2020 State of the Union Address

Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution states that the president "shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient."{{cite web |title=Constitution of the United States |url=https://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm |website=United States Senate |access-date=December 20, 2019}} Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent an invitation to President Trump on December 20, 2019, two days after his impeachment by the House of Representatives.{{cite news |last=Gregorian |first=Dareh |date=December 20, 2019 |title=Pelosi invites Trump to deliver the State of the Union two days after impeaching him |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/pelosi-invites-trump-deliver-state-union-two-days-after-impeaching-n1105896 |work=NBC News |access-date=December 20, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Breuninger |first=Kevin |date=December 20, 2019 |title=Trump accepts Pelosi's invitation to give State of the Union address on Feb. 4 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/20/nancy-pelosi-invites-trump-to-give-feb-4-state-of-the-union-address.html |publisher=CNBC |access-date=December 20, 2019}}

CNN anchors were excluded from the annual pre-State of the Union lunch with the president. This was the first time in recent memory anchors from a specific network were forbidden from attending the lunch.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/03/media/donald-trump-state-of-the-union-lunch-cnn/index.html|title=White House excludes CNN from annual pre-SOTU lunch with news anchors|first=Brian|last= Stelter|work=CNN}}

File:State of the Union 2020 (49493980371).jpg

File:State of the Union 2020 (49494195152).jpg

The State of the Union Address began at 9:00 p.m. EST and was televised and streamed by all major U.S. broadcast and cable television networks.{{cite news |last=Tornoe |first=Rob |date=February 4, 2020 |title=State of the Union 2020: Everything you need to know to watch Trump's speech |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/nation/state-of-the-union-date-time-tv-channel-streaming-donald-trump-20200204.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=February 4, 2020}} The date for the address fell one day after the Iowa caucuses in the 2020 presidential election, and one day before the Senate vote on whether or not to convict Trump in his impeachment trial.{{cite news |last=Stokols |first=Eli |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Impeachment hangs over Trump's State of the Union address |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-02-04/impeachment-hangs-over-trumps-state-of-the-union-address |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 4, 2020}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-impeachment-nears-end-trump-to-deliver-state-of-the-union-11580817498 |title=Trump Strikes Optimistic Tone, Touts Economy in State of the Union Speech |last=Restuccia |first=Andrew |date=February 4, 2020 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=February 4, 2020|language=en-US |issn=0099-9660}} As Trump entered the chamber, he appeared to snub Pelosi's offer of a handshake.{{cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/trump-sotu-pelosi-republicans-2020-election-1485756 |title=Republicans chant 'four more years' at Trump's State of the Union address, Democrats call it a 'Trump Rally' |author=Crouhcer, Shane |work=Newsweek |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Breaking with tradition again, Pelosi omitted the line "I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you" before introducing the president. Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt was named the designated survivor and was at an undisclosed location during the address so that, in case of a catastrophe, the continuity of government would be upheld.{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/04/david-bernhardt-sotu-designated-survivor-110786 |title=The State of the Union's designated survivor: Interior Secretary David Bernhardt |author=Choi, Matthew |work=Politico |date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}

The address lasted a total of 78 minutes; approximately 26 minutes of the address was consumed by audience applause, primarily from Republican lawmakers.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/state-union-visualized-graphics-donald-trump-2020-n1130451 |title=What the president talked about at the State of the Union, in visualizations |author1=Murphy, Joe |author2=Wu, Jiachuan |work=NBC |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Republican lawmakers in the audience shouted "four more years" before Trump began his address. The address, heralded by Trump as "the great American comeback", primarily focused on national security, the economy, health care, and foreign policy while avoiding topics such as environmental policy and climate change, the Mueller investigation, and his impeachment trial, which was expected to conclude the next day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/05/politics/trump-state-of-the-union-omissions/index.html|title=13 things Trump forgot to mention at his State of the Union address|first=Zachary B. |last=Wolf|website=CNN|date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=2020-02-05}} Various media outlets reported that Trump made false or misleading claims during his address.{{cite web|url=https://www.factcheck.org/2020/02/factchecking-the-state-of-the-union-3 |title=FactChecking the State of the Union; The president's address included false and misleading claims on jobs, wages, energy, immigration and more. |author1=Eugene Kiely |author2=Brooks Jackson |author3=Lori Robertson |author4=Robert Farley |author5=D'Angelo Gore |author6=Jessica McDonald |author7=Isabella Fertel |date=February 5, 2020 |website=Factcheck.org |access-date=February 5, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/02/04/800983688/fact-check-president-trump-delivers-his-3rd-state-of-the-union-address|title=FACT CHECK: Trump Delivers State Of The Union To Tense, Partisan Congress|website=NPR.org|date=February 4, 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/interactives/2020/trump-state-of-the-union-2020-live-fact-check-transcript-2-4-20|title = President Trump's State of the Union address: Live video and analysis| website=Politico | date=February 6, 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://time.com/5777914/fact-check-state-of-the-union-2020|title = The Facts Behind President Trump's 2020 State of the Union| date=February 5, 2020 }}[https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/fact-check-state-of-the-union-02-04 Fact-Checking Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address and the Democratic Response]

