President Trump will return to Capitol Hill Tuesday night to take the podium in the House Rostrum where he will deliver his first major speech to the nation since being sworn into office back in January.
While his remarks will have the pomp and circumstance of a State of the Union address, the president’s speech is not technically considered one because he has only been in office for a month and a half.
On paper, Trump is merely delivering an address to a joint session of Congress but in practice, the speech is more-or-less considered to be an unofficial State of the Union address, the marquee annual report presidents deliver to Congress and the nation writ large.
Trump is teasing a “big” night and will have no shortage of topics to discuss given the breakneck pace his administration has moved at to overhaul the federal government and dramatically reorient foreign policy.
Here is what you need to know about the forthcoming speech.
What time does Trump’s speech start?
The president is slated to begin his remarks at 9 p.m. ET.
How to watch Trump’s speech?
Most major news networks have unveiled plans to cover Trump’s speech, including Fox News, CNN, ABC News, NPR, PBS, NBC News and CBS News.
C-Span will also stream the address live on its platform.
Who is delivering the Democratic response?
Democrats have tapped Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) to deliver their response to Trump’s speech. Slotkin won a state that Trump also managed to win in the 2024 cycle.
Generally considered to be more of a moderate Democrat, Slotkin has argued that the party has struggled with messaging and didn’t properly focus on the economy.
Democrats have been keen on picking and choosing their battles with Trump rather than reacting to every little thing that he does. Slotkin is widely expected to pummel Trump over cost of living issues.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will also be delivering a separate response aimed at representing the more progressive faction of the movement.
What is Trump expected to talk about?
The theme of Trump’s speech will be “Renewal of the American Dream.”
During his address, the president is expected to follow the classic playbook of boasting about his accomplishments thus far in office while laying out the broad sketches of his agenda.
Trump will likely touch on his efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war and the war in Ukraine. He will also likely crow about his economic achievements and push to overhaul the federal government.
It will be an “America First victory lap,” one person close to the White House previously teased to The Post, hinting it will be “heavy” on Trump’s successful tackling of immigration issues.
The president is also expected to delve into his legislative priorities.
Currently, Republicans in Congress are working to craft his “big, beautiful” agenda package, which will feature beefed-up border security, defense spending and energy supply. It will also entail an extension of his 2017 tax cuts as Republicans are trying to work in his campaign promises of no taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security.
Who is and isn’t attending?
As is customary, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La) and Vice President JD Vance will be seated behind Trump, with their facial expressions and unvarnished reactions on full display to the country.
Republicans are expecting robust attendance. Johnson has invite border czar Tom Homan, victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants and Noa Argamani who was held captive by Hamas as guests to the feted address.
Democrats are poised to have spotty attendance, with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) as well as Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) among others skipping.
But top Democrats in Congress are expected to attend and have urged others to attend and stand up to Trump.
“It is important to have a strong, determined and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) wrote in a letter to colleagues Monday.
“The House as an institution belongs to the American people, and as their representatives, we will not be run off the block or bullied.”
Multiple Supreme Court justices will likely be in attendance as well, though it is not immediately clear how many or which ones.
Why isn’t Trump’s address called the State of the Union?
Trump’s last State of the Union address took place during his first term five years ago, weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic became a full-blown international crisis.
While functioning as an unofficial State of the Union address, his Tuesday speech is not formally considered one because he’s only been in office for less than two months.
Former President Ronald Reagan began the recent tradition of doing an unofficial State of the Union address at the start of his presidency and there have been seven such addresses in the time since.
The Constitution stipulates that a president will “from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union” and make recommendations.
Early on in US history, George Washington and John Adams gave speeches to Congress annually, but that tradition stopped after Thomas Jefferson opted to deliver them in writing.
Over a century later, in 1913, former President Woodrow Wilson revived the practice and most presidents since have followed suit.
