When is Trump’s address to Congress? And why it’s not called State of the Union
President Donald Trump is set to speak in early March in the first joint congressional address of his second term in the White House, though the event won't technically be called a State of the Union.
Traditionally, presidents deliver an annual report to a joint session of Congress informing them about the state of play the U.S., including goals, accomplishments and plans for the year ahead. Usually, this occurs within the first few months of the year and is broadcast to the entire nation.
Here's what to know about Trump's speech and why it's not being called a State of the Union.
When will Trump address Congress?
Trump is set to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4.
Multiple media outlets have announced plans to start live coverage of the address at 9 p.m. ET, including Paste BN, ABC, Fox News, NPR, PBS and more.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, invited Trump to make the address back in January, saying in a letter, “It is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future."
This will be the first speech of its kind Trump has made during his second term in office.
What is a State of the Union?
The State of the Union is an annual speech given by the president to Congress at the beginning of most calendar years providing information on the current status and conditions in the United States. Typically, it is delivered to a joint session of Congress inside the House of Representatives chamber.
The address is written into the U.S. Constitution, but it did not become a firm tradition until 1913 when Woodrow Wilson brought the practice back and shifted its direction to focus on the nation’s priorities, achievements and future legislative plans.
"He [the President] shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient," Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution says.
America's first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, gave annual addresses to Congress but the tradition stopped when Thomas Jefferson chose to provide the report in writing, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Jefferson felt a formal speech too closely resembled addresses delivered by British monarchy.
In the years since, most State of the Unions have been delivered orally, but some have been done in writing akin to Jefferson's practice. The first televised address was Truman's in 1947.
Why isn't Trump's upcoming address technically a State of the Union?
President Trump’s speech in March will not be a State of the Union, at least not officially, simply because he was elected only weeks ago. This isn't entirely uncommon, however, as the designation of State of the Union is more a technicality than anything, notes the American Presidency Project.
Starting with former President Ronald Reagan, several modern presidents have delivered speeches in the months after being inaugurated that serve the same purpose as the State of the Union, even without formally being one, according to the American Presidency Project. In 1981, for example, Regan's address was called the "Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery." Bush and Clinton both gave "Administration Goals" speeches in 1989 and 1993.
More recently, both Obama and Trump delivered not-technically-State-of-the-Union speeches they called simply an "Address before a Joint Session of the Congress," the organization notes.
"For research purposes, it is probably harmless to categorize these as State of the Union messages (as we do)," said the American Presidency Project. "The impact of such a speech on public, media, and congressional perceptions of presidential leadership and power should be the same as if the address was an official State of the Union."
Other presidents' ‘unofficial’ State of the Union addresses
Presidents have routinely delivered “unofficial” State of the Union addresses since Reagan in 1981, when he succeeded Democrat Jimmy Carter
Including Trump’s address in March, there have been eight occasions where new presidents have delivered an “unofficial” address, according to the American Presidency Project:
- Ronald Reagan - 1981
- George H.W. Bush - 1989
- Bill Clinton - 1993
- George W. Bush - 2001
- Barack Obama - 2009
- Donald Trump - 2017
- Joe Biden - 2021