State of the Union

Republican efforts to label the Democratic Party as socialists reached a new high Tuesday night as President Donald Trump used his State of the Union address to further that partisan message — prompting groans and grimaces from Democrats. 

“We are alarmed by the new calls to adopt socialism in our country,” Trump said. “America was founded on liberty and independence, and not government coercion, domination and control. We are born free and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country.”

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was one of the few Democrats to sit next to a Republican during the State of the Union address Tuesday night, but she spent much of it on her phone. Sen. Bernie Sanders, pen in hand, reviewed and edited the prepared text of his response during the first part of the speech. Rep. Tim Ryan stood in the back looking bored most of the time.

The rest of the Democratic lawmakers running or considering bids for president in 2020 paid more attention to President Donald Trump as he spoke but often sat stone-faced in reaction to his assertions and promises.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry will be this year’s “designated survivor” for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. 

The macabre but important ritual keeps one cabinet-level official out of sight on State of the Union night and out of harm’s way. The idea is that in the event of a horrific disaster or attack on the prime-time event, a clear line of presidential succession is maintained. With members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, the cabinet and joint chiefs of staff all in one room, one person is hidden away in a secure location to ensure that government can continue if the worst were to happen.

Several Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program recipients attending the State of the Union Tuesday as guests of House Democrats said they do not want their legal status traded for a border wall. 

President Donald Trump tried to end the DACA program, which provides young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children temporary legal status, but federal courts have so far blocked him from doing so. During various times over the past two years, Trump has floated trading statutory protections for DACA recipients — sometimes permanent, other times time temporary — for funding for a southern border wall.

The State of the Union address won’t start until prime time Tuesday night, but the logistical impact will be felt much earlier for everyone visiting and working on Capitol Hill.

Months of planning go into security preparations for the event, which are a coordinated effort among the Secret Service, Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Park Police and more. Security is paramount with so many of the nation’s leaders all in once place, including leaders of all three branches of government and a large swath of the line of presidential succession.

House Democratic women plan to break out their white suits and dresses Tuesday for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union. The color may be the same, but the reason has changed.

“This is really going to be sending a message — especially to all the women and their families in the country that put us into the majority with all these new women [members] — that a big part of our agenda is going to be promoting the economic security of women and their families,” Rep. Lois Frankel, chair of the Democratic Women’s Working Group, said in an interview. 

All roads leading to and from the Capitol will be closed to vehicles starting Tuesday at 7 p.m. in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the roads closest to the Capitol will be restricted to people credentialed to attend the event and authorized pedestrians. Those include:

When President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to both chambers of Congress on Feb. 5, he will not be the only star of the night. Several Democrats seeking to replace him — and there are many —  could end up stealing the limelight, says Nathan Gonzales, publisher of Inside Elections and Roll Call’s elections analyst.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Donald Trump have agreed that he will hold his State of the Union address in the House chamber on Feb. 5.

Pelosi sent Trump a letter Monday formally inviting him to deliver the address next Tuesday, which she noted was the date they agreed to in a conversation.

In an odd ending to the drama surrounding the State of the Union, President Donald Trump agreed to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s initial request and said he will delay delivery of the address until the partial government shutdown is over. 

“I will do the address when the Shutdown is over,” Trump said in a two-part tweet late Wednesday night. “I am not looking for an alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber.”