How to Watch the 2026 State of the Union and What News Outlets Are Saying
President Donald Trump to Address Congress in State of the Union Speech on February 24
President Donald Trump is set to deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday, February 24. The address will take place during a joint session of Congress, commencing at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT), and will be broadcast live on U.S. television and news networks.
This year’s State of the Union marks Trump’s fifth overall, coinciding with the United States’ 250th anniversary. Anticipated subjects for discussion include the administration’s immigration policies, economic strategies, especially following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on tariffs, and escalating tensions with Iran.
Trump has indicated that he plans to deliver an extended speech. The president has a history of lengthy addresses; last year’s speech to Congress, not formally categorized as a State of the Union, lasted a record 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Major news networks are preparing extensive coverage of the event, including the official response from the opposition party, which this year will be presented by Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger.
ABC News Coverage
ABC News will provide special coverage of the State of the Union address alongside the Democratic response from 9 to 11 p.m. ET. David Muir will anchor a special edition of World News Tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET. George Stephanopoulos will oversee pre- and post-speech analysis, joined by Linsey Davis, Mary Bruce, Martha Raddatz, and Jonathan Karl.
Linsey Davis will lead the coverage on ABC News Live starting at 7 p.m. ET, with Kyra Phillips anchoring a pre-show from 8 p.m. ET, and Davis returning for post-speech coverage from 11 p.m. to midnight ET.
CNN’s Live Coverage
CNN’s special coverage will start at 8 p.m. ET, anchored by Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper. The broadcast will also stream live on CNN’s All Access and connected platforms. Tapper’s team will include Kaitlan Collins and Kasie Hunt reporting from Washington, while Cooper will be joined live from New York by Abby Phillip, John King, and other prominent commentators. David Chalian will share results from CNN’s instant poll, and Van Jones and Scott Jennings will engage with swing state voters in Saginaw, MI.
C-SPAN’s Detailed Coverage
C-SPAN’s live coverage will begin at 7 p.m. ET with a preview hosted by Peter Slen and news updates from Greta Brawner. Various journalists will contribute to the coverage, which will transition to “Sights and Sounds” on C-SPAN2 around 8:45 p.m. ET for a non-commentary version of the speech. C-SPAN will also host a YouTube "Watch With" event featuring Chris Cillizza and Chuck Todd.
Fox News Reporting
Fox News Channel will kick off coverage at 8:50 p.m. ET, with Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum anchoring. Sean Hannity will follow with a special edition of his show live from the Capitol at 11 p.m. ET, and Shannon Bream will begin coverage at 9 p.m. ET with analysis from various contributors.
Coverage from Other Networks
MS NOW will commence its coverage at 7 p.m. ET, led by Rachel Maddow and featuring a panel of commentators. NBC News will provide special coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Tom Llamas at the helm. NewsNation will air a special report beginning at 9 p.m. ET, while PBS News will also premiere its coverage at 9 p.m. ET, including live ASL interpretation. Finally, Telemundo will air its special newscast at 8:50 p.m. ET.
As the nation prepares for the address, the significance of this year’s speech, marking a historic milestone for the country, is expected to resonate within the content and analysis provided by the networks.
