US President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday (US local time), delivering his State of the Union speech at a politically sensitive moment marked by a Supreme Court ruling striking down his global tariff regime and growing tensions with Iran.
The prime-time televised address comes days after the Supreme Court invalidated Trump’s sweeping tariffs, a centrepiece of his economic agenda. The president is expected to respond directly to the ruling and outline alternative legal pathways to restore most of the levies.
According to Reuters, two White House officials said Trump will also discuss Iran, as Washington moves additional military assets to the Middle East amid heightened tensions over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The speech could mark his most detailed public case yet regarding possible military action.
Trump is also expected to focus heavily on the economy, an issue central to his 2024 election victory. According to White House officials, he will “claim victory on the economy” and argue that he inherited economic challenges from his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. He is likely to cite stock market gains, private-sector investments and his tax legislation as evidence of progress, despite opinion polls showing continued voter concerns over the cost of living.
The address comes as new data indicate slower economic growth and rising inflation. The Department of Homeland Security remains largely shut amid a dispute in Congress over immigration policy, further complicating the domestic backdrop.
White House aides and Republican strategists have urged Trump to stay focused on economic messaging ahead of the November midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake.
“This is the one opportunity the president has where the whole world is looking at what he has to say, and this is his opportunity to summarize everything that he’s done and not go off script,” said Amanda Makki, a Republican strategist and former Florida congressional candidate.
Trump indicated on Monday that his address would be lengthy. His comparable speech last year ran nearly 100 minutes, the longest presidential address to Congress in modern history.
One White House official said the speech was crafted with flexibility, adding, “We are planning around it. “
Some Democrats plan to boycott the address. More than 20 lawmakers are expected to skip the speech in favour of an outdoor rally. Senator Jeff Merkley said the event would offer a more “honest description” of Trump’s record, rather than the “propaganda push” of the speech.
Virginia Governor Abby Spanberger will deliver the official Democratic response, while Senator Alex Padilla will present the Spanish-language rebuttal.
The speech will unfold against the backdrop of foreign policy uncertainty and domestic political pressure, with the midterm elections looming and scrutiny mounting over the administration’s economic and security policies.
