Trump Prepares for a Lengthy State of the Union Speech

The president announced that his upcoming address would be “long” because he has a lot to cover. He spent the weekend rehearsing with a small circle of advisers, focusing on the logistics of the House chamber rather than reading the text aloud. This speech comes at a tense time: his approval ratings are falling, Republicans fear losing control of Congress, the Supreme Court has struck down a tariff he signed, and he is weighing military options against Iran. During the event, Trump will host a traditional lunch with anchors from NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and CNN, plus guests from newer media outlets.The identities of the anchors were not disclosed, but the meeting is expected to set the tone for his remarks. Ross Worthington, who has written many of Trump’s earlier State of the Union speeches, led the drafting effort. Other key aides involved included chief of staff Susie Wiles, policy deputy Stephen Miller, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, communications director Steven Cheung and domestic policy director Vince Haley. A photo shared by aide Dan Scavino showed Trump speaking to the U. S. men’s hockey team after their Olympic gold win, inviting them to attend the speech and coordinating logistics through FBI director Kash Patel.