Fact-checkers noted that although Trump's speech to Congress had "fewer untrue statements than many of his remarks", the address nevertheless included numerous false and misleading statements on a variety of issues, including the federal budget, immigration and crime, immigration and the economy, welfare, and the job impact of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.
The speech was considered more optimistic, conciliatory and politically conventional and "presidential" than Trump's typically populist manner of speaking, at a time in which he was receiving historically low approval ratings. President Trump’s approval rating was 53% on February 24, 2017, according to Rasmussen Reports - Presidential Daily Poll.
For the Democratic Party, former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear provided the response; activist Astrid Silva of Nevada offered another response for the party in Spanish. Beshear spoke at a diner in Lexington, Kentucky.
SenatorBernie Sanders of Vermont (an independent who caucuses with the Democrats in the Senate) responded to the speech in a 14-minute video posted to Facebook, in which he criticized Trump for failing to make any mention of income inequality, criminal justice reform, or climate change. Sanders also stated: "President Trump once again made it clear he plans on working with Republicans in Congress who want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, throw 20 million Americans off of health insurance, privatize Medicare, make massive cuts in Medicaid, raise the cost of prescription drugs to seniors, eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood, while at the same time, he wants to give another massive tax break to the wealthiest Americans."
According to the Democratic think-tank Center for American Progress, Trump made 51 false or manipulative statements during his speech.
Viewership
Trump's speech was aired live on 11 broadcast and cable news networks, and viewed on TV by an estimated 47.7 million people in the United States.
Written message with national radio address * Split into multiple parts
Included a detailed written supplement
Not officially a "State of the Union" Presidents William Henry Harrison (1841) and James Garfield (1881) died in office before delivering a State of the Union