With President Joe Biden set to give his first State of the Union address on Tuesday night, what should Americans expect to hear from the commander in chief?
Biden will deliver his speech with the pandemic going into its third year, inflation reaching a decades high, Russia invading Ukraine, and other hot-topic issues plaguing the nation and the world.
How Americans feel the president has addressed these issues is evident in recent poll numbers, which have hit an all-time low with only 37% of Americans approving of the president, according to an ABC News and Washington Post poll.
Now, with midterm elections looming, the president will most likely cover concerns about the pandemic and fatigue Americans face when it comes to COVID-19 and rising inflation.
Across the country, COVID-19 restrictions are being revoked by both Democrats and Republicans, with Americans growing tired of the pandemic.
Elected officials emoving vaccine and mask mandates come after a months-long omicron surge. The White House shared that the nation is "moving towards a time when COVID isn't a crisis," NPR reported.
Biden is also expected to cover his pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Jackson is the first Black woman nominated to serve as a Supreme Court Justice and could be a focal point of the president's speech.
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Beyond domestic issues, Biden is expected to share more on what his administration is doing to sanction Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Biden has claimed that Putin's moves are a part of his plan to reestablish the Soviet Union, and he has sworn to make the president pay for his actions.
Still, despite sanctions and actions from U.S. and NATO countries, Russia has continued its invasion of Ukraine with no end currently in sight.
This year's State of the Union won't be as large as those in years past, with COVID-19 still a concern. However, it will be larger than the 200 person crowd at Biden's first joint address to Congress in 2021.
The entire congressional body is invited to attend the speech this year, but guests are still not permitted to attend out of caution.
The Republican Party's response to Biden's speech will be delivered by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who will give her speech from Des Moines.
"Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds represents what it means to lead with conviction and true faith in our fellow citizens. ... She handled COVID by choosing freedom over lockdowns and personal responsibility over mandates — leading to real economic recovery from the pandemic. She kept kids in school and critical race theory out," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement.
The State of the Union address will be aired on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST.
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