Details: By Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com

Bernie Sanders Exposes Trump’s State of the Union Lies

by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf,xom

It’s an old playbook. Say something completely false, repeat it endlessly, and get your media machine to amplify it. Pretty soon, people start to believe it. This is how Trump operates, and the State of the Union speech was no exception. The sheer volume of lies was staggering, and Bernie Sanders wasted no time dismantling them.

Trump’s Greatest Hits: Lies and Misdirection

Trump’s speech was a buffet of misinformation, with some classics and a few new specials. Let’s go through the highlights.

First up, the 2020 election. Trump claimed—again—that it was stolen. Not a shred of evidence supports this, but that doesn’t stop him from repeating it like a broken record.

Then there was January 6th. Trump called it a “day of love.” Apparently, violent mobs attacking the Capitol, chanting for the hanging of the Vice President, and beating police officers qualifies as “love” in Trump’s world.

He also revived his claim that millions of undocumented people vote in U.S. elections. A lie. Voter fraud of this magnitude simply doesn’t exist, and multiple investigations have confirmed it.

And then, in perhaps the most bizarre claim of the night, Trump stated that millions of dead people between the ages of 360 and beyond were collecting Social Security checks. That wasn’t just a lie—it was an insult to basic intelligence. But this lie has a purpose: setting the stage for gutting Social Security.

What Trump Conveniently Ignored

Here’s what Trump didn’t talk about: the actual struggles of everyday Americans.

Sixty percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. But did Trump address the skyrocketing cost of rent, groceries, and gas? No.

Healthcare remains a disaster. We are the only wealthy nation on Earth that doesn’t guarantee healthcare for all. Prescription drugs cost up to ten times more than in other countries. And yet, Trump didn’t say a word about fixing this.

The housing crisis is worsening. Over 800,000 Americans are homeless, while millions more spend over half their income just to keep a roof over their heads. Trump? Silent.

Climate change? The last decade has been the hottest on record, and disasters are intensifying. But Trump’s only response? More drilling, as if setting the planet on fire is a winning strategy.

The Billionaire Takeover of Government

If you want to understand why Trump ignores real issues, look at who stands behind him—literally.

Six weeks ago, when Trump was inaugurated for his second term, he was flanked by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg. Behind them stood a parade of billionaires, several of whom now run major government agencies.

Trump’s administration is a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, and for the billionaire class. They don’t care about working Americans. They care about profits, tax cuts, and deregulation. That’s why Trump’s policies are laser-focused on making the rich even richer while gutting social programs that help ordinary people.

Robin Hood in Reverse

Trump’s budget proposal is a masterpiece of cruelty, an economic war waged against the most vulnerable Americans. By slashing Medicaid by $880 billion, millions of low-income children, seniors, and people with disabilities will be left without healthcare, forced to navigate a system that already prioritizes profit over patient care. Nursing homes, many of which rely on Medicaid funding, will face devastating cuts, leading to staff shortages, reduced services, and potential closures. Meanwhile, community health centers—lifelines for millions—will be forced to turn patients away. This is not a policy based on fiscal responsibility; it is a calculated decision to strip resources from those who need them most while leaving a lifeline only for the wealthiest among us.

Beyond healthcare, Trump’s budget takes direct aim at basic survival. By gutting nutrition assistance by over $230 billion, the administration is literally taking food from the mouths of struggling families, forcing millions—including children, veterans, and the elderly—into deeper food insecurity. All the while, billionaires like Elon Musk continue to receive massive tax breaks, using their wealth to fund vanity projects like private space travel while working-class Americans struggle to afford groceries. This isn’t “America First.” This is oligarchy, plain and simple—a government designed to enrich the ultra-wealthy at the direct expense of everyone else.

Destroying Democracy, One Lie at a Time

Beyond economic devastation, Trump’s speech reaffirmed his dangerous alignment with authoritarianism, a trend that has only intensified since his return to office. He continues to cozy up to dictators, praising leaders who rule with an iron fist while attacking the very institutions that safeguard American democracy. His rhetoric is not just inflammatory—it’s strategic. By discrediting the judicial system, Congress, and the media, he lays the groundwork for a government where loyalty to him matters more than the rule of law. This is why he’s actively purging government agencies, removing career officials with expertise and replacing them with hand-picked loyalists who will follow orders without question. It’s the textbook playbook of strongmen throughout history: dismantle checks and balances, consolidate power, and make democratic institutions serve one man rather than the people.

But Trump’s assault on democracy is not just about politics—it’s about who controls the future. As AI and automation advance at an unprecedented pace, the billionaire class is positioning itself to profit while ordinary workers are left behind. If Musk, Bezos, and their corporate allies are already using their influence to fire federal employees en masse, imagine how ruthless they will be when technology makes entire industries obsolete. Do you think they’ll fight to protect American jobs? Of course not. They will squeeze every last cent from the economy, replacing workers with machines while hoarding wealth at an unimaginable scale. For them, automation isn’t about innovation—it’s about control. And under Trump’s leadership, that control is shifting away from democracy and into the hands of an unchecked corporate elite.

The Fight Is Not Over

Bernie Sanders ended his response with a call to action, reminding us that real change only happens when people fight back. History proves this—abolitionists, labor unions, civil rights activists, and women’s rights advocates all stood against overwhelming odds and won.

Trump and his billionaire allies are powerful, but they are not invincible. If we unite around an agenda that works for the many, not just the few, we can win. We must demand higher wages, stronger unions, universal healthcare, affordable housing, and policies that hold the ultra-wealthy accountable.

The stakes are too high to sit back and hope for the best. The fight for democracy, economic justice, and truth itself continues. And it’s a fight we can win.

About the Author

Robert Jennings is the co-publisher of InnerSelf.com, a platform dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering a more connected, equitable world. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army, Robert draws on his diverse life experiences, from working in real estate and construction to building InnerSelf with his wife, Marie T. Russell, to bring a practical, grounded perspective to life’s challenges. Founded in 1996, InnerSelf.com shares insights to help people make informed, meaningful choices for themselves and the planet. More than 30 years later, InnerSelf continues to inspire clarity and empowerment.

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Article Recap

Bernie Sanders exposes Trump’s State of the Union lies, calling out misinformation on Social Security, healthcare, climate change, and economic inequality. While Trump pushes policies that benefit billionaires, Sanders highlights the real crises facing working Americans. The fight for democracy and economic justice isn’t over, and only by uniting against corporate greed can we build a fairer society.

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