What can we expect from President Trump’s State of the Union address?
Here’s what to expect from President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver his first official State of the Union address in his second term on February 24, and is preparing to deliver another lengthy speech to Congress. This comes less than a year after the president delivered the longest speech in history before a joint session of Congress.
President Trump’s 2025 speech to Congress lasted one hour, 39 minutes, and 32 seconds, setting a record for the longest State of the Union address or joint session address, according to the American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The previous record was held by former President Bill Clinton, whose last State of the Union address in 2000 lasted 1 hour, 28 minutes, and 49 seconds.
Long speeches are not unusual for Trump. During his first term, his speeches in Congress averaged about an hour and 20 minutes, according to the project. His longest speech at the time was during his 2019 State of the Union address, which lasted 1:22 minutes and 25 seconds.
Last year’s record-breaking speech highlighted the country’s political divisions, with President Trump repeatedly attacking liberal lawmakers as several Democrats protested during the speech. This year, Trump is expected to highlight his accomplishments as Republicans look to strengthen their position ahead of the midterm elections, despite some Democrats announcing plans to skip speeches altogether.
Here’s what you need to know about the longest and shortest speeches ever delivered in Congress.
How long was President Trump’s speech in 2025?
According to the project, President Trump’s speech in 2025 had 9,906 words, which also set a record for the longest speech. The recording was taken from Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address, which was recorded as 9,216 words.
Who gave the shortest State of the Union address?
Richard Nixon delivered the shortest State of the Union address on record, lasting just 28 minutes and 55 seconds on January 20, 1972.
How to watch the 2026 State of the Union Address
USA TODAY will be streaming the State of the Union address live here and on our YouTube channel.
The speech is scheduled to begin shortly after 9pm ET.
