Trump's HUGE Second Term Address to Congress: What You Need to Know!

2025-03-04 12:00:59.917

President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, marking his first such address of his second term. While resembling a State of the Union address in format and live television coverage, it's officially titled a 'joint address to Congress'. This tradition originated with President Reagan's first term. The Constitution mandates presidential updates to Congress on policies, though the timing isn't specified. Historically, these addresses occur in January or February, reviewing the past year and outlining future policy. Initially known as the "President’s Annual Message to Congress," President Franklin D. Roosevelt renamed it the "Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union" in 1934. Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush also delivered similar addresses in their first years, with varying titles reflecting their policy focuses. These first-year speeches carry the same weight as subsequent State of the Union addresses, and are followed by a televised response from the opposing party. This year, Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan will deliver the response.