Why Trump will be delivering ‘Joint Address to Congress’ and not ‘State of the Union’ speech?
World: Standing at the front of the US House chamber at the Capitol, Trump will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. It is scheduled to begin at 9 pm ET on March 4.
US President Donald Trump will be addressing a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night (Wednesday, 7.30 am IST) for the first time after assuming office.
However, it will not be a State of the Union speech but will be a joint address to Congress.
As per tradition, the US president's annual televised address is known as the "State of the Union" speech, in which the government's accomplishments in the previous year and its agenda for the upcoming year are announced.
But Trump, on the contrary, is calling it a "Joint Address to Congress".
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According to the Constitution, the US president is mandated "from time to time" to "give to the Congress information of the state of the union".
George Washington delivered the first such speech in 1790. Later, some of the presidents in the 19th century delivered written addresses to Congress.
Though there is no specific date mentioned for the address, but it usually happens in the first few months of the year. However, the President's inauguration date is fixed as January 20 as per the Constitution.
The impact of these first-year speeches should be considered to have the same heft as the State of the Union address, according to the American Presidency Project.
Moreover, just like the State of the Union address, the opposing party to the one that occupies the White House gives a brief speech in response.
Notably, this year, it will be delivered by Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
When and where will it happen?
Standing at the front of the US House chamber at the Capitol, Trump will be addressing a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
The speech is scheduled to begin at 9 pm ET on March 4 (7:30 am IST Wednesday), however, its duration is not yet known.
During Trump's first term in 2017, his joint address to Congress lasted about one hour.
Further, in the last three years, his State of the Union speeches averaged 80 minutes.
The key event will be broadcast widely on television networks like CNN and PBS. Moreover, the viewers can also watch it live on YouTube, Hulu, and The Associated Press's official YouTube channel.
Also, CBS News will live broadcast the address and air a special primetime programme at 9 PM ET.
(With inputs from agencies)
