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.
Frogs gather in the swamp.
During President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on February 24, influential actors, elected officials, cultural figures, journalists and military veterans will gather minutes away in Washington to deliver live rebuttals.
The “Swamp State” opposition speech, headlined by actor Robert De Niro, will occur at the same time as the president will address a joint session of Congress on national politics and policy issues. The title of the event, which invokes frogs as a symbol of opposition to Trump, references the wetlands in the nation’s capital.
Here’s what you can expect from “State of the Swamp,” including the participants and the meaning behind the event.
What is “State of the Swamp”?
“State of the Swamp” is sponsored by the anti-Trump group Defiance.org, the artist and activist coalition Portland Frog Brigade, and the advocacy media network The Courier. The event will be a live counter-speech “focused on pushing back against Donald Trump’s abuses of power, including by officials who previously advised Trump,” according to a Feb. 17 statement from organizers.
“This is not a protest or a watch party,” Miles Taylor, co-founder of Defiance.org, said in a statement. “This is a living public rebuttal.”
Organizers say the event will include live music, satire, speeches and a direct call to action.
Where is “State of the Swamp” held?
The National Press Club venue in Washington, D.C., is just over a mile away from where President Trump will simultaneously address a joint session of Congress inside the U.S. Capitol.
How to watch
Opposition speeches are scheduled to begin with a “preliminary rebuttal” at 7 p.m. ET, followed by a direct rebuttal at the State of the Union from 9 to 10 p.m., followed by a keynote speech until 11 p.m.
In-person tickets are sold out, according to the website, but the program can be live-streamed nationally for free through Defiance.org, YouTube, Substack and other media partners listed on the State of the Swamp website. Those wishing to watch virtually can register through the State of the Swamp website.
Who will participate?
State of the Swamp will feature some familiar faces, including actors De Niro and Mark Ruffalo, and former CNN broadcaster Jim Acosta.
Politicians also include former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York), Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.), former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh (Ill.), and former Democratic Rep. Stacey. Abrams in Georgia.
Organizers said coalition participants also include George Conway, Joyce Vance, Marianne Williamson, Glenn Kershner, Mehdi Hasan, LaTosha Brown, Stephanie Grisham, Miles Taylor, Tara McGowan, Baratunde Thurston, Sue Gordon, Wajahat Ali, Noam Eisen, Steve Schmidt, Charlie Sykes, Rashad Robinson, Olivia Troy and Asha. Rangappa, Brian Karem, Robbie Roadsteemer, and Lisandra Vasquez.
And…a frog?
Organizers say participants are encouraged to wear green or frog attire. The costumes are “symbols of peaceful disobedience and civic engagement,” the statement said.
This is not the first time frogs have been used as a symbol of resistance at demonstrations against the Trump administration. Frog and animal costumes began to proliferate late last year after federal agents sprayed vents on participants’ frog costumes during protests in early October. Participants in nationwide “No Kings Day” protests have embraced the frog image, including those who dressed up as frogs outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, in October.
