What time is the State of the Union?
Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday evening in Washington, marking his second major address this term and the final one before the 2026 midterm elections. The speech is scheduled to begin at 9pm ET.
This event also represents the first occasion Trump will face the Supreme Court justices since they ruled his tariffs illegal.
How to watch Trump’s State of the Union on TV in the US?
Major news networks are expected to broadcast the address live and provide coverage throughout the day. Livestreams will be available on YouTube pages of prominent news outlets.
will provide a live feed of the address along with a team of reporters dedicated to covering and fact-checking the speech.
What is Trump likely to talk about?
In his 2025 address, Trump extensively discussed efforts to reduce the federal workforce, alter US foreign policy, and pursue a controversial trade agenda that included significant tariffs. That speech lasted an hour and 40 minutes, the longest in US history, and highlighted executive orders and actions taken early in his second term.
This year, despite opinion polls indicating increasing disapproval on various issues, Trump is expected to continue promoting his agenda of "making America great again." Topics likely to be addressed include tariffs, which were recently struck down by the Supreme Court but then reinstated, as well as immigration and foreign policy.
The address may extend beyond the usual duration; according to the official White House schedule, Trump is not expected to return to the White House until 11:30pm.
“I’m making a speech tomorrow night, and you’ll be hearing me say that,” Trump said Monday during a White House event. “I mean, it’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about.”
What will Democrats do?
At least a dozen Democrats plan to boycott the speech, opting instead to hold an outdoor rally on the National Mall. This group includes Senator Chris Van Hollen, who stated on social media:
“Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution & democracy. This cannot be business as usual.”
Another event, titled State of the Swamp, is scheduled for Wednesday night and will feature prominent Democrats and celebrities. Attendees include figures who have been critical of Trump, such as and . The event is organized by and other groups.
Traditionally, the opposing party delivers a response following the address. This year, newly elected Representative Abigail Spanberger will provide the rebuttal.
In a statement, House Minority Leader and Senate Minority Leader praised Spanberger as a public servant with a record of holding Trump accountable and winning competitive races.
“She stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump, who will lie, deflect and blame everyone but himself for his failed presidency on Tuesday evening,” Jeffries said. “As our nation marks its 250th anniversary this summer, Governor Spanberger embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant.”
Spanberger indicated she plans to use her rebuttal to address Americans’ concerns about “rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring.”
California Senator Alex Padilla, a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, will deliver a rebuttal in Spanish. Padilla was previously restrained and removed after attempting to ask a question at a press conference held by Kristi Noem in .
Padilla told the New York Times his remarks will focus on .
Last year, Democrats selected Michigan Senator , a centrist with an intelligence background, to deliver the rebuttal.
