State of the Union address: Trump to speak to Congress as dozens of Democrats plan boycott – live updates | State of the Union address
Many Democrats will boycott Trump’s speech
Many Democratic lawmakers will boycott Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tonight. Many people will rally on the National Mall instead.
So far, At least 30 Democratic members of Congress will skip the State of the Union option. They include senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Adam Schiff of California, as well as progressive representatives Pramila Jayapal, Maxwell Frost and Greg Casar.
The event, called the “People’s State of the Union,” is coordinated by progressive media network MeidasTouch and liberal advocacy group MoveOn. The rally will be hosted by attorney and commentator Katie Phang and former presenter Joy Reid. Event organizers say the event will highlight federal employees, immigrants and Americans affected by the Trump administration’s policies.
Van Hollen said in a statement: in question He said he would not attend the address. “Trump is marching America toward fascism, and I refuse to normalize his dismantling of our Constitution and democracy,” he said. “This can’t be business as usual.”
My colleagues will report on the latest developments in the counter-protests.
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Democrats also tapped Sen. Alex Padilla to deliver the party’s response in Spanish..
The 52-year-old senator said in a statement that he plans to discuss “a federal government that has weaponized enforcement agencies against immigrants and U.S. citizens,” as well as the Trump administration’s “failed economic agenda” and efforts to restrict voting access.
“With bills too high, wages too low, and masked and militarized federal agents roaming our communities violating constitutional rights every day, Americans do not need another speech from Donald Trump pretending everything is fine,” Padilla said in a statement.
Padilla, the son of Mexican immigrants and the first Latino to represent California in the Senate, was pinned to the ground and handcuffed by federal agents after he tried to ask a question of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during last summer’s immigration crackdown in Los Angeles.
Virginia governor to deliver Democrats’ response
Lauren Gambino
governor of Virginia, Abigail SpanbergerAfter his speech is over tonight, he will give the Democrats’ response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Spanberger, a former undercover CIA officer who served three terms in Congress, became Virginia’s first female governor earlier this year, a landslide win for the office previously held by a Republican. He won the race by a double-digit margin, campaigning on affordability and lowering costs for families.
Spanberger said he plans to use the rebuttal to address Americans’ concerns about “rising costs, the chaos in their communities, and the real fear that each day can bring.”
“I look forward to revealing what these Americans expect and deserve, and the leaders who work hard to serve them.” he added.
In choosing the 46-year-old Spanberger, Democratic leaders are turning their attention to a battlefield-tested moderate with national security credentials, a reputation for message discipline, especially on economic issues, and an emphasis on the impact of federal policies on ordinary Virginians. His 15-point victory in the purple state alongside Mikie Sherrill in the New Jersey gubernatorial race last November provided a jolt of optimism for Democrats still searching for an effective response to a president who dominates national conservation politics.
Many Democrats will boycott Trump’s speech
Many Democratic lawmakers will boycott Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tonight. Many people will rally on the National Mall instead.
So far, At least 30 Democratic members of Congress will skip the State of the Union option. They include senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Adam Schiff of California, as well as progressive representatives Pramila Jayapal, Maxwell Frost and Greg Casar.
The event, called the “People’s State of the Union,” is coordinated by progressive media network MeidasTouch and liberal advocacy group MoveOn. The rally will be hosted by attorney and commentator Katie Phang and former presenter Joy Reid. Event organizers say the event will highlight federal employees, immigrants and Americans affected by the Trump administration’s policies.
Van Hollen said in a statement: in question He said he would not attend the address. “Trump is marching America toward fascism, and I refuse to normalize his dismantling of our Constitution and democracy,” he said. “This can’t be business as usual.”
My colleagues will report on the latest developments in the counter-protests.
Welcome to our news titled State of the Union
Welcome to our live coverage of Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term. As my colleagues and I cover the main event, counterprogramming, and responses to the president’s speech, we’ll bring you the latest from Washington and beyond.
Trump telegraphed that he wasn’t particularly concerned about the length of tonight’s speech. It will start at 21:00 ET. “It’s going to be a long conversation because we have a lot to talk about.” he told reporters at a White House event on Monday.
Last year the president spoke for a record-breaking 100 minutes. Since this was Trump’s first year back in office, it was considered a speech to a joint session of Congress, unlike the State of the Union address. His speech this year doubles as his pitch to voters for Republicans to keep control of both chambers.
Trump’s frequent press appearances mean that we expect many of his greatest achievements as he touts what he sees as the major achievements of his second administration. We can expect to hear a few jabs about Joe Biden’s presidency, the mass deportation numbers, the state of the economy, the president’s perceived diplomatic victories, and the number of “wars” he has solved. We will also be checking the veracity of the president’s comments throughout the night.
Previously, top Democrats predicted Trump’s speech would go something like this: “long, painful and boring”. Senate minority leader at a press conference on Capitol Hill Chuck Schumer He slammed Trump’s address just hours before kickoff. “Never in our lifetime have we been in a State of the Union where the president’s rhetoric and the reality of the country are so far apart,” Schumer said.
