President Donald Trump's 2026 State of the Union address at the US Capitol is set to take place on 24 February 2026. It will be his first speech to the US Congress during his second term. The address will begin at 9 PM ET (7:30 AM IST on 25 February). It is expected to run for nearly two hours. Border security, healthcare, tariffs and foreign policy are likely to dominate the speech.
Also Read | President Trump’s State of the Union 2026: When, where and how to watch live
What is the State of the Union?
The State of the Union is not just a political event. It is a constitutional duty. Clause 1 of Section 3 under Article II of the US Constitution requires the President to inform Congress about the state of the nation and recommend measures. The annual address fulfils that mandate.
All 535 members of the House of Representatives and the US Senate are invited to the State of the Union, along with Supreme Court Justices, leaders of the military and some of the selected guests.
However, one Cabinet member will be absent from the State of the Union, resulting in one chair remaining empty. The absent member will stay at a secure, undisclosed location to serve as the 'designated survivor' and, in case of the President and others in the line of succession die or are incapacitated, this person becomes President.
Past speeches and record durations
Past speeches suggest that timing could again draw attention. During a joint session address in 2025, Trump spoke for 1 hour, 39 minutes and 32 seconds, which was not officially a State of the Union. That broke the earlier record set by Bill Clinton in 2000, whose address lasted 1 hour, 28 minutes and 49 seconds, according to the University of California - Santa Barbara’s American Presidency Project, as reported by USA Today.
During his first term, Trump’s congressional speeches averaged about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The longest was in 2019, lasting 1 hour, 22 minutes and 25 seconds. On February 23, Trump said, "It’s going to be a long speech," adding that there is "so much to talk about."
Also Read | Iran, immigration, tariffs - here's what to expect from Donald Trump's State of the Union address
Political optics and response
Speech length does not necessarily translate to policy success. But it shapes the political optics. A longer speech delays the opposition's response. This year, the Democratic rebuttal will be delivered by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.
Other Presidents have also spoken at length. Lyndon B Johnson spoke for 1 hour and 11 minutes in 1967. Joe Biden spoke for 1 hour and 13 minutes in 2023, as reported by USA Today.
Historical data shows that Americans can expect the address to last at least an hour. The exact duration will only be known once the President concludes his remarks.
