This is a list of State of the Union addresses. The State of the Union is the constitutionally mandated annual report by the president of the United States, the head of the U.S. federal executive departments, to the United States Congress, the U.S. federal legislative body.[1]
William Henry Harrison (1841) and James A. Garfield (1881) died in their first year in office without delivering a State of the Union.
Before 1933, the State of the Union was delivered at the end of the calendar year. The ratification of the 20th Amendment in 1933 changed the opening of Congress from early March to early January, affecting the delivery of the annual message. There was none in 1933, and since 1934 it has been in January, February or March.[2]
Starting in 1981, first-term Presidents have been invited to address a joint session of Congress shortly after their inauguration. These have reflected the style of a State of the Union address. However, the addresses are not officially titled as a "State of the Union" but "Address to Joint Session of Congress" or alike instead.[3][4] Since 1989, the opposition party has offered a response.[5] There were unofficial addresses by incoming presidents in 1981, 1989, 1993, 2001, 2009, 2017 and 2021.
Year | President | Format | Date | Word Count[6] | Time (Minutes)[7] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1790 | George Washington | Spoken | Jan. 8 | 1,089 | Unknown |
Dec 1790 | Dec. 8 | 1,401 | |||
1791 | Oct. 25 | 2,302 | |||
1792 | Nov. 6 | 2,101 | |||
1793 | Dec. 3 | 1,968 | |||
1794 | Nov. 19 | 2,918 | |||
1795 | Dec. 8 | 1,989 | |||
1796 | Dec. 7 | 2,871 | |||
1797 | John Adams | Spoken | Nov. 22 | 2,063 | |
1798 | Dec. 8 | 2,218 | |||
1799 | Dec. 3 | 1,505 | |||
1800 | Nov. 22 | 1,372 | |||
1801 | Thomas Jefferson | Written | Dec. 8 | 3,224 | — |
1802 | Dec. 15 | 2,197 | — | ||
1803 | Oct. 17 | 2,263 | — | ||
1804 | Nov. 8 | 2,096 | — | ||
1805 | Dec. 3 | 2,927 | — | ||
1806 | Dec. 2 | 2,860 | — | ||
1807 | Oct. 27 | 2,384 | — | ||
1808 | Nov. 8 | 2,675 | — | ||
1809 | James Madison | Written | Nov. 29 | 1,831 | — |
1810 | Dec. 5 | 2,446 | — | ||
1811 | Nov. 5 | 2,273 | — | ||
1812 | Nov. 4 | 3,242 | — | ||
1813 | Dec. 7 | 3,257 | — | ||
1814 | Sep. 20 | 2,111 | — | ||
1815 | Dec. 5 | 3,146 | — | ||
1816 | Dec. 3 | 3,364 | — | ||
1817 | James Monroe | Written | Dec. 12 | 4,418 | — |
1818 | Nov. 16 | 4,376 | — | ||
1819 | Dec. 7 | 4,702 | — | ||
1820 | Nov. 14 | 3,446 | — | ||
1821 | Dec. 3 | 5,814 | — | ||
1822 | Dec. 3 | 4,723 | — | ||
1823 | Dec. 2 | 6,358 | — | ||
1824 | Dec. 7 | 8,400 | — | ||
1825 | John Quincy Adams | Written | Dec. 6 | 8,985 | — |
