President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds – AFP / Getty Images)
By C. Douglas Golden February 24, 2026 at 8:47pm
Democrats’ refusal to stand for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union extended to their apparent rejection of lower drug prices — so long as the president getting them was Trump.
Trump used the speech to tout his drug discounting agenda, forcing drug companies to stop using the United States to recoup costs by charging higher rates than elsewhere in the developed world.
“Other presidents tried to do it, but they never could,” Trump said.
“They tried. Most didn’t try, actually. But they tried, they said they tried. They couldn’t do it,” he continued. “They didn’t even come close.
“They were all talk, and no action, but I got it done.”
He went on to note that “Americans, who have for decades paid, by far, the highest prices of any nation anywhere in the world for prescription drugs, will now pay the lowest price anywhere in the world for drugs,” Trump continued.
But applause only came from one side of the aisle:
🚨 NOW: Democrats REFUSE to stand for the plummeting cost of prescription drugs under President Trump
“They TALKED, NO ACTION, I GOT IT DONE.” 🔥
“We will now pay the LOWEST price for drugs anywhere in the world!”
How could anyone vote Democrat at this point?! pic.twitter.com/maOPsa0NtS
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 25, 2026
This wasn’t the only time during the speech that the Democrats didn’t stand. That may end up being to their detriment.
As The Wall Street Journal noted, “Trump’s drug pricing efforts have shown themselves to be popular in polls, and the administration is aiming to focus on them ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.”
Trump is asking Congress to enshrine his “Most Favored Nation” policy for negotiating with drug companies into law.
C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he’s written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal since 2014.
C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he’s written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal since 2014. Aside from politics, he enjoys spending time with his wife, literature (especially British comic novels and modern Japanese lit), indie rock, coffee, Formula One and football (of both American and world varieties).
Birthplace
Morristown, New Jersey
Education
Catholic University of America
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Topics of Expertise
American Politics, World Politics, Culture
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