Feb. 24, 2026 — Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, generating buzz around economic achievements, tariffs following a recent Supreme Court ruling, special guests and potential Democratic boycotts.
Trump previewed the speech as “a long speech”, emphasizing a strong economy and national resurgence in comments shared widely on X. The White House released a preview video stating:
The State of the Union is STRONG because America is RESPECTED again on the world stage.
The address comes amid discussions of Trump’s tariff policies, raised to 15% after a Supreme Court decision, as noted in recent coverage.
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced special guests, including the family of a slain police officer, according to Fox News. Trump also invited the U.S. men’s hockey team following their Olympic triumph, though the women’s team declined the invitation, as reported by Fox News and X posts.
Vice President JD Vance and Speaker Johnson presided over the event, with seating details visualized by CNN. Pew Research released polling ahead of the speech showing American views on key national issues.
Democrats showed signs of division, with Sen. Adam Schiff announcing he would skip the address for the first time, criticizing Trump, per Fox News. Rep. Lance Gooden on X referenced past Democratic disruptions at prior addresses. Rep. Bobby Scott voiced criticism en route to Washington on X.
Trump’s messaging aims to appeal to skeptical midterm voters, according to PBS NewsHour. Broadcasters including C-SPAN, ABC News and Fox News provided live multiplatform coverage.
