How long is State of the Union? Here's what to expect

How long will President Donald Trump talk during the State of the Union? History can be a guide for what to expect.

Presidents across U.S. history have delivered State of the Union addresses, laying out policy aims and updating the country on the nation's affairs.

Each president's address varies in content, tone and duration, with some running long and others making a quick go at the opportunity to share their agenda with a joint session of Congress. President Donald Trump will deliver his first official State of the Union of his second term on Feb. 24, and many will pay attention to the duration of the speech, especially given his past of lengthy orations.

Here's how long the State of the Union could be and what the timing of the speech means.

There have been 100 total in-person addresses from 1790 to 2024, according to the House Office of the Historian. The U.S. Constitution requires the president to keep lawmakers informed about the state of the nation and propose legislative priorities. But a specific duration of this session is not in the rules. That means the timing of the State of the Union has varied over history, and the exact length of the 2026 address is not yet known.

But a few indicators from history could give clues: namely, Trump's track record of lengthy speeches. In his 2025 address, which was not an official State of the Union, the second-term president broke former President Bill Clinton's record for the longest talking time.