Regardless of having been painted an image by the liberal media that the brand new CBS Information would turn out to be one thing akin to MAGA TV, it has been something however. Wednesday’s CBS Mornings reacted with adverse narratives about President Trump’s “contentious” 2026 State of the Union speech, “conflict[ing] with Democrats” and portray a supposedly dour economic system as sturdy.
The bias started within the tease with co-host and Democrat donor Gayle King saying Trump gave “a contentious State of the Union Tackle, claiming victory on the economic system, and bashing Democrats.”
Filling in at a present she spent seven years co-hosting, Norah O’Donnell voiced skepticism at Trump “declare[ing] the nation’s economic system is powerful regardless of polls displaying most Individuals really feel in any other case” and “conflict[ing] with Democrats within the room on a spread of points, together with the ICE ways on the root of the partial authorities shutdown.”
Wednesday’s ‘CBS Mornings’ was indistinguishable from ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ on the bias and anti-Trump invective. Don’t hearken to anybody making an attempt to insist CBS is now MAGA. It’s nonetheless biased as hell.
Right here was Norah O’Donnell opening their #SOTU recap….
“We’re going to… pic.twitter.com/SeTBnpQHhE
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 26, 2026
Chief White Home correspondent Nancy Cordes scoffed at Trump’s concentrate on “affordability and the economic system” as a result of he “inflat[ed] the impression” his insurance policies “have had already,” including the evening had each “a few actually tense moments and a few very transferring ones that introduced your entire room to its ft.”
After alluding to the bipartisan nature of the lads’s hockey crew bringing the room to its ft (effectively, besides the reporters, however Cordes didn’t point out that), Cordes shifted again to the Trump bashing about his speech containing “loads of division” and “put[ting] Democrats in a tighter spot on immigration” that resulted in “shouting from a small group of Democrats.”
Cordes jabbed Trump for invoking voter ID, however not less than she conceded Trump voiced need for “one other spherical of tax cuts and he touted a brand new plan to maintain electrical energy costs low when AI firms and tech firms construct information facilities.”
After alluding to the varied army honors bestowed (together with two Medals of Honor), she moved to the Democrat response from Governor Abigail Spanberger (VA) as having “focused Trump’s private conduct in workplace.”
Cordes concluded with allusions to the empty seats from Democrats and the newest hijinks from Congressman Al Inexperienced (D-TX), whom she stated has a troublesome reelection major subsequent week.
Chief Washington analyst Robert Costa got here subsequent, opining to O’Donnell that his takeaway was “what was not stated” with Trump not providing a preview of what he’d do in Iran. King tried to increase this out additional to the Epstein information, however Costa didn’t take that bait and as a substitute stated he was struck by Trump’s message self-discipline on not attacking the Supreme Court docket justices who struck down most of his tariffs.
“[Y]ou noticed him making an attempt to underscore patriotic themes, spotlight Individuals with compelling tales of service to the nation, whereas additionally taking up Democrats, calling them ‘loopy’, saying they’re not addressing the difficulty of immigration or the economic system, and you actually see forward of the midterm elections, it is a President who desires to be interesting to the middle of the nation, the undecided voter,” he added.
The second hour featured two lengthy segments that closely criticized the President versus real concern for Democrats.
Because the present has been liable to do following main political nights, they introduced in political consultants and CBS Information contributors, Democrat Joel Payne and Republican Terry Sullivan.
Payne predictably referred to as the speech one for Trump’s “base” and so he could possibly be “handled just like the chief of a dictatorial nation” and thus “not…to herald new folks” or actually be challenged.
In his State of the Union deal with Tuesday evening, President Trump made many claims in regards to the economic system, which he stated is powerful, and touched on international coverage. The president additionally clashed with Democrats over mass deportation.
CBS Information contributors Joel Payne, a Democratic… pic.twitter.com/RHY3kH3BLR
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 25, 2026
Sullivan humorously took a unique strategy by concentrating on the left’s counter-programming, however was then challenged by co-host Nate Burleson if Trump enjoying to his base is a hindrance. In fact, that was not requested of Payne (click on “develop”):
SULLIVAN: I utterly agree as a result of actually what center America cares about are frogs on a stage with Democrat politicians. Like that’s interesting to the center of America? I imply, look…the purpose is that, like, each side play to their base. That’s what they do, and their rival occasion performed to their base. However Trump put a face on his insurance policies. The household that’s getting –paying much less in tax, $5,000 much less in taxes due to his insurance policies, they have been there. The, like, his insurance policies, , that he put forth, he was very disciplined final evening in telling what he’s accomplished and right here’s what it’s accomplished for Individuals, and I believe placing a face on that was a profitable technique.
PAYNE: You’ll be stunned that Terry and I had a unique takeaway from the speech.
BURLESON: Terry, let me ask you. Is enjoying to your base such as you’re saying President Trump did final evening, the proper technique as we shut in on the midterms?
SULLIVAN: Look, however I believe, like I used to be saying, I believe he performed to his base however I believe he additionally performed to the center of America. I imply a working household paying much less in taxes issues. Securing our borders issues. I do know it was showmanship when the Democrats wouldn’t arise for his defending – placing Individuals over unlawful immigrants, , however Individuals care about that. That’s a successful problem.
O’Donnell dutifully assisted Payne by providing up a softball set-up: “Joel, do you assume [Trump’s message on lower taxes] resonates if persons are paying much less in taxes when they’re paying extra for different points due to tariffs?”
Some uninterrupted back-and-forth later with Sullivan countering Trump “stayed on message” and “talked in regards to the points that assist Republicans,” O’Donnell merely requested Payne one other softie: “What’s Democrats’ message?” King had a weak toss of her personal disguised as a difficult probe about whether or not Democrats boycotting or heckling was “useful.”
