What to Expect in Trump's SOTU Address

President Trump's State of the Union address at 9pm Eastern is likely to be a test run of the message Republicans will give to voters in November's elections for control of the House and the Senate. The president and his party appear vulnerable, with polls showing much of America distrusts how Trump has managed the government in his first year back in office, the AP reports. The economy is likely to be the main focus of the speech, with Trump "expected to argue that he ushered in a new age of American prosperity during the first year of his second term," CNN reports.

• Excerpts released by the White House before he began Tuesday's address said Trump will vow that, "Moving forward, factories, jobs, investment, and trillions of dollars will continue pouring into the United States of America."
• Trump is set to use his speech to champion his immigration crackdowns and slashing of the federal government, as well as his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down.
• Trump will announce that tech companies involved in artificial intelligence are agreeing to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centers are located, according to a White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the speech.

• The AP predicts that Trump will "blame everything" on Joe Biden. The administration is trying to make the case that, despite Trump's rewiring of global trade and tax cuts, the economy is still struggling because of choices made in 2021 and 2022 by his Democratic predecessor. But Trump is also seeking to take credit for positive signs in the current economy, such as recent stock market gains. "Watch the State of the Union. We're going to be talking about the economy. We inherited a mess," Trump said last week.
• Though Trump is expected to focus on domestic issues, his intensifying threats about launching military strikes on Iran over its nuclear program cast a shadow over the address. Warren Strobel at the Washington Post says he will be watching closely to see if Trump signals plans for Iran, as well updates on "his war on Western Hemisphere narco traffickers; the war in Ukraine, which turned four years old today; and ties with China."
• The president says to expect a long address, and it could be record-breaking. He's already been the most loquacious president from LBJ forward, as measured by the University of California Santa Barbara's American Presidency Project. Trump's joint addresses and State of the Union speeches in his first presidency averaged 80 minutes and 20 seconds. Last year, his joint address topped 99 minutes—longer than any recorded State of the Union.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will give the Democratic Party response following Trump's speech. California Sen. Alex Padilla, who made national headlines last year after being forced to the ground and handcuffed by federal agents, will deliver the party's response in Spanish. Dozens of Democrats are skipping the address, including the No. 2 House Democrat, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark.

• "What we have seen from this president is a series of lies, of disrespect for the American people. He campaigned that he would lower costs on Day 1, he would keep people safe and secure. And he has done just the opposite," Clark tells ABC News. "So, I'm going to spend my evening, while he is spewing his misinformation tonight, talking to my constituents about their state of the union and how this administration is impacting them."