1826 | Dec. 5 | 7,705 | — | ||
1827 | Dec. 4 | 6,917 | — | ||
1828 | Dec. 2 | 7,282 | — | ||
1829 | Andrew Jackson | Written | Dec. 8 | 10,525 | — |
1830 | Dec. 6 | 15,114 | — | ||
1831 | Dec. 6 | 7,178 | — | ||
1832 | Dec. 4 | 7,863 | — | ||
1833 | Dec. 3 | 7,877 | — | ||
1834 | Dec. 1 | 13,411 | — | ||
1835 | Dec. 7 | 10,825 | — | ||
1836 | Dec. 5 | 12,367 | — | ||
1837 | Martin Van Buren | Written | Dec. 5 | 11,449 | — |
1838 | Dec. 3 | 11,488 | — | ||
1839 | Dec. 2 | 13,431 | — | ||
1840 | Dec. 5 | 8,991 | — | ||
— | William Henry Harrison | — | — | — | — |
1841 | John Tyler | Written | Dec. 7 | 8,241 | — |
1842 | Dec. 6 | 8,417 | — | ||
1843 | Dec. 5 | 8,036 | — | ||
1844 | Dec. 3 | 9,318 | — | ||
1845 | James K. Polk | Written | Dec. 2 | 16,111 | — |
1846 | Dec. 8 | 18,222 | — | ||
1847 | Dec. 7 | 16,414 | — | ||
1848 | Dec. 5 | 21,309 | — | ||
1849 | Zachary Taylor | Written | Dec. 4 | 7,617 | — |
1850 | Millard Fillmore | Written | Dec. 2 | 8,322 | — |
1851 | Dec. 2 | 13,244 | — | ||
1852 | Dec. 6 | 9,929 | — | ||
1853 | Franklin Pierce | Written | Dec. 5 | 9,590 | — |
1854 | Dec. 4 | 10,139 | — | ||
1855 | Dec. 31 | 11,612 | — | ||
1856 | Dec. 2 | 10,486 | — | ||
1857 | James Buchanan | Written | Dec. 8 | 13,655 | — |
1858 | Dec. 6 | 16,349 | — | ||
1859 | Dec. 19 | 12,336 | — | ||
1860 | Dec. 3 | 14,049 | — | ||
1861 | Abraham Lincoln | Written | Dec. 3 | 6,987 | — |
1862 | Dec. 1 | 8,385 | — | ||
1863 | Dec. 8 | 6,114 | — | ||
1864 | Dec. 6 | 5,865 | — | ||
1865 | Andrew Johnson | Written | Dec. 4 | 9,232 | — |
1866 | Dec. 3 | 7,134 | — | ||
1867 | Dec. 3 | 12,002 | — | ||
1868 | Dec. 9 | 9,834 | — | ||
1869 | Ulysses S. Grant | Written | Dec. 6 | 7,706 | — |
1870 | Dec. 5 | 8,743 | — | ||
1871 | Dec. 4 | 6,459 | — | ||
1872 | Dec. 2 | 10,102 | — | ||
1873 | Dec. 1 | 10,026 | — | ||
1874 | Dec. 7 | 9,819 | — | ||
1875 | Dec. 7 | 12,211 | — | ||
1876 | Dec. 5 | 6,799 | — | ||
1877 | Rutherford B. Hayes | Written | Dec. 3 | 10,724 | — |
1878 | Dec. 2 | 7,879 | — | ||
1879 | Dec. 1 | 11,635 | — | ||
1880 | Dec. 6 | 13,347 | — | ||
— | James A. Garfield | — | — | — | — |
1881 | Chester A. Arthur | Written | Dec. 6 | 13,321 | — |
1882 | Dec. 4 | 10,274 | — | ||
1883 | Dec. 4 | 8,363 | — | ||
1884 | Dec. 1 | 8,917 | — | ||
1885 | Grover Cleveland | Written | Dec. 8 | 19,960 | — |
1886 | Dec. 6 | 15,285 | — | ||
1887 | Dec. 6 | 5,290 | — | ||
1888 | Dec. 3 | 13,226 | — | ||
1889 | Benjamin Harrison | Written | Dec. 1 | 13,004 | — |
1890 | Dec. 1 | 11,522 | — | ||
1891 | Dec. 9 | 16,306 | — | ||
1892 | Dec. 6 | 13,680 | — | ||
1893 | Grover Cleveland | Written | Dec. 4 | 12,282 | — |
