President Joe Biden will take the national podium Thursday night to deliver his third State of the Union Address just days after Super Tuesday, where the stage was set for an expected election rematch with former President Donald Trump.
Biden will address Congress and the nation from the House chambers in a speech that will likely include an announcement of a new port in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to the region. The economy, abortion and his administration's effort to seek the release of Hamas-held hostages are also expected to be among topics in the president's speech.
So, how long will it take Biden to deliver his speech?
State of the Union
Biden unveiled his "unity agenda" during his first SOTU address that he delivered on March 1, 2022, and lasted one hour, one minute and 50 seconds. Biden delivered his second address last year on Feb. 7, which ran for one hour and thirteen minutes.
Will his third SOTU address be shorter than the first or longer than the second?
Former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, on average, delivered longer SOTU addresses than other presidents. Trump's speeches averaged more than an hour and 20 minutes in length, while Clinton averaged an hour and 14 minutes, according to UC Santa Barbara's The American Presidency Project.
Meanwhile, addresses given by ex-presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter averaged no longer than 45 minutes.
Here’s a look at the top 10 longest and shortest SOTU addresses given by U.S. presidents within the last 60 years.
The Top 10 Longest SOTU Addresses
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President | Date | Length (in Minutes) |
William J. Clinton | January 27, 2000 | 1:28:49 |
William J. Clinton | January 24, 1995 | 1:24:58 |
Donald J. Trump | February 5, 2019 | 1:22:25 |
Donald J. Trump | January 30, 2018 | 1:20:32 |
William J. Clinton | January 19, 1999 | 1:18:40 |
Donald J. Trump | February 4, 2020 | 1:18:04 |
William J. Clinton | January 27, 1998 | 1:16:43 |
Joe Biden | February 7, 2023 | 1:13:00 |
Lyndon B. Johnson | January 10, 1967 | 1:11:16 |
Barack Obama | January 27, 2010 | 1:09:20 |
The Top 10 Shortest SOTU Addresses
President | Date | Length (in Minutes) |
Richard Nixon | January 20, 1972 | 0:28:55 |
Ronald Reagan | February 4, 1986 | 0:31:00~ |
Jimmy Carter | January 21, 1980 | 0:32:04 |
Jimmy Carter | January 25, 1979 | 0:32:32 |
Richard Nixon | January 22, 1971 | 0:33:17 |
Ronald Reagan | January 27, 1987 | 0:34:39 |
George Bush | January 31, 1990 | 0:35:43 |
Richard Nixon | January 22, 1970 | 0:36:40 |
Ronald Reagan | January 26, 1982 | 0:40:14 |
Lyndon B. Johnson | January 8, 1964 | 0:40:50 |