Gavin Newsom, Mark Kelly and others laid into Donald Trump’s primetime speech to the nation, roasting the address as “angry, desperate and defensive.”
Shortly after the president gave a near 15-minute speech — where he took shots at his predecessor, Joe Biden, and boasted about his administration’s accomplishments — Trump’s rivals took to social media and television to sound off on his Wednesday update.
For instance, Calif. Governor Newsom took to X and bemoaned that Trump’s address “could have been an email.”
He added, “Trump tonight: Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me Me [etc.]”
Rep. Rob Menendez (D-N.J.) similarly called out Trump on X and Threads, suggesting the president seemed a bit defensive in his primetime address. He wrote, “For someone who’s ‘winning’ so much, why is Trump so mad?”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker took to the social media site Wednesday and accused the president of putting a positive spin on a less-than-positive economic situation. “Rising costs, low wage growth and high unemployment is not positive,” he penned, before adding, “Our veterans and active duty service members absolutely deserve relief. So why exactly is his administration cutting thousands of jobs from clinics across the country and taking healthcare away from those who have served our country?”
Pritzker followed this up with several more criticisms on X, including one claim that Trump “confessed that you’ve been paying for his disastrous tariffs.”
Sen. Kelly (D-Ariz.) also slammed Trump’s speech, yet he issued his criticism during an appearance on MS Now’s “The Briefing” on Wednesday evening.
“Initially, I’m like, he’s just making stuff up,” he told host Jen Psaki. “He just says a bunch of stuff. And he says this stuff is going to happen — there’s no policy there. And I’m kind of wondering why he’s so angry and desperate and defensive.”
Senator Mark Kelly shares his initial reaction to Donald Trump’s address: “Why is he, like, so angry and desperate and defensive? Somebody must have showed him some abysmal poll numbers…” [image or embed]
— The Briefing with Jen Psaki (@briefingwithpsaki.bsky.social) December 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
He continued: “Somebody must have showed him some like abysmal poll numbers and said, you better get out there in front of the American people and explain to them why these poll numbers shouldn’t be in the in the toilet.”
Though, not everyone felt Trump missed the mark with his speech, as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) applauded the president’s address as an optimistic one.
Keep scrolling for more reactions to Trump’s presidential address.
I’m watching the speech and it’s wild he has no idea what’s going on in the country. 54% of Americans say they won’t be able to pay for health care next year. 25% skipped a meal because they couldn’t afford it. The economy is good for billionaires. That’s all he cares about.
— Chris Murphy
(@ChrisMurphyCT) December 18, 2025
Speech sucked. So anyway, pic.twitter.com/iiMaon1XKb
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) December 18, 2025
Tonight @POTUS — through facts — demonstrated that all the trendlines on energy, housing, wage growth and eventually healthcare are moving in the right direction.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 18, 2025
I’m sorry but are y’all following this?
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) December 18, 2025
Trump’s favorite policy: driving up costs for working families. pic.twitter.com/y8grnqngmc
— JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) December 18, 2025
The post Gavin Newsom, Mark Kelly and More Rip Into Trump’s Primetime Speech: ‘This Could’ve Been an Email’ appeared first on TheWrap.
