9 p.m. ET tonight the Orange Man to deliver his first State of the Union address of his second term. But in a year where nothing about American politics qualifies as normal, neither will the counter-programming.
Two major rival events, a star-studded rebuttal at the National Press Club and a Democratic lawmaker rally on the National Mall, are set to compete directly with Trump’s speech for eyeballs and attention. Add in the official Democratic response from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, and you have a night where the opposition is playing offense on three separate fronts.
Here is everything you need to know about tonight’s alternative SOTU programming, who is speaking, where to watch, and why it matters.
State Of The Swamp: The Biggest Counter-Event
The headline event is “State of the Swamp: The Rebuttal to the State of the Union,” hosted by DEFIANCE.org, the Portland Frog Brigade, and COURIER at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The event runs from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET, meaning it kicks off a full two hours before Trump even starts speaking.
The speaker lineup reads like a casting call for everyone in America with a public grudge against this administration. Robert De Niro headlines, bringing the same blunt-force energy that has made him one of Hollywood’s most vocal Trump critics. He is joined by actor Mark Ruffalo, voting rights leader Stacey Abrams, journalist Jim Acosta, former CNN host Don Lemon, conservative-turned-critic George Conway, legal analysts Joyce Vance and Glenn Kirschner, and journalist Mehdi Hasan.
The political representation is significant too. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, Representatives Eric Swalwell, Seth Moulton, Dan Goldman, and Eugene Vindman are all listed, alongside former Republican Representative Joe Walsh and former Montana Governor Steve Bullock. Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s own former White House press secretary, and Miles Taylor, who famously penned the anonymous “resistance” op-ed during Trump’s first term, are both scheduled to speak.
Organizers describe the event as frog-themed, a nod to a protester in an inflatable frog suit who was pepper-sprayed by federal agents and has since become a symbol of the anti-Trump resistance. Attendees are encouraged to wear green or frog attire. The event will feature satire, visuals, music, and what organizers call “live counter-addresses and truth telling” alongside real-time rebuttals during Trump’s speech.
The free livestream is available at DEFIANCE.org/sotu.
People’s State Of The Union: Democrats On The National Mall
A second counter-event, the “People’s State of the Union,” is being organized by progressive media company MeidasTouch and advocacy group MoveOn Civic Action. This one is a rally on the National Mall at 3rd Street between Jefferson and Madison, kicking off at 8:30 p.m. ET.
At least a dozen Democratic lawmakers who are boycotting Trump’s address will appear here instead. The lineup includes Senators Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Tina Smith, and Chris Van Hollen, along with Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Greg Casar, Becca Balint, Yassamin Ansari, Veronica Escobar, Delia Ramirez, and Bonnie Watson Coleman. Katie Phang and Joy Reid are hosting.
The tone from boycotting lawmakers has been sharp. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona put it bluntly, saying he has “more productive ways to spend two hours than listening to more lies.” Senator Chris Murphy called showing up for the speech a way to put “a veneer of legitimacy on the corruption and lawlessness that has defined his second term.”
The livestream will be available on MeidasTouch’s YouTube channel and MoveOn.org/Live.
The Official Democratic Rebuttal: Spanberger From Williamsburg
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger will deliver the traditional Democratic response immediately following Trump’s remarks. She will speak from Colonial Williamsburg, a location she chose for its significance in American democratic history.
Spanberger is a strategic pick. A former CIA officer who first won her congressional seat in 2018 by flipping a Republican district, she became Virginia’s first female governor last year after defeating Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by roughly 15 points. Her campaign ran relentlessly on affordability, a message Democratic leaders want to replicate heading into the 2026 midterms.
Her rebuttal is expected to focus on rising costs, healthcare protections, and a direct contrast with the administration’s priorities. Senator Alex Padilla of California will deliver the Spanish-language response. Representative Summer Lee of Pennsylvania will also deliver a separate response on behalf of the Working Families Party.
Major networks including ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and Fox News will carry Spanberger’s response live.
The Backdrop: A DHS Shutdown And Midterm Pressure
Tonight’s address comes at a volatile moment. A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security has stretched past 10 days with no resolution in sight. The standoff stems from Democrats demanding immigration enforcement reforms after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by CBP agents in Minneapolis in January. More than 90% of DHS’s 272,000 employees are working without pay, Global Entry has been suspended, and FEMA’s disaster relief fund has dropped sharply.
The political environment is equally charged. Trump’s approval numbers have softened, with a Washington Post/Reuters/Ipsos poll showing 57% of voters disapprove of his handling of the economy. Democrats hold a roughly 5-point lead on the generic congressional ballot heading into November’s midterms. The Supreme Court struck down much of Trump’s tariff agenda just days ago, forcing him to announce reworked tariffs at a lower rate.
Trump previewed his speech Monday, telling reporters it would be “a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” with a heavy emphasis on the economy. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries instructed Democrats who do attend to practice “silent defiance,” a marked shift from last year when Representative Al Green was ejected from the chamber for yelling at the president.
Where To Watch Everything Tonight
Here is your viewing guide for tonight’s SOTU and all the alternative programming:
State of the Swamp (7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET): Free livestream at DEFIANCE.org/sotu
People’s State of the Union (8:30 p.m. ET): MeidasTouch YouTube and MoveOn.org/Live
Trump’s State of the Union (9:00 p.m. ET): C-SPAN, PBS, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and most major streaming news platforms
Democratic Response (Spanberger): Immediately following SOTU on all major networks
Working Families Party Response (Rep. Summer Lee): Shortly after SOTU on the Working Families Party website
It is shaping up to be one of the most fractured State of the Union nights in modern memory, a reflection of a country where even the ritual of watching a presidential address has become a political act. Whether you are tuning in to the Capitol, the National Press Club, or the National Mall, you will be hearing competing visions of America delivered in real time. That, at least, is democracy working as intended.