During Trump’s Rowdy Speech to Congress, the Quiet Moments Said the Most

There were props and costumes, guest stars, hecklers, a couple of turncoats and one freed hostage. There was wicked laughter, imperial imaginations, fantastical arithmetic and one declaration of divine providence.

President Trump’s speech on Tuesday was a long and loud spectacle that went on for about 100 minutes, making it the longest presidential address to Congress in modern history. But it was the rare moments of relative silence that seemed to say the most.

Republicans were so rowdy for so much of the night — roaring at Mr. Trump’s talk about the border and his legal and political victories; jumping to their feet at his declaration that “wokeness is trouble, wokeness is bad” — that it was telling when they just sat still.

They went mostly mute when the president began to talk about tariffs. His speech coincided with the start of a trade war he has launched against America’s neighbors, Canada and Mexico, which has sent markets tumbling. He warned in his address that there “may be a little bit of an adjustment period.”

The many members of his cabinet who will be responsible for trying to clean up whatever fallout comes listened quietly from the front row as Mr. Trump said this. Just behind them sat John Thune, the Senate majority leader who had appeared on CNN earlier that day to express wariness about the new tariffs.

Mr. Trump recalled that the last time he was president and used tariffs, things went a little haywire but ultimately seemed to work out. He asked his audience to “bear with me again” and promised that “this time will be even better.”