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The Situation Room

Trump Clashes With Democrats at State of the Union; Will U.S. Strike Iran?; Interview With Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Aired 11-11:30a ET

Aired February 25, 2026 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:00]

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[11:00:01]

PAMELA BROWN, CNN HOST: Well, breaking news: To President Trump, it's a turnaround and throws some jabs at Democrats. We have expert analysis of his record-breaking State of the Union speech.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer with Pamela Brown, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BLITZER: And we begin this hour with the breaking news. President Trump beats his own record for the longest State of the Union address, talking up his administration's accomplishments during his first year back in the White House and in the lead-up to the critical midterm elections coming up in November. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our country is winning again. In fact, we're winning so much that we really don't know what to do about it. People are asking me, please, please, please, Mr. President, we're winning too much. We can't take it anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: But it's -- yes, it's a speech...

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Go ahead.

BROWN: It wasn't without controversy, right? The president and Democrats clashed multiple times during the hour-and-47-minute marathon address. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: You should be ashamed of yourself. That is why I'm also asking you to end deadly sanctuary cities that protect the criminals and enact serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens, in many cases, drug lords, murderers all over our country.

They are blocking the removal of these people out of our country, and you should be ashamed of yourself.

(CHEERING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: As you see, things got very fiery there. Now, we took a poll right after the speech. It showed 38 percent of those watching viewed it very favorably.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: And most of the viewers who were watching the speech were Republicans.

BROWN: Republicans, as is typical.

BLITZER: A lot of Democrats and independents didn't even want to watch what the president was saying.

BROWN: Many Democrats didn't even attend, Democrats in Congress.

BLITZER: Yes.

I want to bring in one of the Democratic congresswomen that you saw right there, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

Congresswoman, thanks so much for joining us.

REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): Thank you for having me.

BLITZER: CNN reported before that speech that the House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, advised your caucus, the Democratic members, to either skip the State of the Union address or sit there in silence. Should you have just boycotted the address? And do you think you violated the guidelines set out by your own leader?

OMAR: No, I think it was really unavoidable. The president talked about protecting Americans, and I just had to remind him that his administration was responsible for killing two of my constituents.

BLITZER: In Minneapolis.

Many members of your Democratic Party criticized their Republican counterparts when they interrupted President Biden's State of the Union address, as a lot of us remember. Do you have any regrets at all about the interaction we played between you and President Trump just last night?

OMAR: I do not. And I think many people look at that moment when the president says it

is our responsibility to protect Americans, and he does not acknowledge the fact that two Americans, two of my constituents, two of our neighbors, were killed. And it was important for me to just remind the American people that the president and his administration was responsible for killing two American citizens.

BLITZER: With hindsight, Congresswoman, do you think you would have been better off boycotting this speech, like so many other Democratic lawmakers did, or did you do the right thing by actually showing up there?

OMAR: I brought four Minnesotans as guests for the Minnesota delegation. It was important for us to be there to bear witness, to hold the space for our constituents that have lived through an occupation from federal law enforcement, that have been terrorized, that have seen our neighbors been killed and traumatized in so many ways.

And so, no, I think it was really important for my constituents to see me there. It was really important to my constituents to hear that I was reminding the president that Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed under this administration.

BLITZER: One of your guests, one of the guests that you brought to the State of the Union, was actually arrested by U.S. Capitol Police during President Trump's speech for allegedly disrupting the proceeding. Explain to our viewers, Congresswoman, what happened and is she still in custody?

OMAR: Yes, you might remember Aliya Rahman was the disabled woman who was headed to a doctor's appointment when ICE agents broke her window and forcibly dragged her, detained her, and she suffered a concussion, many broken bones. And it was really important for me to have her here.

[11:05:06]

And as she said this morning, at the State of the Union, you can do two things. One is to sit. The other is to stand up, and she chose to stand up. We know that she was taken to the hospital after she was detained. Now she is back and safe.

BLITZER: I'm glad she's safe.

Congressman Al Green escorted out of the House Chamber just minutes into President Trump's State of the Union address for holding a sign reading "Black People Aren't Apes."

