President Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday, marking the first State of the Union speech of his second term.
The speech comes as early voting for the Illinois primary election ahead of the fall midterms continues, with the Republican hoping he can convince increasingly wary Americans that his policies have improved their lives while ensuring that the U.S. economy is stronger than many believe — and that they should vote for more of the same in November.
It also comes as polls show much of America distrusts how Trump has managed the government in his first year back in office.
Trump is expected to use the speech to champion his administration’s sweeping immigration crackdowns, his slashing of the federal government and his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court struck down last week.
All nine Supreme Court justices are expected to be in attendance.
As the speech approaches, here’s when and how to watch it, what to watch for and more.
What time is the State of the Union?
President Trump is set to deliver the address beginning at 8 p.m. CT. Coverage is expected to last until 10 p.m.
The address will stream in the video player above and on the NBC Chicago streaming channel. It will also be broadcast live on NBC 5.
What to expect
A main theme of the address will be that the country is booming with a rise in domestic manufacturing and new jobs, despite many Americans not feeling that way. “It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” said Trump, who promised a heavy dose of talk about the economy.
The president is also expected to decry the Supreme Court ruling against his signature tariff policies and talk about his attempts to maneuver around that decision without depending on Congress or spooking financial markets. He’s also likely to urge lawmakers to increase military funding and tighten voter identification requirements, while defending immigration operations that have drawn bipartisan criticism following the shooting deaths of two American citizens.
Jeff Shesol, a former speechwriter for Democratic President Bill Clinton, said Trump has typically used State of the Union addresses to offer more conventional tones than his usual bombast — but he’s still apt to exaggerate repeatedly.
“His job, for the sake of his party, is to show the silver lining,” Shesol said. “But if he’s going to insist that the silver lining is gold, no one’s buying it. And it will be a very difficult position on the campaign trail for Republicans to defend.”
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Michael Waldman, Clinton’s former chief speechwriter, said second-term presidents “have a tough job because what they all want to say is, ‘Hey, look what a great job I’ve been doing — why don’t you love me?’”
The State of the Union used to be about recapping accomplishments and seeking to unite the country, but it increasingly reflects divisions in society.
“What you’re going to expect is some version of a campaign speech in which the Democrats are the villains, the Republicans he likes are the heroes, and he is the savior not only of the nation but of the globe,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
The administration is trying to make the case that despite Trump’s rewiring of global trade and tax cuts, the economy is still struggling because of choices made in 2021 and 2022 by his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. But Trump is also seeking to take credit for positive signs in the current economy, such as recent stock market gains.
“Watch the State of the Union. We’re going to be talking about the economy. We inherited a mess,” Trump said at the White House on Wednesday.
Of course, Trump made the same kind of argument in his address to a joint session of Congress last year, invoking the Biden name 13 times.
Democrats boycotting the speech
At least 32 Democratic lawmakers say they won’t attend this year’s address, according to a report from NBC News, including multiple members of Illinois’ Congressional delegation.
Rep. Delia Ramirez was one of the first to announce that she would not attend the speech. Instead, Ramirez plans to attend MoveOn’s “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall.
On Monday, Rep. Sean Casten, who represents Illinois’ 6th district, announced that he too would boycott the address. Retiring 9th district Rep. Jan Schakowsky told Politico that she will be skipping the address.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth also said she would skip the speech, saying “I’m not interested in hearing another campaign rally full of lies.”
Others from Illinois are planning to attend and bring guests.
Democratic Congressman Bill Foster announced he will bring Suzanne Hoban, Founder and Executive Director of the Family Health Partnership Clinic, to the speech. The Family Health Partnership Clinic provides health care to uninsured adults in McHenry County, Illinois.
Democratic Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García said his guest will be Marimar Martinez, a constituent of Illinois’ Fourth District, a teacher’s assistant at a Montessori school and a survivor of a near-fatal shooting by a federal agent.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports Sen. Dick Durbin says his guest is Tereza Lee, a concert pianist raised on the North Side by Korean immigrants. Durbin says Lee is the woman who inspired him to introduce the DREAM Act 25 years ago.
Who will give the Democratic response?
The opposing party will deliver a rebuttal to the State of the Union, following a common practice since the 1960s.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a rising star in the Democratic Party, will give the rebuttal, while Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla, of California, will share the response in Spanish.
“Gov. Spanberger will lay out a clear path forward: lower everyday costs, protect healthcare, and defend the freedoms that define who we are as a nation,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.
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