Among Trump's comments, he addressed the emerging COVID-19 pandemic: "We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat."{{cite web |title=READ: President Trump's full 2020 State of the Union speech |url=https://www.fox61.com/article/news/read-president-trumps-full-2020-state-of-the-union-speech/520-392ec308-c54e-4092-9b69-ff78237dad1d |website=Fox 61 |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=5 April 2020}}

File:State of the Union 2020 (49493507563).jpg acknowledging Trump's support amidst the Venezuelan presidential crisis]]

Following a bipartisan tradition that dates back to the Reagan presidency, Trump invited and introduced guests during the speech.{{cite web |last1=Haltiwanger |first1=John |title=The complete history of the US State of the Union address |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/state-of-the-union-address-history-timeline-2019-1 |website=Business Insider |access-date=February 9, 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/02/05/802838044/6-surprising-and-emotional-moments-from-trumps-state-of-the-union-address |title=6 Surprising And Emotional Moments From Trump's State Of The Union Address |author=Walsh, Deidre |work=NPR |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}{{cite web |title=Special Guests for President Trump's 3rd State of the Union Address |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/articles/special-guests-for-president-trumps-3rd-state-of-the-union-address|website=White House Press Release |access-date=February 9, 2020}}{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Kaitlain |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Rush Limbaugh awarded Medal of Freedom in surprise State of the Union move |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/04/politics/rush-limbaugh-donald-trump-medal-of-freedom/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=February 4, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Campanile |first1=Carl |title=Trump blames 'sanctuary' NYC for killing of 92-year-old woman in SOTU speech |url=https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/trump-blames-sanctuary-nyc-for-killing-of-92-year-old-woman-in-sotu-speech|access-date=February 5, 2020|publisher=New York Post |date=February 4, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Hoonhout |first1=Tobias |title=Trump Accuses Dems of Sheltering Illegal Immigrant Criminals Rather Than Creating 'A Sanctuary for Law-Abiding Americans' |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/news/state-of-the-union-address-trump-accuses-democrats-of-sheltering-illegal-immigrant-criminals-rather-than-creating-a-sanctuary-for-law-abiding-americans|access-date=February 5, 2020 |publisher=National Review |date=February 4, 2020}}{{Excessive citations inline|date=March 2025}}

• Stephanie Davis and her daughter Janiyah, a fourth-grade student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |last1=Hanna |first1=Maddie |last2=Graham |first2=Kristen A. |title=Trump used a Philly student to push school choice. But she attends one of the city's best charters. |date=February 7, 2020 |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/donald-trump-school-choice-philadelphia-janiyah-davis-mast-charter-20200208.html |publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=February 10, 2020}}
• Juan Guaidó from Caracas, Venezuela, the disputed{{Cite news|last=Vasilyeva|first=Nataliya|date=24 January 2019|title=Venezuela crisis: Familiar geopolitical sides take shape|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/6b7fa7cc566f486cb974362168f1d90d}} interim president of Venezuela and leader of the Venezuelan National Assembly.
• Kelli Hake, and her son Gage Hake, from Stillwater, Oklahoma, whose husband and father, United States Army staff sergeant Christopher Hake, had been killed while serving his second tour of duty in Iraq.
• Jody Jones from Farmersville, California. In 2018, Jones' brother Rocky was shot and killed by an illegal immigrant in Tulare County, California.
• Iain Lanphier from Scottsdale, Arizona, the eighth-grade great-grandson of Tuskegee airman Charles McGee.
• Nathan Law, Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and promoter of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.{{cite news |last1=Magnier |first1=Mark |title=Hong Kong activist Nathan Law to attend Trump's State of the Union address |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3048807/hong-kong-activist-nathan-law-attend-trumps-state-union-address |access-date=21 October 2021 |work=South China Morning Post |date=4 February 2020 |location=New York City}}
• Rush Limbaugh, radio talk show host from Palm Beach, Florida. During the address, Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented by First Lady Melania Trump. Limbaugh had announced the day before that he had been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer; Limbaugh died the following year.
• Charles McGee from Bethesda, Maryland. A highly decorated combat veteran, McGee had earlier been promoted from colonel to brigadier general by the president, and the previous week had participated in the opening coin flip of Super Bowl LIV along with other World War II centenarian veterans.
• Paul Morrow from Montgomery, Alabama, a United States Army veteran who started a successful contracting business in Montgomery that helps support the U.S. Air Force's F-35 program.
• Carl and Marsha Mueller from Prescott, Arizona, whose daughter Kayla was a humanitarian aid worker kidnapped and killed by ISIS on her way back from a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria.
• Raul Ortiz from Del Rio, Texas, a Border Patrol deputy chief and U.S. Army veteran.
• Tony Rankins from Cincinnati, Ohio. A U.S. Army veteran, Rankins overcame post-traumatic stress disorder and became a successful skilled construction employee.
• Robin Schneider and her daughter Ellie from Kansas City, Missouri. Ellie, born at 21 weeks and six days, is one of the youngest babies to survive in the United States.
• Ivan Simonovis from Caracas, Venezuela, a former police chief who was imprisoned in 2004 for protecting protesters and was held in captivity for nearly 15 years and recently given political refugee status in the United States.
• Joshua Smith from Paducah, Kentucky, whose brother, Channing Smith, committed suicide after suffering from a social media cyber-assault by students from his high school.
• Amy Williams from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, a military spouse and a mother of two young children who was reunited with her husband Sergeant First Class Townsend Williams during the state of the union address.

