Jan. 6 (UPI) — President Joe Biden on Saturday accepted an invitation from House Speaker Mike Johnson to deliver his State of the Union address on March 7.
Johnson extended the invitation in a letter to Biden sent Friday, writing, “In this moment of great challenge for our country, it is my solemn duty to extend this invitation for you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Thursday, March 7, 2024, so that you may fulfill your obligation under the U.S. Constitution to report on the state of our union.”
“Looking forward to it, Mr. Speaker,” Biden responded Saturday on X.
Political analysts noted the March 7 date is later than is customary for the State of the Union address and will come after after the Super Tuesday primaries.
It is also scheduled after what promises to be a bitter political fight in Congress over funding for the federal government and a possible shutdown.
The speech will give Biden the chance to lay out his 2024 agenda as he seeks a second term in office and to deliver contrasts between him and his most likely opponent, former President Donald Trump.
Biden took aim at Trump Friday during his first campaign speech of the new year near Valley Forge, Pa., marking the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
In that speech, the president told his constituents, “The choice is clear: Donald’s Trump campaign is about him, not America, not you … our campaign is about America. It’s about you … it’s about the future that we’re going to continue to build together.
