Iryna Zarutska mentioned in State of the Union as Democrats refuse to stand for crime victim
President Donald Trump mentioned iryna zarutska and recognized her mother during the 2026 State of the Union address, while Democratic lawmakers did not stand for the crime victim — a moment that drew on‑air attention and fact‑checking in the hours after the speech.
President’s remarks referenced Iryna Zarutska
President Donald Trump brought up Iryna Zarutska’s killing during the 2026 State of the Union Address and publicly recognized her mother. The mention of Zarutska was part of the president’s onstage remarks during the speech.
Democrats declined to stand for a crime victim
Democratic lawmakers refused to stand for a crime victim during the State of the Union address, a behavior that was highlighted during post‑speech coverage. Chad Pergram, chief congressional correspondent, reports on Democratic lawmakers’ behavior during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on ‘America’s Newsroom. ’
Fact check about Charlotte death
A fact check tied to the coverage noted the Ukrainian refugee’s death in Charlotte wasn’t caused by open borders. The fact check was cited alongside the wider discussion of the president’s references to crime victims during the address.
How the coverage played out on television
The broadcast surrounding the State of the Union included on‑air commentary and a dedicated segment in which Chad Pergram discussed lawmakers’ reactions on 'America’s Newsroom. ' Viewers were invited to log in to comment on videos and to watch the live stream and full episodes. The program suggested technical options to reduce eye strain and focus on the content that matters.
Broadcast notice and rights
©2026 Network, LLC. All rights reserved. The material carried a notice that it may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, and that all market data were delayed 20 minutes.
Coverage and discussion continued on network television after the 2026 State of the Union, with the program making the live stream and full episodes available for viewers and encouraging logged‑in participation in comments and follow‑up segments.
