2026 State of the Union: Timing, how to watch & more

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

President Donald Trump will deliver the 2026 State of the Union on Tuesday night and FOX 5 DC will have live coverage of the event. 

What time is the State of the Union? 

Trump's State of the Union address is slated to begin Tuesday at 9 p.m. 

How to watch Trump's 2025 address to Congress

What you can do:

FOX 5 DC will stream LIVE coverage of the address on FOX LOCAL, on FOX 5 DC's YouTube and Tiktok and in the media player at the top of the article.

To stream from anywhere, download our mobile app, FOX LOCAL, to watch on your smart TV or phone. Click here to download. 

Who will be at the State of the Union?

Members of the U.S. Supreme Court and Trump's Cabinet will attend. Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson will be seated on either side of Trump. 

There's always one Cabinet member missing, though. Called the "designated survivor," that person — who by position is in the presidential line of succession — is intentionally left out of such events to ensure that someone could assume the office of the president in case of a catastrophic or mass-casualty event.

The president typically invites guests who join the event from the balcony above the House floor and are seated with the first lady. Sometimes, there are personal connections, and other times the guests have an association with an issue the president intends to highlight in his remarks.

Speaker Johnson has invited the family of a slain Louisiana police officer to the State of the Union.

"It is my profound honor to host Shirley Brock-Dennis and Kambreigh Smith — the respective mother and fiancée of Vivian Police Officer Marc Brock — as my guests for the State of the Union address. In November, Officer Brock was tragically killed in the line of duty," Johnson told Fox News Digital.

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to deliver Democratic response to Trump’s State of the Union

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will take the national stage next week as the Democratic Party’s voice responding to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Who is giving the Democratic response? 

The other side:

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic rebuttal immediately following Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday, offering the party a high-profile opportunity to present a countermessage.

She served three terms in Congress before being elected governor. Earlier this year, she became Virginia’s first female governor after winning the race by a double-digit margin in an office previously held by a Republican.

Spanberger campaigned on affordability and lowering costs for families.

NewsWashington, D.C.Politics