President Donald Trump is set to speak before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, marking the first such address of his second term. While the speech closely resembles the annual State of the Union in format and delivery, it is officially designated as a “joint address to Congress.”
The distinction originates from historical precedent. The U.S. Constitution mandates that the president provide Congress with updates and policy recommendations but does not specify the timing or title of the address. The speech was historically called “the President’s Annual Message to Congress” until President Franklin D. Roosevelt popularized the term “State of the Union” in 1934.
The tradition of first-term presidents delivering a speech under a different title began with President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Instead of a formal State of the Union, his initial address to Congress was labeled “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery.” Subsequent first-year presidents, including George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, followed suit, using titles such as “Administration Goals” and “Budget Message” for their addresses.
Despite the different name, experts consider these first-term addresses to carry the same weight as a State of the Union. As with those annual speeches, the opposing party will provide a televised response. This year, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan is scheduled to deliver the rebuttal.
Trump’s remarks will be broadcast live, mirroring the State of the Union in format and audience reach. However, in keeping with tradition, his first speech of the new term will not be officially recognized under that title.
C-SPAN is streaming both the address, scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM EST, and the rebuttal on their website.
