Who wouldn’t want to scream during Trump’s speech? His diatribe “was a long troll, complete with slurs and insults,” Jeet Heer wrote on the night of the address. Not only did he call Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas,” level vicious attacks at undocumented immigrants, and insist on the existence of only two genders, he also repeatedly told lies about political and economic history.

Some of the biggest lies were about Social Security, which Trump referred to as wasteful and full of fraudulent misuse. For John Nichols, this was a clear signal that Trump and Musk will be targeting for the program next, among others. “Republicans have a long history of scheming to privatize Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid,” Nichols writes. “But the focus of Trump’s speech suggests that the threat is now far more real—and imminent.”

-Alana Pockros

Engagement Editor, The Nation

Not yet a subscriber of The Nation? Get one year of unlimited digital access for just $14.95.