The Most Embarrassing Moments At Donald Trump's 2026 State Of The Union

The 2026 State of the Union delivered by President Donald Trump may not have been one for the ages, but it certainly seemed to last for ages. Clocking in at just under two hours, it was the longest SOTU speech of all time. Of course, there were also the usual suspects of poorly dressed attendees, not to mention Erika Kirk's awkward moment and an uncomfortable appearance from Barron Trump.

Though that could have been enough embarrassment for the entire evening, that's just not the president's style. Known for his self-indulgent love of attention, Trump did his best to bring all eyes on him — for better or for worse. The desire for the spotlight led to several cringeworthy moments for the president and his followers.

Perhaps proving that politicians who skipped the State of the Union were correct to do so, there were several instances at the SOTU that provided plenty of secondhand embarrassment. From fairly obvious signs of Trump's decline in health to the president's constant need for praise, it was hard to narrow down the most mortifying moments. It's almost as if the current MAGA regime is the embarrassing gift that keeps on giving, except the gift is not only painfully awkward but, as its critics would claim, also destroying the country and creating chaos around the world.

One of the lingering ailments that's been hounding Donald Trump is the strange case of his damaged right hand. The president had taken to bandaging it for a while, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously insisting that the bruising was due to the excessive amount of handshaking Trump partakes in. This led the president to apparently slather concealer on his hand, which seemed to be the case for the February 24 State of the Union.

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In the past, Trump has been able to match the shade of his hand better than the bronzer on his face, but that wasn't exactly the case at the State of the Union. Instead, his sickly bruising was frequently apparent as he gripped the podium. Between his botched bronzer and barely concealed hand, many online were quick to get the ick.

One person on X, formerly Twitter, asked, "Trump has access to all the money in the world and can't get a decent [makeup artist]?" Another person wondered, "Why have they not been able to find makeup that's actually the same color as his hand by now?" Although, since that would require Trump's team to also find fake tanner that matches his skin, it makes sense that finding the right shade of hand concealer could be tricky. Besides, Trump's strange bruising wasn't the only ailment that drew attention to his declining health.

Throughout the second term of his presidency, Donald Trump's rambling speeches have gotten even more incoherent, suggesting possible cognitive decline. One person on X noted that Trump's energy rapidly decreased throughout the speech, pointing out, "He's falling asleep even as he speaks." Perhaps that's why he seemed to struggle with reading and articulating words throughout his speech. As can be seen in a video posted to X, Trump could barely sound out the word "plundering," and had to try more than once to nail it.

Videos like these have sparked concern for Trump's health, and many netizens certainly noticed. Observing what they considered to be labored breathing, one person wrote, "Trump really sucking in between clinched teeth to breathe....Not a healthy look." Of course, the speech was also littered with misinformation and erroneous statements (or lies, if one doesn't wish to be generous), including Trump's assertion (via X) that this current term "should be my third term," which was incorrect on multiple levels. Not only was Trump bringing up the clearly debunked complaint that the 2020 election was stolen from him, but he's also seemingly under the impression that he could even have a third term as president.

After bumbling his way through several mishaps in his speech, Donald Trump then awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor to Chief Warrant Officer Five Eric Slover. Slover earned the highest military award after surviving several injuries during the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

According to CNBC, after doling out the medal, Trump mentioned that, "I've always wanted the Congressional Medal of Honor, but I was informed I'm not allowed to give it to myself." This is for obvious reasons, including the fact that to receive the award one must have served in the military — something Trump evaded by claiming he had bone spurs (allegedly receiving the medical exemption as a quid pro quo). 

Of course, this isn't the only award that Trump has made clear he wants without earning. After Trump wrote a letter to Denmark essentially begging for a Nobel Peace Prize, he was more or less gifted one. María Corina Machado, the winner of the 2025 prize, let Trump keep her prize as a means of stoking his ego. Now that Trump used the rather public stage of the State of the Union to express his desire for a new medal, it will be interesting to see if the laws get updated. Nothing could be more cringe than the president awarding himself a medal, although the reaction of some of his MAGA fans might make it even more embarrassing, especially if they act as they did on February 24.

It wasn't just Donald Trump making embarrassing moves at the State of the Union; several politicians took it upon themselves to fangirl out at the president. For example, Texas Representative Troy Nehls geeked out when Trump complimented his tie. He then begged the president to sign it, repeating, "Initial it. Just an initial," according to a video posted to X. Nehls wasn't alone — as Trump was exiting after his exhausting speech, several politicians raced to snag a selfie with him.

Considering that Trump inflated his cabinet with people willing to support his ego, having a bunch of fans in office makes a bit of sense. Embarrassing as this behavior may be, Trump should do his best to savor it. As his second term continues to unfold, there's been a handful of MAGA diehards actively turning against Trump, so he should appreciate it while it lasts. Then again, since much of his speech consisted of him erroneously boasting about how much America has been "winning," it seems that Trump has given little thought to losing any footing. Based on reactions to the SOTU speech, though, he probably should.