President Donald Trump will address the nation Tuesday evening in the annual State of the Union speech, where he is expected to discuss his mass deportation agenda and his key economic policy, which was last week struck down by the Supreme Court.
Over a year into his second term, Trump has transformed the federal government, challenged the nation’s checks and balances, pushed the boundaries of executive authority and deployed federal officials who have detained – and in two cases killed – U.S. citizens.
On the world stage, Trump’s tariffs, his seizure of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro, and threats to take over Greenland and force Canada to join the United States have frayed alliances.
Polling shows Americans are largely dissatisfied with Trump’s job performance. His approval rating stands at 39 percent, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll. A recent CNN/SSRS poll found that 68 percent of people think he has the wrong priorities.
But Trump has dismissed all criticisms, choosing to highlight efforts to lower prescription drug costs and grocery prices, make housing affordable and reduce crime.
The State of the Union will begin at 9 p.m. ET on major networks, C-SPAN and the White House website.
Hakeem Jeffries calls for ‘silent defiance’ from Democrats in attendance
Recent State of the Unions have seen dramatic partisan displays from the onlookers, notably ex-House speaker Nancy Pelosi pointedly tearing up her copy of Trump’s 2020 speech, MAGA members of Congress jeering Joe Biden and Texas Democratic Rep. Al Green being forcibly removed from last year’s joint session address by the sergeant-at-arms.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has this time called for a cooler tone from his fellow Democrats.
“The two options that are in front of us in our House [are] to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion, which will include participation in a variety of different alternate programming that is going to take place in and around the Capitol complex,” he told reporters Monday.
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 12:10
Trump to center State of the Union on ‘working families and the economy’
The president will “put the economy front and center” of his address this evening, “pairing working-family guests with a data-driven case on affordability – while also making economic policy announcements,” according to Fox News Digital.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the conservative outlet:
“President Trump’s State of the Union Address will celebrate 250 glorious years of our nation’s independence and excellence, highlighting incredible stories of American heroes throughout the speech.
“In one year, President Trump has turned our country around from the brink of disaster, and he will rightly declare the State of Our Union is strong, prosperous and respected.
The president will proudly tout his administration’s many record-breaking accomplishments, and also layout an ambitious agenda to continue bringing the American Dream back for working people.”
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 11:50
Watch: Trump’s revives stolen election claims at ‘Angel Families’ event
The president lashed out at Democrats Monday with false claims of election fraud and accused foreign nations of sending undesirable people to the United States as he signed a proclamation honoring the families of Americans killed by immigrants.
Trump declared February 22 “Angel Family Day” in honor of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student attacked and killed by an undocumented migrant in 2024, part of an effort to rally his anti-immigrant base and revive public support for his deeply unpopular immigration crackdown.
But he could not resist dwelling on old grievances.
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 11:30
Trump ‘to be guided by Witkoff and Kushner’ on decision to strike Iran
Let’s take a look at some more general matters concerning the president for the moment.
Trump’s decision to attack Iran will largely be guided by the advice of his special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to reports.
Last week, the president said he was seriously “considering” air strikes against Iran ahead of last-ditch nuclear deal talks in Geneva Thursday.
The U.S. has been building up its military presence in the region with two of its biggest warships, the USS Gerald R Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln, moving closer to the Iranian coast. They will be supported by fighter jets and naval forces.
On Monday, an official told The Guardian that Witkoff is part of a group advising the president on how to proceed with Iran after they file their new nuclear proposal later this week.
The president has reportedly received multiple briefings on military options, including one on Wednesday in the White House Situation Room.
Here’s more from Maira Butt.
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 11:10
Which guests will be attending the State of the Union?
As is customary at the annual presidential address, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are entitled to invite special guests to witness the commander-in-chief’s words, their choices often pointedly political.
Here are a few of this year’s most noteworthy invitees:
- Nick Shirley – the conservative YouTuber whose documentary film about alleged migrant fraud in Minneapolis made waves in right-wing media
- Jeffrey Epstein survivors – a number of women sexually assaulted by the disgraced financier are expected to be in attendance, including Haley Robson, Jess Michaels, Annie Farmer and Dani Bensky. The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have also been invited by top Democrats.
- Claire Lai – the daughter of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protester Jimmy Lai, who has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by China
- Mubashir Hussen, Aliya Rahman, Marimar Martinez, and Raiza Contreras – four people impacted by the administration’s federal immigration crackdown over the last year
- Catherine Rayner – a woman from Norfolk, Virginia, who has struggled with fertility complications and IVF treatment for five years, invited by Trump himself
- Megan Hemhouser – a Pennsylvania waitress and mother who has benefited from the president’s ‘no tax on tips’ policy, another Trump invitee
- The family of Marc Brock – House Speaker Mike Johnson’s guest is the family of a Louisiana police officer killed in the line of duty last year
Another awkward presence in the chamber will be the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, six of whom voted down Trump’s tariffs last Friday, leading the president to berate and insult them at a press conference and even say their families should be ashamed of them.
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 10:50
Who is delivering the Democrats’ response?
Abigail Spanberger, the first female governor of the state of Virginia, has been tapped to provide the opposition’s official rebuttal to the president’s speech.
Spanberger, who served three terms in Congress, won the state’s gubernatorial race by a double-digit margin last year, campaigning on affordability and lowering costs for families.
“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.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries added that Spanberger “embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant.”
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 10:30
When is the State of the Union and how can I watch it?
President Donald Trump will deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term before a joint session of Congress at 9 p.m. ET this evening.
Major news outlets, including ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and Fox News, will air Trump’s speech with coverage beginning at around 6 p.m. on many networks.
You can also watch online, including on C-Span and other news outlets via livestreams on their website and YouTube.
And, of course, we will be covering it live right here.
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 10:10
Analysis: Trump’s polling keeps getting worse and worse – can a State of the Union address fix it?
Sticking with the president’s dire approval ratings, Andrew Feinberg takes a closer look at the data and asks whether Trump is likely to respond positively and shift course in time for November’s midterm elections.
Joe Sommerlad24 February 2026 09:50
Trump goes into key address with 60 percent disapproval rating
Six in ten Americans disapprove of the job that President Donald Trump is doing, his lowest rating since a violent mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The president continues to lose ground on two of his flagship issues – immigration and the economy – amid a nationwide mass deportation campaign and persistent high consumer prices.
Read more from John Bowden:
John Bowden24 February 2026 09:30
Hello and welcome
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live blog coverage of the 2026 State of the Union.
The annual address is expected to begin around 9 p.m. ET, airing on all major broadcast networks, the White House’s website and C-SPAN.
Follow along while we share updates and analysis on President Donald Trump’s upcoming speech.
Ariana Baio24 February 2026 09:00
