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Everything to know about Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address
From Claire Carter
President Donald Trump is set to deliver the 2026 State of the Union address at 9 p.m. Tuesday, marking a high-profile opportunity to outline his legislative agenda before a joint session of Congress and a national audience.
Trump will deliver the State of the Union in the House chamber at the Capitol, and it will be broadcast on all major television networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, NPR, and PBS.
It will also be streamed on the White House website and YouTube channel, as well as across digital platforms run by networks.
What is the State of the Union address?
The address, required by the Constitution, calls on the president to provide Congress with information on the state of the country and recommend measures he considers necessary.
The modern State of the Union often runs more than an hour, though the length varies by president and political moment.
State of the Union in the Biden era
The longest spoken State of the Union on record was delivered in 2023 by then-President Joe Biden, clocking in at more than 9,200 words.
Biden’s speeches were generally characterized by extended exchanges with lawmakers in the chamber, sometimes leading to ad-libbed responses and prolonged applause lines.
Traditions
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One Cabinet member is designated to remain at a secure location as the “designated survivor,” ensuring the continuity of government in the event of a catastrophe.
The president also invites guests whose personal stories are highlighted to underscore key themes. The tradition was born during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, when he invited Lenny Skutnik, who famously saved plane crash survivors from an icy Potomac River, to sit in the gallery.
