President Donald Trump will deliver the State of the Union address Tuesday night, per local time. The address comes amid political debate over immigration enforcement and federal spending, according to The Hill.
All we know about the speakers
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the official Democratic response at about 10 pm ET, the Associated Press reported. A former three-term congresswoman and Virginia’s first female governor, Spanberger won office by a double-digit margin campaigning on lowering costs for families.
Separately, Sen. Adam Schiff is expected to boycott the address and speak at a “People’s State of the Union” rally on the National Mall organized with MoveOn Civic Action, according to The Hill. Sens. Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy and Tina Smith are also expected to speak at the counter-event.
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All we know about the guests
Rep. Peter Stauber invited YouTuber Nick Shirley and journalist David Hoch, who drew attention after visiting daycare centers run by Somali immigrants while probing claims of misuse of state funds. Their videos gained national traction amid scrutiny following a $250 million COVID-relief fraud case, though daycare operators later reported harassment and vandalism after the footage circulated.
Several survivors connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are expected to attend.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will bring survivor Dani Bensky, while Reps. Suhas Subramanyam and Jamie Raskin invited relatives of Virginia Giuffre, whose allegations helped expose Epstein’s trafficking network.
Rep. Ilhan Omar invited Mubashir Hussen, a US citizen detained by immigration authorities, and Aliya Rahman, a Bangladeshi American engineer whose vehicle was forcibly stopped during enforcement actions.
Also Read: Trump’s State of the Union to see big boycott: List of Democrats skipping the big speech
Rep. Jesús García invited Marimar Martinez, a Chicago resident shot by a federal immigration officer.
Several Republican lawmakers invited county sheriffs, including Robert Milby, Scott Byrd and Chris Stratton.
Business leaders attending include Learning Resources CEO Rick Woldenberg and Collision Safety Consultants CEO Billy Walkowiak.
State of the Union guests are selected to humanize policy debates. This year’s speakers and invitees point out immigration enforcement, survivor justice, fraud oversight, human rights advocacy and economic concerns.