President Donald Trump made history with his lengthy address to a joint session of Congress, speaking for nearly 100 minutes and delivering an address that totaled around 9,831 words, the longest in recent history. During his speech, Trump focused on key issues such as border protection, tariffs, immigration, and budget cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency. The Republican side of the chamber enthusiastically applauded his remarks, while Democrats responded with shouts, protest signs, and some even walking out. The disruption culminated in the removal of Rep. Al Green of Texas from the chamber after he interrupted Trump and refused to take his seat.

Trump’s address set a new record for the longest State of the Union speech, lasting 1 hour, 39 minutes, and 32 seconds. This surpasses Bill Clinton’s 1995 address in terms of word count, where Trump spoke a total of 9,831 words. The pace of delivery and breaks for applause can impact the length of a speech, even if the number of words remains constant. Overall, the address was a reflection of the current political climate, with varying reactions from both sides of the political spectrum. The evolving trends in State of the Union addresses indicate changes in audience engagement over time.