Donald Trump devoted a very small portion of his 101-minute speech to foreign affairs, and instead addressed mostly a domestic audience.
It's no coincidence, says Dag Blanck, professor of North American studies at Uppsala University.
Trump's poor opinion poll numbers mean he has to focus on domestic issues, says Blanck.
Party comrades calmed down
Blanck believes that Trump's talk of an economy on the rise, after predecessors whom he believes destroyed the United States, calmed some of his party colleagues who are facing re-election campaigns and are worried about the president's approval ratings.
"He tried to talk about how the economy is the best it's ever been and everything is fine. He drew a lot of contrasts with the Biden era and his predecessors. It was very confrontational towards the Democrats," Blanck says.
Nationalism and patriotism have been central to Trump since his re-election and permeated his speeches, says Blanck.
"It's very strong American nationalism, a very special form of nationalism that doesn't include immigrants."
“His version of the story”
Common political ideas and values that unite the country seem to play less of a role, he says.
"With Trump you hear something different. You have to "belong" and have lived in America for a long time. It’s no longer this idea that anyone who wants to can become an American."
The president mentioned the upcoming 250th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution this summer and the country's proud history several times. Dag Blanck believes the same tone will be repeated then as well.
"It's his version of history and of what the United States has really been about. We will hear more of that this summer - a special version of American history."
