President Biden's 2022 State of the Union address: times, how to watch
US President Joe Biden is due to deliver his first State of the Union speech on Tuesday. Take a look at our preview of the address, and find out how you can watch it live.
US President Joe Biden is to give first State of the Union address on Tuesday, with foreign policy is set to play a bigger role in his speech than previously expected.
Biden, who took office in January 2021, gave a joint address to Congress last April, but that wasn’t considered a State of the Union speech.
What is Biden expected to talk about in his State of the Union address?
Tuesday’s address comes amid an escalating crisis in eastern Europe, where Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. Amid widespread condemnation of the assault on its neighbouring country, the US has hit Russia with stiff economic penalties, and has levied personal sanctions against Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.
Biden’s maiden State of the Union address also arrives against the backdrop of rocketing inflation and, with covid-19 now into its third year, growing pandemic fatigue in the US. The president is expected to address these issues, and discuss his nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. Jackson is the first Black woman to be nominated to the country’s highest court.
Biden will take the chance to tout the achievements of his first year in office, such as the American Rescue Plan and the infrastructure bill, signed into law in March and November 2021, respectively. Having failed to get his social spending bill passed, amid opposition from moderate Democrats in the Senate, Biden is set to urge Congress to push through support for US households.
"What you can expect the president to lay out is how his plan, the ideas he's put forward, lowers costs for families, can reduce the deficit and that it's time for Congress to act," an administration official told reporters, per CBS. "It's time for Congress to get him a piece of legislation that addresses those core challenges for families right now."
Biden will also announce a strategy to tackle the US’ national mental health crisis, the White House has said.
What time is President Biden’s State of the Union address?
Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union speech at 9pm ET/6pm PT on Tuesday 1 March 2022.
How to watch the State of the Union
You can watch a live stream of Biden’s address on the White House website and on its YouTube channel.
Follow the State of the Union with AS USA
You’ll also be able to follow the State of the Union right here at AS USA. We'll be carrying the video of Biden's address, and will have live-text coverage of the highlights and reactions.