For many reluctant Trump voters, there was a mixture of confidence, anxiety, hope and frustration — along with some anger directed at Congressional Democrats.
In an address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, President Trump denounced Biden-era policies, mocked Democrats and lauded his administration’s early hailstorm of executive actions. He was, he said, “just getting started.”
How did his speech go over? The New York Times talked with six voters — many of whom voted for Mr. Trump reluctantly — as part of a regular check-in over the first 100 days of Mr. Trump’s term.
‘It was very nice to see a lot of empathy.’
Tali Jackont, 57, from Los Angeles
What struck Tali Jackont, an educator, more than anything was Mr. Trump’s showmanship. The president, she said, showed off his magnetism — his ability, like it or not, to combine forcefulness with bristling digs. She also enjoyed his humor.
“Listen, he understands the media, he understands TV,” she said. “He tried to say things here and there to break the seriousness of the speech,” she added, noting that there were a few times when she found herself laughing out loud.
The entire speech, she added, “was very impressive.”
An immigrant from Israel and longtime Democrat, Ms. Jackont changed political course in November, voting for Mr. Trump, hoping that he could help Israel achieve peace, while reducing crime and getting her adopted country moving in a better direction. Though she would have liked the president to have spent more time on the Middle East, she said, his speech addressed the issues she cared about to her satisfaction.