File:Speaker Pelosi Rips Speech.webm tears up her copy of Trump's speech.]]

As the address concluded, Pelosi tore up her copy of the speech in four separate sections. "In case any confusion remained" regarding her actions, "Pelosi held up what remained of the address to her family in the gallery, in full view of reporters".{{cite web |title=Pelosi rips up Trump's State of the Union speech |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-pelosi-rips-up-trumps-state-of-the-union-speech |website=PBS NewsHour |date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=February 17, 2020}}{{cite news |last=Samuels |first=Brett |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Pelosi rips up Trump speech at conclusion of State of the Union |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/481540-pelosi-rips-up-trump-speech-at-conclusion-of-state-of-the-union |work=TheHill |access-date=February 4, 2020}} Pelosi defended her actions, saying "He shredded the truth, so I shredded his speech. What we heard last night was a disgrace."{{cite news |last=Cillizza |first=Chris |title=These 2 Nancy Pelosi photos perfectly describe the state of our union |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/05/politics/nancy-pelosi-rip-2020-state-of-the-union/index.html |date=February 5, 2020 |work=CNN |access-date=February 5, 2020 }}{{cite news |last1=Caygle |first1=Heather |last2=Ferris |first2=Sarah |last3=Bresnahan |first3=John |title=Pelosi unloads on Trump in private meeting after SOTU standoff - "He shredded the truth, so I shredded his speech," Pelosi told House Democrats in a closed-door meeting. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/05/nancy-pelosi-unleashes-on-trump-after-state-of-the-union-110825 |date=February 5, 2020 |work=Politico |access-date=February 5, 2020 }} Pelosi elaborated that "it was a courteous thing to do considering the alternatives. It was such a dirty speech."{{cite magazine |last=Mansoor |first=Sanya |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Nancy Pelosi Ripped Up a Copy of Trump's State of the Union Address |url=https://time.com/5778099/pelosi-trump-speech-rip|magazine=Time |access-date=February 4, 2020}} Subsequent to the address, a video showed Pelosi making small tears of the speech as it was being delivered.{{cite web |title=Video shows Nancy Pelosi ripping Trump's SOTU speech before tearing it in half |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/video/video-shows-nancy-pelosi-ripping-trump-s-sotu-speech-before-tearing-it-in-half-78225989861 |website=NBC News |access-date=February 17, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Chasmar |first1=Jessica |date=February 6, 2020 |title=Nancy Pelosi pre-ripped pages during SOTU speech, Trump campaign says. |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/feb/6/nancy-pelosi-pre-ripped-pages-during-sotu-speech-t |work=The Washington Times |access-date=January 10, 2020 |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918193755/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/feb/6/nancy-pelosi-pre-ripped-pages-during-sotu-speech-t/ |url-status=dead }} In a subsequent interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Pelosi admitted to making small tears in her paper copy as the speech was being made, but denied that it was a part of a predetermined act to tear up the speech at its conclusion. Pelosi said that making small rips in the speech was simply a way of marking pages where she disagreed with the president.{{cite web |title=Pelosi defends ripping Trump's State of the Union address |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/02/15/nancy-pelosi-state-of-the-union-address-intv-amanpour-sot-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/this-week-in-politics|website=CNN newsroom|date=February 15, 2020 }} Some news outlets such as NBC assessed the act differently, "Before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped President Donald Trump's printed State of the Union speech in half, it appears she made tiny tears on the sides to ensure that the moment would go smoothly."

