Biden’s State of the Union Speech Seeks to Silence Critics

AFP/APP

Washington: US President Joe Biden faces one of the most pivotal moments of his political career on Thursday, as he delivers a State of the Union speech aimed at persuading skeptical voters that the 81-year-old is capable of defeating Donald Trump in November’s election.

The annual address to a joint session of Congress is often a largely ceremonial affair, but in 2024, the stakes are huge as Democrat Biden seeks to overcome doubts about his age, the economy, and wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Crucially, the millions of Americans tuning in to the primetime spectacle will also be watching not just what the oldest president in US history says but how he says it, with Republican Trump, 77, continually mocking Biden’s health and mental acuity, despite his own repeated verbal slips.

Set for 9:00 p.m. (0100 GMT Friday) and expected to last around an hour, the speech at the US Capitol is possibly Biden’s best chance before November to trumpet his achievements and set out what he would do in a second term.

Biden said on the eve of the address that he had done “more over three years than most presidents have in eight,” and he is prepared to announce plans for tax cuts for working families and cheaper prescription drugs.

“You hired me to get the job done, build an economy that works for working people, and make life better for families,” Biden wrote on X. “I’ll update you on our progress and lay out the path ahead.”

In line with tradition, First Lady Jill Biden will host a number of guests chosen to highlight the White House’s priorities.

This year, they include a Texan woman forced to leave the state for an abortion, autoworker leader Shawn Fain, whose union recently backed Biden, and the prime minister of Sweden, who became a NATO member on Thursday.

Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska and the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were both invited but were unable to attend, the White House said.