President Trump to Address Joint Session of Congress

President Donald Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, marking the first such address of his second term in office, The Associated Press reports.

The event, resembling the annual State of the Union address in its format and live television coverage, holds significant weight in outlining the President’s vision and policy priorities for the coming years.

While not officially designated as the “State of the Union,” this joint address to Congress traces its roots back to President Ronald Reagan’s first term. The US Constitution mandates that the President inform Congress and propose policies, though it leaves the specific timing of such an address open to interpretation.

Historically, presidents have typically delivered these remarks in January or February, reflecting on the past year and laying out their policy agenda for the future. These messages were initially known as “The President’s Annual Message to Congress,” a title that evolved into the “Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union” under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934.

President Reagan, shortly after his first inauguration in 1981, addressed a joint session of Congress with a speech titled “Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery.” Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton continued this practice in their first years, delivering messages focused on “Administration Goals” in 1989 and 1993, respectively. President George W. Bush’s 2001 address was framed as a “Budget Message.

According to The American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara, these first-year addresses carry the same significance as subsequent State of the Union addresses. They provide a crucial opportunity for the President to articulate their agenda and set the tone for their administration.

As with the State of the Union, the opposing party will offer a televised response to President Trump’s address. This year, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan will deliver the rebuttal.