U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday night delivered the longest State of the Union-style address in recent history, speaking for approximately one hour and 48 minutes before a joint session of Congress.
According to data compiled by the American Presidency Project, which has tracked such speeches since 1964, the address is the lengthiest delivered to Congress in at least six decades.
The speech broke the previous modern-era record — also set by Trump — when he spoke for one hour and 39 minutes last year. That earlier address, delivered during the first year of his second nonconsecutive term, was technically not classified as a formal State of the Union.
Before Trump, the longest State of the Union on record was delivered by Bill Clinton in 2000, lasting one hour and 28 minutes.
In contrast, the shortest address to Congress in the past 60 years came from Richard Nixon in 1972, clocking in at just 28 minutes, according to the same archive.
Tuesday’s extended runtime included several pauses for applause, interruptions, and guest recognitions — notably a tribute to the Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team.
The annual address traditionally allows presidents to outline legislative priorities and shape the national agenda. Trump’s remarks came at a time when recent polling suggests many Americans believe the country is worse off than it was a year ago.
