After the government shutdown – the longest in history – was suspended, the date for the State of the Union (SOTU) address was reset for February 5. Now, President Donald Trump must attempt to reboot what has been a disastrous start to the year for his administration. He is expected to focus on economic strength and border security – but what will Bernie Sanders say in response?
Will Bernie Sanders respond to Trump’s SOTU speech?
The senator’s office confirmed to Washington political outlet The Hill Bernie Sanders will indeed respond to the SOTU address.
His response will follow the Democratic rebuttal to be given by 2018 gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra will also give the Spanish-language Democratic response.
The rebuttals will be live streamed on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
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Mr Trump is due to deliver the address at 9pm EST on Tuesday, February 5 (2am GMT on Wednesday, February 6).
Just how long the SOTU address will go on is hard to predict – Mr Trump has a lot to cover.
The longest SOTU address was delivered by Bill Clinton in 2000, which lasted for one hour and 29 minutes.
Going by Mr Trump’s 2018 SOTU address, this one could be even longer – in 2018, he spoke for one hour and 20 minutes.
After this highly tumultuous start to the year, there’s a fair chance it could be an even longer one this year.
Right after that, whatever the time, Ms Abrams will make her address.
What can we expect from the address?
Halfway into his term, Mr Trump has lost control of the House of Representatives to the Democrats in the November midterms, and prompted the government shutdown.
He will now seek to regain momentum by calling on Congress to come together on infrastructure projects and his trade deal with Canada and Mexico.
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He will promise that “we can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions,” the White House previewed.
But Mr Trump faces a very tough crowd this year.
Democratic speaker Nancy Pelosi – a formidable adversary who has thwarted his border wall at every turn – will sit just over his shoulder next to Vice-President Mike Pence.
And seated in front of Trump will be a record number of female House members, most Democrats and some dressed in white, in homage to the suffragist movement.