United States President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday, a landmark legislative tradition where the commander-in-chief outlines his agenda to a joint session of Congress.
The speech, set for 9pm local time (02:00 GMT Wednesday), comes as the president attempts to solidify his legacy following a remarkable political return in 2024.
He is expected to be flanked in the House of Representatives chamber by Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who officially extended the invitation last month, praising the President for “delivering on his promises”.
However, the address takes place against a backdrop of deep national division and significant political risks for the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. While Trump has successfully reshaped the executive branch with loyalist officials and issued pardons for those involved in the 6 January Capitol riots, his “polarising” policy shift faces intense scrutiny.
A central pillar of the address is expected to be the economy. Although Trump has declared that he has “won affordability,” recent data paints a complex picture. While Wall Street remains strong, the US saw slower-than-anticipated GDP growth at the end of 2025. Public approval of his economic management remains low, with recent polls showing a 56 percent disapproval rating.
Further concerns have been raised by the President’s decision to dismiss Bureau of Labour Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, whom he accused of providing inaccurate data – a move critics say undermines the integrity of federal reporting.
On trade, Trump remains combative despite a major legal setback. The Supreme Court recently dismissed his assertion that trade deficits constitute a national security “emergency”. Nevertheless, the President has insisted he possesses the authority to impose reciprocal tariffs through existing legislation without further congressional consent.
The administration’s “no-holds-barred” mass deportation strategy is also likely to be a focal point. Federal agents have surged into various communities using “dragnet” tactics that have increasingly targeted undocumented residents without criminal histories.
This aggressive enforcement has sparked public outrage, particularly following the January killings of two US citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, by immigration agents in Minneapolis. Polls indicate that 62 percent of Americans believe these urban deployments have “gone too far,” creating a potential electoral liability for centrist Republicans such as Maine Senator Susan Collins.
In foreign affairs, the President faces a possible military confrontation with Iran. Despite his rhetoric against “endless wars,” Trump has overseen the largest build-up of military assets in the Middle East since 2003 and has given himself a “10 to 15 days” window to decide on potential strikes.
Simultaneously, the administration has pledged $10 billion to a “Board of Peace” for the reconstruction of Gaza. However, diplomatic relations with Arab allies have been strained by US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, whose suggestion that Israel should “take over most of the Middle East” drew condemnation from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has been chosen to provide the Democratic rebuttal. A former CIA officer, Spanberger is expected to contrast Trump’s “policies of upheaval” with a platform of “stable pragmatism”.
The event will also be marked by protest, as at least 12 Democrats, including Senator Chris Murphy, plan to boycott the speech, citing the “corruption and lawlessness” of the current administration. Meanwhile, Representatives Jamie Raskin and Suhas Subramanyam will attend with family members of Virginia Giuffre, a survivor of the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, to maintain pressure on the government regarding accountability.
The president is expected to employ his signature “weave” oratorical style – a mixture of meandering anecdotes and tangents – as he addresses a country grappling with his transformative second-term agenda.