1894 | Dec. 3 | 15,892 | — | ||
1895 | Dec. 2 | 14,670 | — | ||
1896 | Dec. 7 | 15,453 | — | ||
1897 | William McKinley | Written | Dec. 6 | 12,113 | — |
1898 | Dec. 5 | 20,224 | — | ||
1899 | Dec. 5 | 22,831 | — | ||
1900 | Dec. 3 | 19,142 | — | ||
1901 | Theodore Roosevelt | Written | Dec. 3 | 19,616 | — |
1902 | Dec. 5 | 9,782 | — | ||
1903 | Dec. 7 | 14,943 | — | ||
1904 | Dec. 6 | 17,415 | — | ||
1905 | Dec. 5 | 25,071 | — | ||
1906 | Dec. 3 | 23,609 | — | ||
1907 | Dec. 3 | 27,397 | — | ||
1908 | Dec. 8 | 19,411 | — | ||
1909 | William Howard Taft | Written | Dec. 7 | 13,901 | — |
1910 | Dec. 6 | 27,651 | — | ||
1911 | Dec. 5 | 23,744[a] | — | ||
1912 | Dec. 3 | 25,161[b] | — | ||
1913 | Woodrow Wilson | Spoken | Dec. 2 | 3,553 | Unknown |
1914 | Dec. 8 | 4,537 | |||
1915 | Dec. 7 | 7,687 | |||
1916 | Dec. 5 | 2,118 | |||
1917 | Dec. 4 | 3,913 | |||
1918 | Dec. 2 | 5,463 | |||
1919 | Written | Dec. 2 | 4,756 | — | |
1920 | Dec. 7 | 2,706 | — | ||
1921 | Warren G. Harding | Spoken | Dec. 6 | 5,606 | Unknown |
1922 | Dec. 8 | 5,748 | |||
1923 | Calvin Coolidge | Spoken | Dec. 6 | 6,706 | |
1924 | Written | Dec. 3 | 6,968 | — | |
1925 | Dec. 8 | 10,848 | — | ||
1926 | Dec. 7 | 10,305 | — | ||
1927 | Dec. 6 | 8,777 | — | ||
1928 | Dec. 4 | 8,061 | — | ||
1929 | Herbert Hoover | Written | Dec. 3 | 10,994 | — |
1930 | Dec. 5 | 4,536 | — | ||
1931 | Dec. 8 | 5,682 | — | ||
1932 | Dec. 6 | 4,201 | — | ||
1933 | — | — | — | — | — |
1934 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | Spoken | Jan. 3 | 2,230 | Unknown |
1935 | Jan. 4 | 3,525 | |||
1936 | Jan. 3 | 3,826 | 50[9] | ||
1937 | Jan. 6 | 2,732 | Unknown | ||
1938 | Jan. 3 | 4,697 | |||
1939 | Jan. 4 | 3,768 | |||
1940 | Jan. 3 | 3,196 | |||
1941 | Jan. 6 | 3,312 | |||
1942 | Jan. 6 | 3,511 | |||
1943 | Jan. 7 | 4,588 | |||
1944 | Written | Jan. 11 | 3,805 | — | |
1945 | Jan. 6 | 8,211 | — | ||
1946 | Harry S. Truman | Written | Jan. 21 | 27,465 | — |
1947 | Spoken | Jan. 6 | 6,028 | Unknown | |
1948 | Jan. 7 | 5,094 | |||
1949 | Jan. 5 | 3,401 | |||
1950 | Jan. 4 | 5,130 | |||
1951 | Jan. 8 | 3,994 | |||
1952 | Jan. 9 | 5,369 | |||
1953 | Written | Jan. 7 | 9,683 | — | |
1953 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | Spoken | Feb. 2 | 6,973 | 56[10] |
1954 | Jan. 7 | 5,985 | 52[11] | ||
1955 | Jan. 6 | 7,250 | 53[11] | ||
1956 | Written | Jan. 5 | 8,265 | — | |
1957 | Spoken | Jan. 10 | 4,137 | 33[12] | |
1958 | Jan. 9 | 4,915 | 44[13] | ||
1959 | Jan. 9 | 4,933 | 42[14] | ||
1960 | Jan. 7 | 5,633 | 45 [15] | ||
1961 | Written | Jan. 12 | 6,210 | — | |
1961 | John F. Kennedy | Spoken | Jan. 30 | 5,274 | 43[16] |
