The 2026 State of the Union placed tariffs front and center, with a focus on how trade policy is impacting North Carolina’s agriculture, manufacturing, and export sectors. The address also highlighted the rapid growth of AI data centers and the resulting strain on utilities and energy infrastructure, alongside ongoing challenges in single-family housing affordability. Public safety was another theme, with renewed attention on the Charlotte light rail murder of Iryna Zarutska and concerns over improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses.