Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) shout at U.S. President Donald Trump as he delivers his State of the Union address during a Joint Session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Ryan James Girdusky, a GOP strategist with 1776 Project PAC, was quick to recognize the significance of the moment, writing on X, "A billion dollar ad just wrote itself because they wouldn't stand."
"Trump just orchestrated a great midterm ad, stand if you care about American citizens over illegal aliens and all the Democrats sat," wrote Girdusky.
Tim Murtaugh, a former Trump senior advisor and campaign communications director, told Fox News Digital that "it was a huge moment because it forced the Democrats to self-identify as radicals who would rather defend illegal aliens over law-abiding American citizens."
"There could be no clearer illustration that Democrats root against America when they’re not in power," said Murtaugh, who runs Line Drive Public Affairs.
He accused Democrats of being "embarrassed to be Americans, whether they’re in power or not."
"In their mind, good news for Americans is bad news for Democrats," said Murtaugh. "They aren’t going to solve any problems — they’re only going to add to them — and the American people got to see them proclaim it themselves."
"That moment will certainly be useful, and President Trump knows them so well he was able to make them do it," he added.
OMAR SHOUTS 'YOU ARE A MURDERER' AND 'LIAR' AT TRUMP DURING STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
U.S. President Donald J. Trump delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Seated behind him are Vice President JD Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. (Kenny Holston /Pool via Reuters)
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Communications Director Courtney Rice told Fox News Digital that "House Democrats have been clear that we need to secure the border and reform the broken immigration system, both of which can be done without shooting American citizens on their own streets and terrorizing communities."
Rice said that "Republicans’ overreach in enacting their immigration enforcement has turned voters against them," which she said is reflected in polling.
"Trump continues to downplay and mock voters’ concerns over how expensive everything is – and Republicans refuse to say or do anything to the contrary," she said, adding, "Their cruelty and refusal to listen to voters’ concerns will be why they lose in November."
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Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller said the moment in which Democrats refused to stand sent "chills to the bone" and said it "will live for a thousand years."
"Democrats declared to the world their searing disdain for, and profound disloyalty to, the actual citizens of the United States. They were repeatedly entreated to stand. Over and over. They refused," said Miller.
Peter Pinedo is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-big-misfire-state-union-has-gop-strategists-salivating-huge-moment