What was your reaction to that?

OMAR: I mean, isn't it just a sad moment for our country when a member of Congress has to remind the president of the United States that black people aren't apes?

I mean, just for a moment, think about that. Al was escorted because he refused to sit down. And I stand with Al. I think it is an important moment in our nation's history that we have to take a stance like that. We have to remind a sitting president that we black people are not apes.

BLITZER: And as a lot of us, of course, remember, it was Trump who posted on social media that horrible racist picture of Michelle and Barack Obama as apes. And he apologized later, but it was simply an awful decision. He blamed one of his aides.

I want to quickly turn, while I have you, Congresswoman, to the Democratic response from Virginia's new governor, Abigail Spanberger. Let's watch a little bit of what she said last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-VA): We did not hear the truth from our president. So let's speak plainly and honestly.

And let me ask you, the American people watching at home, three questions. 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?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: And I just want to be precise. Trump did not formally apologize at all for posting that picture of the Obamas, that horrible picture of the Obamas. He simply blamed one of his aides for doing that.

OMAR: Thank you for that clarification.

BLITZER: Yes.

OMAR: I was just going to correct you on that one.

BLITZER: Very important clarification.

How would you evaluate, Congresswoman, Governor Spanberger's response that we all heard last night? And do you feel that Democrats should embrace that sort of message in the lead-up to the upcoming midterm elections?

OMAR: Yes.

I mean, the governor is my former classmate. We came to Congress together. And I thought, last night, her remarks were so on point. It was an incredible contrast from the mumbling that we heard from the president that did not have a clarity on what the American people wanted to hear and how the American people wanted the president to address the state of the union.

And the governor was very clear. And to answer those three questions, I think every single American would probably answer that question at this moment no. And I do believe it is important for us to keep bringing that point home. The president is not making us safe at home or abroad. The president isn't making our lives more affordable and the president isn't doing anything to create any sort of stability for the American people.

BLITZER: Bottom line, Congresswoman, do you have confidence that your Democratic Party's leadership right now is prepared to take on President Trump and his agenda ahead of the November midterm elections?

OMAR: The Democrats have been united. We are prepared. And we believe that the American people are going to be with us come the primaries in November.

BLITZER: Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, thanks so much for joining us. Let's continue this conversation down the road.

OMAR: Thank you.

BLITZER: Pamela.

BROWN: All right, still ahead here in THE SITUATION ROOM: Trump's message about Iran. What did our allies and adversaries in the Middle East learn from the president's speech? The former NATO supreme allied commander will join us just ahead.

Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

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[11:13:58]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas. And they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America.

After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program, in particular, nuclear weapons. Yet they continue. They're starting it all over. We wiped it out and they want to start all over again and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: President Trump offering a rare case for a potential strike on Iran. Listen to this moment from last night's State of the Union address. Actually, we just heard it.

Joining us now, CNN senior military analyst retired U.S. Admiral James Stavridis. He served as the NATO Supreme Allied Commander, is now a partner at the Carlyle Group, an international investment firm.

Admiral Stavridis, thanks so much for joining us.

We just heard the president once again there say Iran is pursuing their sinister plans and ambitions. Do you believe a U.S. strike on Iran is imminent? And, if so, how soon?

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ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), CNN SENIOR MILITARY ANALYST: I think it is imminent, probably, Wolf, a 65 percent chance, kind of a two-in- three chance that we're going to end up striking.

And the ball is, frankly, in Tehran's court. I think Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are working hard to try and reach some kind of an understanding that would convince us that Iran has decided not to use nuclear weapons.

But the Iranians have to put a significant proposal forward. We will know more. Tomorrow is the next day of negotiations. My assessment, unfortunately, is that that negotiation will probably fail, two-in- three chance, and that will mean President Trump will go ahead and conduct a strike, probably in the next seven to 10 days, if that happens.

I will close with this. There's still a one-in-three chance we can avoid this. It's going to require a real diplomatic effort on the part of Tehran to ensure they don't end up at the receiving end of another U.S. strike.