After the address, the White House Twitter account posted "Speaker Pelosi just ripped up: One of our last surviving Tuskegee Airmen. The survival of a child born at 21 weeks. The mourning families of Rocky Jones and Kayla Mueller. A service member's reunion with his family. That's her legacy."{{cite news |last1=Stolberg |first1=Sheryl Gay |title=As White House Calls Pelosi's Speech-Ripping a 'Tantrum,' She Feels 'Liberated' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-pelosi.html |website=The New York Times |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 17, 2020}} Some conservative analysts claimed that Pelosi broke the law by tearing up the speech under 18 U.S.C. § 2071, claiming she had destroyed an official government document. However, numerous media and legal sources affirmed that no breach of the law had occurred as Pelosi's copy was not a copy that had been officially filed with a court or public office.{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/nancy-pelosi-tear-trump-speech-state-of-the-union-break-law-a9320121.html | title=Trump Jr shares bogus legal interpretation that Nancy Pelosi broke law by tearing up SOTU speech | website=Independent.co.uk | date=February 5, 2020 }}

Reaction to Pelosi tearing up the speech followed party lines in the days following the SOTU. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway described it as a "temper tantrum" which she believed was typical for Pelosi. "America saw an incorrigible child ripping up the State of the Union," Conway told reporters the day after the speech. "I think it shows you how petty and peevish and partisan the Democratic Party has become." Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, praised Pelosi's actions saying, "As far as I'm concerned, a shredder wasn't available, and so she did what she needed to do." Representative Lois Frankel, Democrat of Florida, said "I think she did the only thing she could do within the realm of respectability. She basically said she had had it."

Then President Trump, along with future Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, falsely claimed that Pelosi broke Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 2071 by mutilating a record deposited with a member of public office. Experts such as William Eskridge, a professor at Yale Law, assert that she was not given an official copy and have confirmed this is a misrepresentation of the law in addition to being a violation of Pelosi's right to expression of free speech.{{cite web | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-pelosi-sotu/claim-nancy-pelosi-broke-the-law-by-ripping-her-copy-of-sotu-speech-idUSKBN20J2GK | title=Claim: Nancy Pelosi broke the law by ripping her copy of SOTU speech | website=Reuters | date=February 25, 2020 }}

Pelosi later stated that she tore up Trump's State of the Union speech because "it was a manifesto of lies".{{cite tweet |user=TeamPelosi |number=1806525160138445208 |title=I tore up the former president's State of the Union address because it was a manifesto of lies. Tonight he presented another pack of lies which along, with his candidacy, must be rejected. How dare he place the blame for January 6th on anyone but himself, the inciter of an insurrection? |author-link=Nancy Pelosi}}

Several members of Congress boycotted the State of the Union, including Democratic representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Earl Blumenauer, Steve Cohen, Al Green, Hank Johnson, Maxine Waters, and Frederica Wilson.{{cite news |last=Wilkie |first=Christina |date=February 4, 2020 |title=High-profile Dems to boycott Trump's State of the Union Address |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/04/high-profile-dems-to-boycott-trumps-state-of-the-union-address.html |publisher=CNBC |access-date=February 4, 2020}} Carrying on a tradition started during the 2019 State of the Union Address, Democratic women who attended the speech dressed in white in reference to the women's suffrage movement and wore lapel pins with symbols for the Equal Rights Amendment and global warming (climate change).

During Trump's speech, after urging Congress to pursue legislation to lower prescription drug prices, several members of Congress began chanting "H.R. 3"{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3|title=H.R.3 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act|last=Pallone|first=Frank|date=2019-12-16|website=www.congress.gov|access-date=2020-02-05}} in protest of the Senate's rejection of the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act.{{cite news |last=Martichoux |first=Alix |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Here's what Democrats were chanting in protest during the State of the Union |url=https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/democrat-protest-chant-hr3-video-sotu-trump-15030773.php |work=SFGate |access-date=February 4, 2020}}

