Tonight, President Trump steps to the podium for his 2026 State of the Union. And the head of the nation’s oldest civil rights organization has already called the shot: he’s not expecting a thing.
In an exclusive interview with The Root, NAACP President Derrick Johnson didn’t mince words. “Unfortunately, I have no expectations from this president and this State of the Union,” Johnson said. That’s not cynicism. That’s pattern recognition.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Johnson pointed to what Black voters already demonstrated at the ballot box. Over 90 percent of Black voters chose Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024, according to Johnson. “In this democracy, our vote is our currency, and we have the most reliable voting block for decency in this country,” he told The Root.
That reliability hasn’t been rewarded. According to the NAACP’s own State of the Union analysis, Black unemployment sits at 7.2 percent. Over 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs. Inflation keeps climbing. Housing costs keep squeezing. Student debt keeps crushing. And the administration’s response? Johnson called it “damaging policy violence.”
The Mike Johnson Problem
Derrick Johnson saved particular heat for House Speaker Mike Johnson. “Mike Johnson will defend a president who wants to unlawfully nationalize elections but won’t authorize a civil rights legend to lie in honor,” he said, per The Root. “That tells you everything you need to know about Mike Johnson and his gross disregard for our Constitution and our democracy.”
Read that again. The man running the House will go to the mat for executive overreach but can’t honor civil rights heroes. Priorities on full display.
Democrats Are Making Their Own Statement
At least 40 Democratic members of Congress are skipping the speech entirely, CBS News reports. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Katherine Clark won’t attend. Senator Tammy Duckworth posted that she’s “not interested in hearing another campaign rally full of lies.” Several are joining an alternative “People’s State of the Union” rally on the National Mall instead.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave members two options: attend with “silent defiance” or don’t show up at all, according to The Hill.
Why This Matters to the Culture
The NAACP flagged something most outlets are ignoring. The administration is fast-tracking dirty data centers into Black and frontline communities while gutting the EPA, FEMA, and NOAA. Environmental racism with a tech twist. Meanwhile, the organization is backing the Living Wage For All bill, pushing for a $25 federal minimum wage.
Here’s the takeaway: the SOTU is political theater. The real state of Black America isn’t measured in applause lines. It’s measured in unemployment rates, eviction notices, and which communities get the pollution. Johnson isn’t watching the speech for hope. He’s watching the policies for harm.
Black voters showed up in 2024. The question for 2026 midterms isn’t whether we’ll vote. It’s whether anyone running is worth the trip.
