🇺🇸 On the occasion of Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech for the year 2026, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, Laure Pallez (Senior Partner Mascaret) spoke on the LCI set.
What is the state of the Union discourse? It is an annual event in the United States during which the President, here Donald Trump, presents his “program” for the current year before the legislative branch of the federal government and guests. The speech generally includes reports on the national budget, the economy, current affairs, the agenda, progress, achievements and priorities and legislative proposals of the President.
In summary: The economy and immigration dominated the discourse but Trump wanted to send a strong signal: innovation must not be at the expense of citizens. In the USA as elsewhere, concerns are growing around deregulation, especially on AI and education, where the demand for clear frameworks is pressing. The energy impact of AI fuels the fear of an increase in bills while real wages have only increased by 1% in the US according to the Center for American Progress. By demanding that tech giants finance their own energy needs, is the announcement of a “Rate Payer Protection Pledge” intended as a response to the widening gap between citizens and technology?
👉 If the economy and immigration have traditionally dominated the debates, Donald Trump has sent a strong signal: innovation must no longer be at the expense of the “average American”. In a context where concerns are growing in the face of deregulation considered risky, particularly in sensitive AI and education sectors, the need for clear and protective frameworks has become a major political priority to ease social tensions.
👉 This regulation is anchored in a fragile economic reality for American households. While real wages have increased by only 1% according to the Center for American Progress, the explosion in energy consumption linked to artificial intelligence weighs the threat of inflation in electricity bills. The contrast is striking between the record profits of tech giants and the stagnation of purchasing power, creating a fertile ground for popular resentment against modernity perceived as expensive and exclusive.
👉 In response, the announcement of the “Rate Payer Protection Pledge” tries to bridge the widening gap between Silicon Valley and the rest of the country. By requiring technology companies to finance their own energy infrastructure needs, the administration seeks to protect taxpayers’ wallets while empowering AI players. This measure is intended to be the symbol of a new social contract where the private sector must assume the externalities of its growth to ensure that the technological dream does not become a financial burden for the middle class.