1962 | Jan. 11 | 6,569 | 53[17] | ||
1963 | Jan. 14 | 5,470 | 43[18] | ||
1964 | Lyndon B. Johnson | Spoken | Jan. 8 | 3,168 | 41 |
1965 | Jan. 4 | 4,399 | 47 | ||
1966 | Jan. 12 | 5,542 | 51 | ||
1967 | Jan. 10 | 7,195 | 71 | ||
1968 | Jan. 17 | 4,914 | 50 | ||
1969 | Jan. 14 | 4,115 | 44 | ||
1970 | Richard Nixon | Spoken | Jan. 22 | 4,457 | 37 |
1971 | Jan. 22 | 4,508 | 33 | ||
1972 | Jan. 20 | 3,976 | 29 | ||
1973 | Written | Feb. 2 | 27,147[c] | — | |
1974 | Spoken | Jan. 30 | 5,144 | 43 | |
1975 | Gerald Ford | Spoken | Jan. 15 | 4,126 | 41 |
1976 | Jan. 19 | 4,948 | 51 | ||
1977 | Jan. 12 | 4,727 | 45 | ||
1978 | Jimmy Carter | Spoken | Jan. 19 | 4,580 | 46 |
1979 | Jan. 25 | 3,257 | 33 | ||
1980 | Jan. 21 | 3,412 | 32 | ||
1981 | Written | Jan. 16 | 33,667 | — | |
1981[d] | Ronald Reagan | Spoken | Feb. 18 | 4,446 | 33 |
1982 | Jan. 26 | 5,154 | 40 | ||
1983 | Jan. 25 | 5,554 | 46 | ||
1984 | Jan. 25 | 4,931 | 43 | ||
1985 | Feb. 6 | 4,214 | 40 | ||
1986 | Feb. 4 | 3,514 | 31 | ||
1987 | Jan. 27 | 3,847 | 35 | ||
1988 | Jan. 25 | 4,955 | 44 | ||
1989[d] | George H. W. Bush | Spoken | Feb. 9 | 4,811 | 48 |
1990 | Jan. 31 | 3,777 | 36 | ||
1991 | Jan. 29 | 3,823 | 47 | ||
1992 | Jan. 28 | 5,012 | 51 | ||
1993[d] | Bill Clinton | Spoken | Feb. 17 | 7,003 | 66 |
1994 | Jan. 25 | 7,432 | 64 | ||
1995 | Jan. 24 | 9,190 | 85 | ||
1996 | Jan. 23 | 6,317 | 67 | ||
1997 | Feb. 4 | 6,774 | 64 | ||
1998 | Jan. 27 | 7,303 | 77 | ||
1999 | Jan. 19 | 7,514 | 79 | ||
2000 | Jan. 27 | 7,452 | 89 | ||
2001[d] | George W. Bush | Spoken | Feb. 27 | 4,362 | 49 |
2002 | Jan. 29 | 3,878 | 48 | ||
2003 | Jan. 28 | 5,413 | 60 | ||
2004 | Jan. 20 | 5,229 | 54 | ||
2005 | Feb. 2 | 5,096 | 53 | ||
2006 | Jan. 31 | 5,323 | 51 | ||
2007 | Jan. 23 | 5,590 | 49 | ||
2008 | Jan. 28 | 5,760 | 53 | ||
2009[d] | Barack Obama | Spoken | Feb. 24 | 5,902 | 52 |
2010 | Jan. 27 | 7,304 | 69 | ||
2011 | Jan. 25 | 6,878 | 62 | ||
2012 | Jan. 24 | 7,059 | 65 | ||
2013 | Feb. 12 | 6,775 | 60 | ||
2014 | Jan. 28 | 6,989 | 65 | ||
2015 | Jan. 20 | 6,718 | 60 | ||
2016 | Jan. 12 | 6,044 | 59 | ||
2017[d] | Donald Trump | Spoken | Feb. 28 | 5,006 | 60 |
2018 | Jan. 30 | 5,839 | 81 | ||
2019 | Feb. 5 | 5,540 | 82 | ||
2020 | Feb. 4 | 6,217 | 78 | ||
2021[d] | Joe Biden | Spoken | Apr. 28 | 8,003 | 65 |
2022 | Mar. 1 | 7,705 | 62 | ||
2023 | Feb. 7 | 9,216 | 73 | ||
2024 | Mar. 7 | 8,078 | 67 |
Hand clapping was heard 55 times during the 56-minute speech, mostly from the GOP side of the aisle.
Dressed in a conservative gray business suit, Eisenhower stood for 33 minutes before a combined, undemonstrative Senate-House session in the klieg-lit House chamber.