TCM is seemingly making a statement right before President Donald Trump‘s State of the Union speech on Tuesday (February 24).
The network is airing George Cukor‘s 1944 classic Gaslight at 8 p.m. ET, starring Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten.
The State of the Union address airs at 9 p.m. ET on most major TV networks.
Keep reading to find out more…
In the film Gaslight, ten years after her aunt was murdered in their London home, a woman returns from Italy in the 1880s to resume residence with her new husband. His obsessive interest in the house rises from a secret that may require driving his wife insane.
The term “gaslighting” actually comes from this movie, which was based on the 1938 British play Gas Light by Patrick Hamilton. The movie’s husband uses lies to isolate his wife and convince her that she’s mentally ill in order to steal from her.
The term “gaslight” has been frequently used by political commentators and analysts to describe Trump‘s presidential run.
As of December 2025, Trump‘s approval rating is at 36%, per Gallup Polls.
There are a number of elected officials who are choosing to boycott Donald Trump‘s State of the Union speech as well.