How to watch Trump’s 2026 State of the Union

President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver his first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday, after 13 months of deregulation, a record number of executive actions, mass layoffs, federal redundancies and more.

President Donald Trump will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24. Watch our live coverage, starting at 6pm EST, in the video player above.

However, with the midterm elections on the horizon, a number of weaknesses threaten to overshadow the list of accomplishments that Trump is sure to tout during his big prime-time speech.

On Friday, the Supreme Court dealt a major setback to Trump’s agenda when it struck down his sweeping tariffs. Americans have become increasingly uncertain about the president’s policies, including his economic leadership. The partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, imposed by Democratic opposition to Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement, appears to have no end in sight. Questions about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation continue to haunt his administration.

The goal of this annual address, as stated in the U.S. Constitution, is to update Congress on the country’s performance and suggest legislative priorities. It is not yet clear how Trump, who emphasized unity and division in his previous statements, will deal with this task.

Meanwhile, a growing group of Democrats see an opportunity to change the conversation through their own events.

Here’s a short guide on how to watch this year’s State of the Union address.

How to watch State of the Union 2026

Watch Trump’s State of the Union address in the player above.

Trump’s speech will begin before a joint session of Congress 9pm EST on Tuesday, February 24th.

PBS News will host ongoing coverage beginning with the 6 p.m. EST broadcast, followed by special digital coverage at 8 p.m., before PBS News Hour co-anchors Amna Nawaz and Jeff Bennett host special on-air coverage at 9 p.m.

PBS News will provide a live ASL translation of the event presented by our partners at D-PAN. Check your local listings to find a PBS station near you, or watch online here or in the player above.

You can also follow live coverage of the PBS NewsHour on YouTube, X, Facebook and TikTok, and check out highlights on our Instagram.

Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST, PBS News’ Dima Zein will host a live conversation with Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins and White House correspondent Liz Landers about key points from Trump’s speech.

Who provides the democratic response?

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s speech on Tuesday.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s first female governor and an outspoken critic of Trump, will deliver the official Democratic response. Spanberger was elected last November in an off-cycle election dominated by Democratic victories that was seen as a warning sign for Republicans in the upcoming midterms.

Who provides the progressive response?

At press time, it has not been announced who will file the forward response.

Counter-programming events are planned by Democrats who boycott Trump’s speech

A growing group of Democrats say they will not attend the speech. Instead, at least 12 Democratic lawmakers plan to attend the People’s State of the Union rally on the National Mall.

The event, which includes federal workers, immigrants and others affected by Trump’s policies, will be hosted by progressive groups MeidasTouch and MoveOn.org, according to a press release.

Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen wrote on X that he would not attend Trump’s speech.

“Trump is leading America toward fascism, and I refuse to normalize the tearing down of our Constitution and democracy,” the congressman wrote. “This can’t be business as usual.”

Another rebuttal session, entitled “State of the Quagmire,” will be held at the National Press Club in the country’s capital. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is expected to participate in the event.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who skipped Trump’s address to Congress last year, announced she would not attend the State of the Union address, instead meeting with constituents hurt by the administration’s policies.

“The state of the union is that the president is spitting in the face of the law,” she said in a statement.

How other Democrats are registering their opposition

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries instructed Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday to either attend the event with a “silent defiance” or skip it all together.

Texas Rep. Al Green was kicked out of the chamber last year (and later censured) for boycotting Trump. Others walked out during the speech, wore symbolic colors, or held signs reading “Lies” and “Liar,” among other messages in protest of the president’s agenda.

Jeffries says he plans to attend the speech. His predecessor, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, famously tore up a printout of Trump’s 2020 address, the final State of the Union address of his first term.

After President Donald Trump finished his 2020 State of the Union address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore up his speech. Watch the archived clip in the player above.

“I tore up a statement of lies,” she later said of that moment. Earlier, Trump refused to shake Pelosi’s hand.

“The state of the union is…”

For decades, US presidents have used a certain word to end the phrase “The State of the Union is…”.

hint: The word is the opposite of “weak”.