Opinion
Opinion

The left doubts Trump will deliver on State of the Union’s unity promise

President Donald Trump gestures as he finishes his first State of the Union address in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan applaud. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP)

Credit: Win McNamee

Credit: Win McNamee

President Donald Trump gestures as he finishes his first State of the Union address in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan applaud. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP)
By Debbie Lord for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Jan 31, 2018

The State of the Union address didn’t impress many on the left, who saw a president miss an opportunity to unite the country. A roundup of editorials Wednesday takes a look at what President Donald Trump missed in the speech..

Opinions from the left:

1. Trump's Insubstantial State of the Union

From Bloomberg: Trump didn’t take the opportunity to change his playbook. He should have.

2. The State of the Union made Donald Trump look small

From columnist Ezra Klein: Trump has not grown in his role,  and that is a shame.

3. State of the Union: It's up to Trump to deliver on unity

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune: His ability to govern, not Tuesday's speech, will define his presidency.

About the Author

Debbie Lord for The Atlanta Journal Constitution
More Stories

Keep Reading

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine reviewing recent events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and implications for children's health on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

Credit: AP

OPINION

Trust is listed as a core value in workplaces, but it can often be weaponized

Trust and loyalty are valued by employers, but these values can be used as weapons of control, as shown in the cases of the CDC's Susan Monarez and the FBI's James Comey.

Step back for college football: SEC hasn’t hired a Black head coach for years

The NCAA's Southeastern Conference (SEC) has not hired a Black head coach since 2014, during the Obama administration, a setback to racial equality progress over many decades.

Readers write

Readers question why Charlie Kirk's supporters are so keen to cancel his detractors when he supported free speech and whether Johns Creek needs a new performing arts center.

The Latest

(Phil Skinner/AJC)

Credit: pskinner@ajc.com

Readers write

Step back for college football: SEC hasn’t hired a Black head coach for years

OPINION

Readers write

Featured

Housing affordability is the top concern for metro Atlanta residents, according to a new survey. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren

Metro Atlantans sour on housing affordability, pessimism is growing, poll says

The economy ranked as the top issue facing metro Atlanta last year, supplanting crime for the number one spot. This is the first year housing affordability has been an option.

DeKalb schools superintendent pleads not guilty to federal charges

Devon Horton has resigned from his role as DeKalb County superintendent, He has pleaded not guilty to federal charges stemming from his previous job in Illinois.

See video police say shows ex-PSC candidate Durand take Georgia Power secrets

Patty Durand has long criticized Georgia Power for concealing information under the cloak of trade secret about various initiatives and requests of state regulators.