Abigail Spanberger to deliver Democratic response to 2026 State of the Union tonight

Washington — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is set to deliver the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night as the party tries to counter the president’s message. 

Spanberger, a former congresswoman and CIA officer, was elected in November as Virginia’s first female governor in one of Democrats’ first major electoral victories since the 2024 elections. She’s set to deliver the speech from Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, which she said “has served as a testament to the power of ordinary citizens to shape the future of our nation, demand better from our government, and pursue a more perfect union for all.”

“I look forward to joining Virginians in this historic place to lay out the next chapter of our story — a clear vision for a stronger, safer, and more affordable future for every American who calls our nation home,” Spanberger said in a statement. 

Spanberger’s address is expected to focus on affordability, along with criticism of “the chaos” that Democrats say the Trump administration has unleashed across the U.S. Party leaders announced last week that she would deliver the Democratic rebuttal to Mr. Trump’s address, while highlighting her record of public service and commitment to lowering costs for Americans.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement announcing the address that Spanberger “stands in stark contrast to Donald Trump, who will lie, deflect and blame everyone but himself for his failed presidency on Tuesday evening.” 

Jeffries, a New York Democrat, said as the nation looks toward the 250th anniversary this summer, Spanberger “embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant.”

Rising stars within the opposing party have often been tapped to deliver the rebuttal to the State of the Union address in recent years. Last year, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, delivered the response to Mr. Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress, while GOP Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama delivered the Republican response in the final year of President Joe Biden’s presidency.

Mr. Trump is giving his first State of the Union address since returning to the White House on Tuesday night, where he’s expected to highlight and celebrate 250 years of the United States of America, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said ahead of the speech. 

“You’re going to hear the president share the stories of everyday Americans who have benefited from his policies, you’re going to hear the president share tear-jerking stories of American heroes past and present,” Leavitt said. “He’ll obviously tout the administration’s accomplishments over the past year and he will, of course, lay out a very ambitious agenda, I think, for the working people of this country to make America more affordable and prosperous and safe and make the American dream more attainable.”

Leavitt said a large portion of the speech will focus on the economy, the issue that continues to be a top concern for Americans. She said the president will make a case for why he and Republicans are better suited to continue tackling affordability.