(The Hill) — President Donald Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress for the first time during his second term on Tuesday, outlining the goals of his administration and how he views the state of the country.
The first address that the president gives to Congress is technically not referred to as a State of the Union, as those are only for the speeches given during the other three years in office. Instead, it is just called a joint address to Congress, though it functions similarly to a State of the Union.
Trump’s remarks are set to begin at 9 p.m. ET, and several networks are planning to air it live, including CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, Fox News Channel, NewsNation, CNN and MSNBC. The Hill will also stream the speech live online.
The president will address members of both parties from both chambers of Congress, along with Supreme Court justices and Cabinet members. At least one Cabinet member will be absent, as is customary, to serve as the “designated survivor” to ensure continuity of government in the case of any catastrophic event.
Presidents and lawmakers also invite guests to attend and often reference them in their speeches, sometimes in connection with a policy proposal they are laying out. The guests sit in a balcony above the House floor, where the speech occurs.
The speech will be followed by a Democratic response to the address from Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), which most networks also carry. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) will also give a Spanish-language response to Trump’s address.
The world will be watching closely for signals on Trump’s plans for the Russia-Ukraine war, following the tense Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, and trade policy, as wide-ranging tariffs are set to go into effect on Mexico, Canada and China this week.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
