Who sits the place for the State of the Union? See the seating chart for the 2026 tackle

Washington — The saying about actual property — location, location, location — has some reality for the annual State of the Union tackle, too, in describing who sits the place. Essentially the most coveted spots are these near the president within the Home chamber throughout the speech.

On Tuesday evening, President Trump will ship the primary official State of the Union tackle of his second time period, since final 12 months’s was technically a joint tackle to Congress. Washington’s most vital political officers can be there — aside from the designated survivor. Cupboard members, members of Congress and the Supreme Courtroom justices, representing all three branches of presidency, are anticipated to attend. Usually, probably the most highly effective officers sit closest to the president. The Home gallery accommodates tons of of seats past the member seats on the chamber ground. 

Here is who sits the place. 

Who sits behind the president? 

The vp and speaker of the Home, the 2 leaders subsequent in line for the presidency, sit instantly behind the president. On this case, that is Vice President JD Vance and Republican Home Speaker Mike Johnson. From the viewers’ perspective, the vp sits to the left, whereas the speaker sits to the best.

When Washington has a divided authorities, that seating association has often led to awkward moments, resembling when former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up pages of the president’s speech after he concluded in 2020. 

In a divided Washington, it is not unusual for a Home speaker, if the speaker is from a distinct social gathering than the president, to stay seated, whereas the vp stands and applauds the president’s remarks. That’s unlikely to occur Tuesday evening, since each Vance and Johnson are Republicans and vocal defenders of the president. 

The place do the Supreme Courtroom justices sit?

Whereas not all the Supreme Courtroom justices are at all times current for the SOTU, a lot of them are. They’re seated in a entrance row of the Home chamber ground, signifying their important and distinctive position in stewarding the Structure. In 2025, Chief Justice John Roberts and Affiliate Justices Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett attended Mr. Trump’s joint tackle. 

This 12 months could possibly be just a little awkward for the jusitices, for the reason that tackle is going down 4 days after the Supreme Courtroom dealt a significant blow to the president, ruling that he doesn’t have the authority to impose sweeping tariffs underneath an emergency powers legislation. It has been considered one of Mr. Trump’s signature insurance policies in his second time period, and after the ruling, he vowed to depend on different authorities to impose tariffs on imports. 

The Supreme Courtroom is issuing opinions on each the morning of the State of the Union and the morning after, making it a late night for justices who attend the speech. 

The place is the primary girl’s field?

The primary girl’s field, because the phrase field implies, isn’t on the chamber ground, however moderately, within the gallery seating above. The field is on the best, from the viewers’ perspective. 

For many years, first girls have been inviting Individuals they need to each honor and draw consideration to for the speech. The second girl usually sits within the first girl’s field as effectively. The primary girl might invite as much as about two dozen visitors. 

The place do members of Congress sit?

Seating is kind of first-come, first-serve for members of Congress for the State of the Union, so many arrive early. Members usually sit with these in their very own social gathering, with Republicans on one aspect and Democrats on the opposite. 

Senators usually occupy rows nearer to the entrance, and Home members occupy rows nearer to the again. 

The place do Cupboard members sit?

Cupboard members often have front-row seats. 

What does the seating chart appear to be from above? 

Though neither the Trump administration nor Congress have launched a seating chart for Tuesday’s State of the Union, here’s what seating seemed like for considered one of former President Joe Biden’s addresses.