Burleson and King had one final query for Sullivan, complaining Trump was blaming his circumstances in his second yr on the Biden regime (click on “develop”):
BURLESON: Terry, can I ask you a query? I’ve some kin that voted for Donald Trump and so they — they’re bored with the blame sport. Do you are feeling like at this level blaming the opposite aspect is as efficient because it as soon as was.
KING: Or blaming the Biden Administration nonetheless?
SULLIVAN: No, completely not. But it surely works on each side. Like proper now there may be far much less in coverage options by each side and way more, in simply, effectively not less than we’re not the opposite aspect and that’s what America is voting for in most of those elections. Nicely, who’s the much less unhealthy candidate? That’s a horrible spot to be in.
The final half-hour commenced with a twin economic system and well being care dialogue with medical contributor Dr. Celine Gounder and enterprise analyst Jill Schlesinger. O’Donnell first went adverse and doomcasting with Schlesinger: “[Y]ou heard the President says the economic system is hovering, however when you take a look at our CBS Information ballot, greater than half Individuals assume the economic system is unhealthy. What’s the disconnect?”
Schlesinger supplied welcome nuance that, sure, “the economic system grew at a slower tempo final yr in 2025 than it did in 2024 and for us, customers, our lived expertise on the bottom isn’t about financial numbers, it’s about how a lot issues value.”
She defined that, sure, inflation was “a surge after COVID” that “pushed costs up,” however fortunately “[t]he price of improve has come down” however that surge has nonetheless had ripple results “and that’s what explains the buyer confidence down, and naturally, why persons are telling us in these polls they’re not feeling nice in regards to the economic system.”
Burleson tried to border these pleased with the Trump economic system as solely the wealthy (click on “develop”):
BURLESON: I perceive that after we discuss economic system, it’s totally different for everyone, proper? It’s actually depending on what you’re going by way of within the second. However let’s simply discuss folks that may have a inventory portfolio, and so they’re inventory markets saying, whoa, issues are good proper now. President Trump, he’s speaking in the course of the State of the Union and says, take a look at what’s occurred available in the market. It’s all due to me. So, is there a disconnect there, or do we have to give credit score the place credit score is due?
SCHLESINGER: We have now at all times had this drawback the place the inventory market isn’t the economic system, the economic system isn’t the inventory market, okay? In the event you personal a inventory, you’re among the many 60 p.c of Individuals that’s owned a inventory, a mutual fund. Certain, the market was up by greater than 16 p.c final yr, nice. However that actually signifies that your retirement account might need gone up somewhat bit. Lots of people can’t entry that cash. Once more, lived expertise on the bottom — costs, affordability, well being care, youngster care, elder care, value of training, value of hire, all of these items, even the worth within the grocery retailer — these are nonetheless the issues that persons are confronting.
A member of the Biden transition crew on COVID, Gounder was all adverse in stating her shock that “there was no more of an acknowledgement of ache, the ache that persons are feeling” with “[h]ealth care” being “the primary monetary concern for Individuals now, forward of hire, forward of meals, utilities, gasoline[.]”
Well being care prices are the primary monetary concern for Individuals, Dr. Celine Gounder says, noting that President Trump didn’t communicate to these considerations a lot throughout his Tuesday evening State of the Union deal with.
Dr. Gounder shares how among the Trump administration’s well being… pic.twitter.com/1RsYyKt3qe
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 25, 2026
“[S]o, for that to not have been addressed, for that acknowledgement of we really feel your ache, the opposite factor that he didn’t deal with is that the most important driver of elevated well being care prices are literally hospital care and physicians, medical doctors like me – and he didn’t actually discuss what was being accomplished, or what is perhaps accomplished to curb these prices,” she added.
Following Gounder’s dismissal of Trump Rx as simply “an internet site the place you may obtain coupons” that gained’t assist all that many individuals, Burleson and King concluded with questions for Schlesinger about Trump Accounts (which she’s a fan of) and changing the revenue tax with tariffs (which she stated gained’t occur) (click on “develop”):
BURLESON: Sure, I hear you on that. Jill, he additionally talked about these Trump accounts. What are you able to inform us about that? I used to be making an attempt to unpack it, after which analysis whereas I used to be watching the State of the Union.
SCHLESINGER: So, these are training financial savings accounts and retirement financial savings accounts. It’s form of like, consider it like a Roth IRA on your child. A thousand {dollars} goes in for each youngster born, beginning final yr for the following three years.
KING: It’s important to apply for it. But it surely appears like an excellent factor.
SCHLESINGER: It’s a great point.
BURLESON: It’s a great point.
SCHLESINGER: It actually is a good factor.
KING: Sure.
SCHLESINGER: You are able to do it throughout tax season, by the best way, nevertheless it opens up in July, and fogeys and employers can add to these accounts, simply if all people has a child within the final yr or going ahead the following three years, it’s a actually good factor to have. It has some particular tax remedy. In the event you’re actually making an attempt to save lots of for training your self, although. These Part 529 plans, they’re the easiest way to save lots of.
(….)
O’DONNELL: Trump additionally claimed that tariffs might exchange revenue tax.
SCHLESINGER: No, completely not. There’s no manner. We’re speaking in regards to the authorities taking in a pair trillion {dollars} in federal tax income. Final yr, the administration introduced in $300 billion of tariff income, and by the best way, about 150 of that’s going away due to the Supreme Court docket determination, so there isn’t a probability that tariffs can exchange revenue taxes. Sorry, gang, go pay your taxes.
To see the related CBS transcript from February 25, click on right here.
