.

Other Democrats also held counter-events outside the main chamber. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland spoke at a “People’s State of the Union” rally, saying, “We know our state of the union. We know it is under attack.” In the Spanish-language response, California Senator Alex Padilla described the nation as “living a nightmare that divides and destroys our communities,” urging viewers to “prepare, starting today, for your voice to reverberate this November.”

Padilla also referenced a moment when he was removed from a Homeland Security news conference while questioning immigration raids, saying, “They may have knocked me down for a moment, but I got right back up.”

Democrats are hoping to carry Spanberger’s affordability-focused message into the midterm elections, pointing to her double-digit win in Virginia last November as proof the strategy can work. Party leaders want to replicate that success nationwide with the goal of flipping both the House and Senate this November.

Spanberger also tied congressional Republicans closely to Trump on economic policy, warning that additional tariffs would drive up costs. Some top Democrats have gone further, arguing that Trump is using American foreign policy to benefit his donors and himself at the expense of the country.

She criticized Republicans in Congress for being “unwilling to assert their constitutional authority to stop him,” arguing that their actions are “making your life harder” and “making your life more expensive.”