Democratic representative Tim Ryan walked out of the State of the Union and published a series of tweets, comparing the event to "watching professional wrestling".{{cite news |last=Slisco |first=Aila |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Ohio Congressman Walks Out Of Trump State Of The Union Address: 'It's Like Watching Professional Wrestling. It's All Fake' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/ohio-congressman-walks-out-trump-state-union-address-its-like-watching-professional-1485753 |work=Newsweek |access-date=February 4, 2020}} Gun control activist Fred Guttenberg, invited by Pelosi, was ejected after shouting in response to Trump's remarks about protecting the Second Amendment.{{cite news |last1=Smiley |first1=David |last2=Daughtery |first2=Alex |date=February 4, 2020 |title=Parkland father removed from State of the Union speech after shouting at Trump |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article239976003.html |work=Miami Herald |access-date=February 4, 2020}}

Democratic congressman Seth Moulton from Massachusetts, a Marine veteran, walked out in protest after Trump touted the support he has given to the military.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/former-marine-seth-moulton-donald-trump-state-union-address-president-draft-dodger-1485766|title=Former Marine walks out of Trump's State of the Union address, calls president a "draft dodger"|last=EST|first=David Brennan On 2/5/20 at 4:17 AM|date=2020-02-05|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}} Moulton clarified later that he walked out because "Trump—a draft dodger who has mocked Sen. John McCain, Gold Star families, and soldiers with traumatic brain injury—started talking about the good he has done for our military."{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/02/05/seth-moulton-leaves-state-of-the-union-trump|title=Seth Moulton Explains Why He Walked Out Of The State Of The Union Address|website=www.wbur.org|date=February 5, 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer gave the Democratic response.[https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2020/01/gov-gretchen-whitmer-will-deliver-democratic-response-to-trumps-state-of-the-union-address.html Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union address] MLive.com, January 24, 2020 Texas representative Veronica Escobar gave a Spanish-language response.[https://www.expressnews.com/news/politics/texas_legislature/article/Texas-Rep-Escobar-will-give-Democrats-15001685.php Texas Rep. Escobar will give Democrats' response to Trump State of the Union] San Antonio Express-News, January 24, 2020 In addition, Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Representative Ayanna Pressley gave their own personal responses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/2/4/21122457/democrat-response-rebuttal-state-union-sotu-trump|title=The 4 Democrats delivering responses to Trump's State of the Union|first=Nicole|last=Narea|date=February 4, 2020|website=Vox}}

The State of the Union Address was televised on all the major U.S. broadcast and cable television networks. Many news outlets streamed the address online.{{cite web |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/nation/state-of-the-union-date-time-tv-channel-streaming-donald-trump-20200204.html |title=State of the Union 2020: Everything you need to know to watch Trump's speech |author=Tornoe, Rob |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}

Of the 12 networks that covered the address, every network saw a drop in ratings compared to 2019, except for Fox News, which saw a 2% increase over 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-state-union-ratings-lowest-1485922 |title=Donald Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address sees decline of nearly 21% in TV ratings |author=Crowley, James |work=Newsweek |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}} Following the address, both CNN and MSNBC saw an increase in viewership during Gretchen Whitmer's official response to the address.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/state-of-the-union-ratings-down-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-impeachment-iowa-tv-1202851993|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205173109/https://deadline.com/2020/02/state-of-the-union-ratings-down-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-impeachment-iowa-tv-1202851993/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 5, 2020|title=State Of The Union Viewership Down Double Digits From 2019; Fox News Tops All, Only Net To Rise Over Last Year – Update |author1=Patten, Dominic |author2=Ramos, Dino-Ray |work=Deadline |date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}

Total cable and network viewers

{{Color box|#dfe2e9|border=darkgray}} Broadcast networks

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• List of joint sessions of the United States Congress
• Timeline of the Donald Trump presidency (2020 Q1)

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{{Wikisource|Donald Trump's Fourth State of the Union Address|2020 State of the Union Address}}

• {{cite journal|title=Senate|date=February 4, 2020|journal=Congressional Record|publisher=United States Government Publishing Office|place=Washington, DC|volume=166|issue=23|pages=S850–S855|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2020-02-04/pdf/CREC-2020-02-04-senate.pdf|access-date=August 17, 2024}}
• {{cite news|title=2020 State of the Union Address|date=February 4, 2020|publisher=C-SPAN|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?468549-1/2020-state-union-address|access-date=August 18, 2024}}
• {{cite news|title=Democratic Response to State of the Union Address|date=February 4, 2020|publisher=C-SPAN|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?468674-1/democratic-response-state-union-address|access-date=August 18, 2024}}
• [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/fact-check-state-of-the-union-02-04 Fact-Checking the Speech] (The New York Times)

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