That wasn’t a speech designed to “own the libs” but to obliterate them. The split screens produced by President Donald Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress were devastating.

Historians of different political persuasions will disagree about Trump’s character and legacy, but they will all admit his political genius. Tuesday’s speech may have been his Mona Lisa.

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There were rumors of dissension in the Democratic ranks about how best to react to the speech in the room. Some wanted to stage a walkout, others wanted to shout Trump down, and some, reportedly including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), wanted Democrats to keep quiet.

They should have listened to Jeffries.

After numerous outbursts at the beginning of the speech, which saw cane-wielding Rep. Al Green (D-TX) escorted from the House chamber, Trump smiled wryly and said, pointing to the Democratic side of the room, “They won’t clap for anything.”

There was little hullabaloo from there on — only the waving of bingo-like paddles with lame slogans such as “Musk steals” and “false.”

Democrats sat on their hands for border security. They scowled at the girls sitting in first lady Melania Trump’s box who had been harmed by boys competing during sporting events. They grimaced for Laken Riley’s mother, and they pretended not to be charmed by DJ Daniel, the 13-year-old cancer survivor who Trump made an honorary Secret Service member.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) shook visibly with anger in her seat. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) seethed. A spate of Democratic congresswomen wore pink to protest Trump’s policies that “hurt women” (and what they mean by “women” we can only assume).

The only glimmer of hope Democrats can take from the evening is Trump’s inability to avoid exaggerations, particularly on the economy, the issue voters overwhelmingly care about most.

“We have the greatest economy in the history of our nation, maybe in the history of the world,” he began by saying. By touting and exaggerating economic achievements, Trump shows he hasn’t learned the lesson of Bidenomics: Don’t tell people the economy is great when inflation is raging and retirement accounts are shrinking.

He then called his tariffs “the greatest economic tool we’ve ever had” that will “bring in trillions of dollars” and “create jobs like we’ve never seen.” These are bold statements, to be sure. And if his tariffs fail to achieve these goals, Trump can be sure Democrats will run these lines in midterm ads on a loop.

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“There’ll be a little disturbance,” Trump said of the tariffs, acknowledging they will take a little time. “But we’re OK with that. It won’t be much.”

He better be right. Or it will be the promise that sinks his designs for a new American golden age.