Trump Delivers Longest State Of The Union In American History

President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address set a new record Tuesday night, becoming the longest such speech in United States history.

The address ran for nearly two hours, surpassing the previous record set by President Bill Clinton in 2000, which lasted just over one hour and 28 minutes. According to long-standing historical tracking, the shortest modern State of the Union was delivered by President Richard Nixon in 1972, coming in at just 28 minutes.

While President Trump delivered a 1 hour and 39 minute address to a joint session of Congress last year, that speech was not technically classified as a formal State of the Union. This year’s address officially moved him into the record books.

Ahead of the speech, President Trump hinted it would be lengthy, telling reporters he had a great deal to discuss. The address served as a major platform heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

During the nearly two hour speech, President Trump highlighted tax cuts, economic growth initiatives, border security efforts, the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, and the creation of Trump accounts. He also pressed Congress to pass the SAVE America Act requiring proof of citizenship to vote, legislation to restrict congressional stock trading, and a larger military budget.

The president maintained his trademark combative tone, criticizing Democrats and taking aim at the Supreme Court for its recent ruling on his tariff authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Affordability was a central theme of the address, with President Trump arguing that his administration is driving prices downward and positioning the country for continued economic strength as voters prepare to head into the midterms.