How to watch Trump’s 2026 State of the Union

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

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

Yet, with midterm elections on the horizon, a number of pain points threaten to overshadow the list of accomplishments Trump is sure to tout during his big, primetime speech.

On Friday, the Supreme Court delivered a major setback to Trump’s agenda when it struck down his sweeping tariffs. Americans have grown increasingly unsure about the president’s policies, including his economic leadership. A partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, brought on by Democratic opposition to Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement, seems to have no end in sight. And questions about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation continue to dog his administration.

The goal of this annual address, as laid out in the U.S. Constitution, is to update Congress on how the country is doing and propose legislative priorities. It’s not yet clear how Trump, who’s stressed both unity and division in his past remarks, will approach this task.

Meanwhile, a burgeoning group of Democrats see a chance to change the conversation with their own events.

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

How to watch the 2026 State of the Union

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

Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress will begin at 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

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

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

You can also follow the PBS NewsHour’s live coverage on YouTube, X, Facebook and TikTok, and see highlights on our Instagram.

On Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST, PBS News’ Deema Zein will host a live conversation with Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins and White House correspondent Liz Landers on the major takeaways from Trump’s speech.

Who is delivering the Democratic response?

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

Who is delivering the progressive response?

At time of publishing, no announcement had been made on who’d deliver the progressive response.

Counterprogramming events are planned by Democrats boycotting Trump’s speech

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

Progressive groups MeidasTouch and MoveOn.org will host the event, featuring federal workers, immigrants and others affected by Trump’s policies, according to a press release.

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

“Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution & democracy,” the congressman wrote. “This cannot be business as usual.”

Another rebuttal, dubbed “State of the Swamp,” is being held at the National Press Club in the nation’s capital. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is expected to participate in the event.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who skipped Trump’s address to Congress last year, announced that she’s not attending the State of the Union, and is instead meeting with constituents harmed 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 dissent

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

Texas Rep. Al Green was ejected from the chamber last year (and later censured) for interrupting Trump. Others walked out during the speech, wore symbolic colors, or held up signs that said “Lies,” “False,” among other messages in protest of the president’s agenda.

Jeffries says he plans on attending the speech. His predecessor, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, famously ripped up a printed copy of Trump’s 2020 speech, the final State of the Union of his first term.

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

“I tore up a manifest of mistruths,” she later said of the moment. Earlier, Trump had rebuffed Pelosi’s handshake.

‘The State of The Union is …’

For decades, U.S. presidents have used a particular word to finish the phrase, “The State of the Union is …”

Hint: The word is opposite of “weak.”