Feb. 24, 2026, 3:00 a.m. ET
President Donald Trump is set to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second administration on Tuesday, Feb. 24, laying out his agenda under mounting political pressure as midterm elections loom and voters signaling deep dissatisfaction in national polling. Trump did speak before a joint session of Congress in March of last year, but that address was not officially considered a State of the Union. In a president’s first year in office, it is common to give an early speech outlining priorities, with formal State of the Union addresses beginning in the years that follow.
This year’s speech qualifies as a State of the Union because it comes after Trump received a formal invitation from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, praising his leadership and saying the country “stands stronger, freer, and more prosperous.”
So is the State of the Union tonight? Here’s what you need to know.
Is the State of the Union tonight?
Yes. Trump is set to deliver his State of the Union address at 9 p.m. ET
How to stream the State of the Union
USA TODAY will stream coverage of the State of the Union on Tuesday night.
How to watch the State of the Union on TV
USA TODAY will live stream coverage, both on its YouTube Channel and website.
Apart from USA TODAY’s live stream, the State of the Union will be broadcast live on the White House’s YouTube page and on all major networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, NewsNation, NPR, PBS and the BBC.
What is the State of the Union?
According to Congress’ website, the State of the Union is a speech in which the president explains how the country is doing and outlines what issues lawmakers should focus on in the year ahead.
The address is required by the U.S. Constitution, which instructs the president to keep Congress informed about the state of the nation and recommend legislative priorities.
The speech is traditionally delivered once a year, usually sometime between early January and early February.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.