On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump made history by delivering a joint session speech that lasted roughly one hour and 48 minutes, marking the longest such address in over 60 years.
Data from the American Presidency Project indicates that this performance broke Trump’s own previous record of one hour and 39 minutes, which was established during the first year of his current term. That address, delivered during the first year of his second nonconsecutive term, was technically not classified as a State of the Union.
Historically, Bill Clinton held the title for the longest State of the Union with his 88-minute speech in 2000. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Richard Nixon delivered the briefest address of the modern era in 1972, clocking in at only 28 minutes.
The marathon runtime of Tuesday’s speech was attributed to frequent applause breaks and the introduction of various guests, such as the U.S. men’s hockey team following their Olympic victory.
While the President utilized the platform to define his legislative goals, the speech occurred against a backdrop of public skepticism, as recent polls suggest many citizens feel the nation’s condition has declined over the past year.
