President Donald Trump will use Tuesday night's State of the Union address to contrast the nation's current trajectory with where it stood a year ago, Sen. Roger Marshall said on Newsmax on Monday.
He said the president will focus on gains in border security, public safety, and economic growth.
The Kansas Republican told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" that "I think the State of the Union is an opportunity for America to celebrate our achievements, for us to recommit to the ideals that this nation was founded on, that make this nation exceptional.
"So I think the president is going to compare where were we a year ago versus today."
Marshall pointed to what he described as historically low murder rates and stronger immigration enforcement as key indicators the administration would emphasize.
He also said the president is expected to highlight U.S. military operations abroad, including missions in Iran and Venezuela, and frame them as evidence of renewed American strength on the world stage.
On the economic front, Marshall said Trump is likely to stress rising real wages and easing costs for families.
"Real wages are up 3% over the last six months," Marshall said, adding that wage growth has outpaced inflation.
He also cited lower gas and electricity prices and declining interest rates as signs that the economy is stabilizing.
"Overall, this big ship we call America is now moving in the right direction," he said.
Marshall also said he is standing firmly behind Trump's decision to reinstate a 15% global tariff by invoking a separate statutory authority after the Supreme Court struck down the administration's previous tariff framework, arguing the strategy is already delivering economic and national security gains.
Marshall said he was "disappointed but not surprised" by the high court's ruling declaring the earlier tariff structure unconstitutional.
But he said, "I think [Trump] was anticipating it. He's already reinstituted a 15% tariff. I think the average rate before was probably 15.5, 16%. We'll end up at 15%."
Marshall argued the tariffs have strengthened America's hand abroad, pointing to recent trade agreements with major partners, including India.
"Because of these tariffs, the president was able to negotiate agreements with our top 10 trade partners," Marshall said. "We've never had a trade agreement with India before."
He also said the tariff policy has been used for diplomatic leverage, including encouraging India to shift energy purchases toward the United States rather than Russia.
Beyond foreign policy implications, Marshall contended the tariffs are driving tangible economic benefits at home — particularly in Kansas.
"All over my state, I'm seeing manufacturing jobs move back to Kansas because of the tariffs overseas," he said.
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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