BLITZER: What are your top concerns, Admiral, when it comes to a potential U.S. strike on Iran?

STAVRIDIS: Number one, we haven't articulated exactly what the objectives are here. If it is a limited strike to go after a resurgent nuclear program, perhaps some of the Revolutionary Guard headquarters' command-and-control, a limited two-day strike, I think our chances are quite good of getting through that without any casualties or losses.

But you're showing U.S. worships right now. We have got a significant armada out there, including that aircraft carrier you're showing. And what I worry about are those pilots going to shore. If the campaign drags into two weeks, three weeks, the chances of losing some of those aircraft, perhaps having a stray Iranian missile get through against one of our destroyers, it just goes up the longer you're out there launching these strikes.

So unlike Operation Midnight Hammer and unlike the operation to take Maduro away, those were really conducted in a matter of hours, certainly less than a day. If this is going to be a bigger campaign, you have to worry about the kind of damage to our forces. I know all of that is being weighed in the other situation, Wolf.

BLITZER: The Iranians have ballistic missiles, certainly enough ballistic missiles to hit U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf area, whether United Arab Emirates or Qatar or other countries, Bahrain, certainly have enough ballistic missiles that could reach Israel as well, but they can't right now reach the United States. Is that right?

STAVRIDIS: That is correct.

But I think the president is correct when he says, if the Iranians could develop a longer-range missile, they would. And certainly the North Koreans have missiles that potentially could hit U.S. possessions and potentially over time U.S. coasts.

So we have got to be mindful of that. At the moment, there are no direct ballistic missile threats against the United States from Iran. But I think the president would say let's nip it in the bud if we need to.

BLITZER: The president briefly talked about Ukraine in the speech last night as well. This week marks the four-year anniversary of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

In an interview with CNN on Monday, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pleaded with Trump to -- quote -- "stay on our side." Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: If they really want to stop Putin, America is so strong. I think -- I think -- I think not enough. But maybe I'm mistaken. Maybe I don't know a lot of things. Maybe I don't know some details and et cetera.

That's why I don't have questions. I think we need President Trump more on our side. I think we need President Trump more pressure on Putin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So what do you think, Admiral? What do our allies want to hear and see when it comes to Ukraine?

STAVRIDIS: I will give you three things, Wolf.

The allies and, in particular, President Zelenskyy would like to see the United States provide longer-range missiles, surface-to-surface missiles that can move at range and threaten Russian targets. Number two, they would like to see the United States put more economic pressure on Russia, particularly by seizing more tankers with illegal Russian oil.

We have been doing some of that lately, but also going after frozen Russian assets, hundreds of billions of dollars that are in European and U.S. banks. And, third and finally, both Zelenskyy and our allies would like to see the United States continue to increase the level of intelligence we're providing.

[11:20:09]

I think, if we did those three things, we could put a lot of pressure on Putin, get him to the table, get this thing to a cease-fire, and ultimately to an agreement.

BLITZER: Yes, that would be so important.

Admiral James Stavridis, the former NATO supreme allied commander, thanks, as usual, for joining us.

STAVRIDIS: You bet, Wolf.

BLITZER: Pamela.

BROWN: All right, up next here in THE SITUATION ROOM: Did the president's speech resonate with voters? And how will it play with Republican lawmakers who are in tight midterm races?

That's just ahead.

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[11:25:17]

BROWN: President Trump delivers his State of the Union address, breaking his own record with a speech that lasted one hour and 47 minutes. He says this is the golden age of America we're in right now as he celebrates his handling of immigration and the economy.

But more Americans are now voicing skepticism of those policies ahead of the November midterms. The president says, if you're feeling economic pain, well, blame the Democrats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: The same people in this chamber who voted for those disasters suddenly used the word affordability, a word they just use it. Somebody gave it to them, knowing full well that they caused and created the increased prices that all of our citizens had to endure.

You caused that problem. You caused that problem. They knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie. Their policies created the high prices. Our policies are rapidly ending them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: The president made no mention of how the tariffs have impacted prices.

