Who's sitting behind Trump at the State of the Union address? - USA Today

Americans will get a rare point of view inside the Capitol building during the annual State of the Union address.

As President Donald Trumpdelivers his speech on Feb. 24, Americans will watch him speaking from an elevated platform in the House of Representatives chamber. Lawmakers, special guests, judges and members of the military will sit in front of him to hear his update on the nation's affairs and policy aims.

But two individuals also sit behind the president, and their presence sends an important political message this year. Here's who will be in the background of his speech and the political message of the visual layout.

During the State of the Union, Trump will enter the House chamber and step up to the elevated wooden rostrum. This platform is typically where the House speaker presides over affairs, according to the House Office of the Historian. For the annual address, the speaker sits in one of the chairs behind the president.

The speaker generally sits on the president's left-hand side, or the right side of your television screen.

The Speaker is not always the same party as the president, but this year, the person in that chair will be an advocate for Trump. Look for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) in this chair and expect him to frequently stand up, clap or express support to the president as he lays out his policy plans.

The vice president, who presides over the Senate, also sits behind the president during the speech. You'll see Vice President JD Vance in a chair on Trump's right-hand side, or on the left side of your screens at home.

Vance is also expected to show support for Trump as he speaks. Look for Vance to frequently display enthusiasm for the administration as Trump touts his administration's actions thus far and spells out aims for the next year.

Why the seating arrangement matters

The visual layout of the State of the Union tells us a lot about who holds political power in the U.S.

Regardless of party affiliation, the vice president and speaker are the two people who follow the president in the chain of command, and their position right behind him symbolizes the presidential order of succession. The vice president is the next person in charge should the president be unable to serve, followed by the speaker.

The duo of Vance and Johnson behind Trump at the 2026 State of the Union also sends a message about Trump's strength in Washington right now: Republicans hold the Senate, House and the Executive branch. The visual reinforces this "trifecta" of the GOP's current government power, which hangs in the balance leading up to the 2026 midterm elections.

In past State of the Union addresses, those behind the president have been known to use the highly visible position show their disagreement with the executive branch. Notably, in Trump's 2019 address, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, made a seemingly targeted applause, locked eyes with the president and smirked while he spoke.