WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump, who holds the record for the longest State of the Union (SOTU) address at 100 minutes, signaled that he may surpass that mark during his upcoming speech on Tuesday.
The annual address has steadily grown longer in recent years, fueled not only by expanded policy agendas but also by frequent interruptions from lawmakers, including applause and occasional heckling.
Speaking Monday, Trump said his address would focus on the U.S. economy, as affordability remains a top concern for Americans.
“We have a country that’s now doing well with the greatest economy we’ve ever had, most activity we’ve ever had,” Trump said. “I’m making a speech tomorrow night, and you’ll be hearing me say that. It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about.”
In 2025, Trump delivered approximately 9,906 words during his record-breaking SOTU, surpassing former President Joe Biden’s 2023 address by about 700 words. Before that, the record was held by President Bill Clinton, whose 2000 address ran more than 89 minutes.
Historically, some presidents submitted written messages to Congress instead of delivering speeches in person. Those written addresses often exceeded 10,000 words. During the Iran hostage crisis, former President Jimmy Carter submitted the longest written address in January 1981, totaling 33,667 words.
During his first term, Trump averaged about 80 minutes per SOTU, longer than Clinton’s previously noted 75-minute average. Since 1964, the median presidential address to Congress has lasted approximately 45 minutes, though durations have gradually increased over the decades.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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