President Donald Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address of his second term tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET before a joint session of Congress.
The White House said the theme was, “America at 250: Strong, Prosperous and Respected.”
Trump previewed the address Monday when talking to reporters.
“It’s going to be a long speech, because we have so much to talk about,” he said. His joint address to Congress last March was the longest in at least 60 years.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said a large portion of the speech will focus on the economy and affordability, with Trump expected to blast the Biden administration for the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Trump is also expected to roll out new measures to address affordability, including a program requiring technology companies to pay for increased electricity costs tied to artificial intelligence data centers.
Vice President JD Vance offered his own preview Saturday on Fox News.
“You’re going to hear a lot about the importance of bringing jobs back into our country, of reshoring manufacturing, of all these great factories that are being built,” Vance said, adding that Trump would also address lowering energy costs.
Leavitt said Trump will call on Democrats to end the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, now entering its second week. Democrats have blocked DHS funding over demands that include ending illegal immigration deportations and stopping ICE agents from wearing masks.
Trump will also tout the accomplishments of the U.S. military, Leavitt said, including an operation that destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities. The speech comes as the administration has surged a second aircraft carrier and additional fighter jets to the Middle East amid escalating tensions. Trump has not ruled out more military strikes against Iran to halt their nuclear weapons program.
On tariffs, Trump faces a difficult challenge after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariff policy in a 6-3 ruling last Friday. Three of the justices he appointed joined the liberal bloc in the majority. Trump has since implemented a 15% flat global tariff under a separate trade statute and has vowed to press forward.
At least two dozen congressional Democrats have announced they will boycott the address, and instead will attend counter-events organized by progressive groups at the National Mall. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the official Democratic response to Trump’s State of the Union speech from Colonial Williamsburg.
Trump has invited a number of guests to the chamber, including members of the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, who won gold over Canada at the Winter Games in Italy over the weekend. First Lady Melania Trump’s guest list focuses on her Fostering the Future initiative for youth aging out of the foster care system.
The speech begins at 9 p.m. ET and will air across all major broadcast and cable networks.