But let's continue this discussion with two CNN political commentators, Republican strategist David Urban and Karen Finney, who was a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign.

Thank you so much both for being here.

And, of course, David, when President Biden was in office, inflation was very high. It has since come down a lot. But even though there are signs the economy is strong, a lot of Americans aren't feeling it. Was that the right move from the president to blame the Democrats, or should he had done more to say, look, I understand where you are. I feel you, we're working on it?

DAVID URBAN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Look, I think there could have been a mixture of both. Feeling people's pain is a tried-and-true political kind of line that Bill Clinton famously coined. And I think the president be a little more empathetic was great.

But, listen, that overall speech last night, I think I was on yesterday saying, was he going to skip stick to the script? Is he going to stick to the talking points? And I said, no, I didn't think he would. And he did exactly -- did a masterful job, the stagecraft, forever the showman, the president bringing people.

Door number one, we have got Medal of Honor recipient, door number two, 100-year-old veteran. I mean, people were just clapping. If you want to protect Americans stand up, I actually watched the whole thing like curtain to curtain. It was pretty, pretty spectacular and gripping.

And, apparently, 63 percent of viewers felt so as well because they had a favorable impression of it, according to our own...

BROWN: I think it was 38 percent.

URBAN: Sixty-two, according to our own polls; 63 felt favorably about our numbers. I will tweet it out to everybody.

(CROSSTALK)

KAREN FINNEY, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You're feeling good.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Thirty-eight percent had...

(CROSSTALK)

URBAN: Listen, I feel good about it. I feel good about it, the Medal of Honor recipients, the hockey team. I mean, it was just a great -- it was a great feel-good moment. The president made -- I have never seen anybody use the gallery that way. And then the moment of like...

BROWN: He's a showman.

(CROSSTALK)

URBAN: Stand up. Like, stand up if you don't like -- if you want to support Americans.

Like, John Fetterman went over, shook his hand. I'm like, Elizabeth Warren was clapping. Bernie Sanders stood up and clapped. It was a wild success.

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: OK, David.

BROWN: Karen?

FINNEY: David is happy he stuck to the script.

OK, David, here's the thing. So there's two pieces to this. Yes, great showmanship, upping -- it was Michael Deaver from President Reagan was the one who started having the guests in this gallery who sit with the first lady who represent different parts of America. OK, so he one- upped that.

URBAN: A-plus.

FINNEY: OK on showmanship.

However, if you are a person in this country who is struggling, you do not feel like you're winning. And all that -- infused in between that, there was very little substance, somewhat positive, negative.

URBAN: But add those up.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Oh, I see what you're doing, very positive.

(CROSSTALK)

URBAN: Well, positive and somewhat positive still 63 percent.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: OK, you are the true optimist of all optimists.

FINNEY: That's the Trump math that we heard last night.

(CROSSTALK)

URBAN: Positive. Positive.

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: Look, I think the issue, in all seriousness, fact-checkers have checked the math, and it's not mathing. It's not adding up.

So I do think for people who were wanting to hear, what are you going to do for me, they're still -- they didn't really get it. There were some -- a couple of ideas that he talked about, but no real detail. So -- and I think people -- part of the skepticism that we're seeing in the polls is people saying, OK, but the devil's in the details.

And the details matter and we didn't hear that. And the second thing I will just say quickly, if you're on the ballot and you're a Republican, you didn't get much to run on. You didn't get much that's going to -- that you can go to out and talk to your voters and say, hey, here's what we're doing to lower your costs.

So let's see what come -- if any real policy comes out of it, but I don't think it will.

(CROSSTALK) URBAN: Yes, interestingly, one -- we had some good reporting you had earlier in the show with Mr. Goldman, our colleague here about, he said, look, by all objective measures, the economy is doing very well, right?

BROWN: Right.

URBAN: All reporting.

(CROSSTALK)

URBAN: He said, however...

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Beginning of the segment.

FINNEY: People aren't feeling it.

URBAN: However, people aren't feeling it, right?

FINNEY: Right.

URBAN: So there's that disconnect.