Washington, United States. President Donald Trump is set to deliver the State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday as his approval ratings slump, concerns rise over Iran and Americans face higher living costs ahead of the November midterm elections.
The televised prime-time speech, his second in the 13 months since returning to the White House, gives Trump an opportunity to urge voters to keep Republicans in power as he faces political challenges at home and abroad.
Economic and legal setbacks
Trump’s address follows several turbulent days for his administration, including a Supreme Court decision invalidating his global tariff regime and new data showing the economy slowed more than expected while inflation accelerated.
DHS shutdown and political disputes
The Department of Homeland Security is mostly shut down amid a dispute between congressional Republicans and Democrats over the administration’s aggressive immigration tactics, following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.
Epstein files controversy
Trump has also struggled to move past the scandal surrounding the government’s release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Iran tensions and military preparations
Trump, who has openly sought the Nobel Peace Prize and created a “Board of Peace,” appears to be moving closer to a military conflict with Iran over its nuclear program, relocating warships to the Middle East and developing plans that could include a change of government, according to U.S. officials.
Armenia-Azerbaijan declaration and U.S. role
On August 8, Trump brought together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a joint declaration pledging to seek peaceful relations between countries that have been at odds since the late 1980s.
“I got to know them through trade,” Trump said later in a radio interview. “I was dealing with them a little bit, and I said, ‘Why you guys fighting?’ Then I said, ‘I’m not going to do a trade deal if you guys are going to fight. It’s crazy.’”
Armenia and Azerbaijan committed to a ceasefire in 2023, and in March said they had agreed on the text of a draft peace agreement, though it has not been signed. The White House-brokered declaration does not amount to a formal peace treaty with legally binding obligations, and issues remain, including whether any agreement would require Armenia to revise its constitution.
The leaders also reached economic agreements with Washington granting the United States development rights to a strategic transit corridor through southern Armenia. The Trump administration said the corridor would allow for more energy exports, and documents released at the time named the corridor after Trump. U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited both countries in February, signing a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan and a nuclear deal with Armenia.
What issues will you be watching most closely in Trump’s State of the Union address?