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State of the Union: President Trump to deliver address Tuesday
President Trump will address Congress Tuesday in his first State of the Union since returning to office. The speech is expected to recap his first year of his second term and double as a message aimed at the upcoming midterms.
WASHINGTON - Democrats are betting that Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s cost‑focused message will resonate nationally when she delivers the party’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday night.
What we know:
The rebuttal gives Democrats a high‑profile chance to highlight the differences between them and Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
Party leaders viewed Spanberger’s double‑digit win in November as validation of a disciplined message centered on lowering costs, and they’re now elevating that theme in campaigns across the country.
What they're saying:
"Virginians and Americans across the country are contending with rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring," Spanberger said in a statement. "I look forward to laying out what these Americans expect and deserve - leaders who are working hard to deliver for them."
Spanberger, who previously served three terms in the U.S. House, will have far less time than the president to make her case.
Trump’s speech last year ran about an hour and 40 minutes, while the Democratic response, delivered by Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, lasted just over 10 minutes. Trump told reporters Monday that this year’s address is "going to be a long speech, because we have so much to talk about."
What time is the State of the Union address and how to watch
Because viewership drops as the night goes on, the response has long been considered one of the trickier assignments in politics.
Some rebuttals have been mocked or quickly forgotten, including Marco Rubio’s 2013 water‑bottle moment.
Even so, Democrats say the political winds are shifting. Spanberger’s win was followed by other notable Democratic victories, including a special election in Texas where a Democrat flipped a state Senate district Trump carried by 17 points in 2024.
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Sen. Alex Padilla of California will deliver the party’s Spanish‑language response. Padilla, who was removed from a Los Angeles news conference last year while trying to speak about immigration raids, said there’s a better path than the one Trump has offered.
Some Democrats plan to skip Trump’s address altogether, opting instead for counterprogramming events, including a "State of the Swamp" featuring lawmakers, local leaders and celebrities.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and previous FOX 5 reporting.