8 famous (and infamous) moments from past State of the Union speeches

Trump's fourth SOTU address comes amid rising tension over possible war with Iran, the Supreme Court striking down his tariff plan and concerns about how his agenda will impact the midterm elections.

• So what should we expect Tuesday night? Here's a rundown of the most famous — and infamous — moments from past addresses.

1. FDR's "four freedoms" speech

In 1941, then-President Franklin Roosevelt outlined "four freedoms" that all people should. The speech came as World War II raged in Europe.

• Those freedoms, he said, were the freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.
• These symbolized the aims of America, he said, and represented the values all Americans should hold onto.

2. Lyndon Johnson declares "war on poverty"

Former President Lyndon Johnson used his 1964 address to Congress to declare "a national war on poverty."

• "Our fight against poverty will be an investment in the most valuable of our resources — the skills and strength of our people," he said.

The speech largely reshaped the federal government's role in social policy, leading to the creation of Medicare, Medicaid and expanded civil rights efforts.

3. Ford says the state is "not good"

Former President Gerald Ford told Congress in 1975 that the state of the union was, simply, "not good."

• "Millions of Americans are out of work. Recession and inflation are eroding the money of millions more. Prices are too high and sales are too slow," he said in his speech.
• A year later, Ford said the state was better — "but still not good enough."

4. Reagan launches the "Skutnik" tradition

In 1982, Ronald Reagan took a moment to acknowledge Lenny Skutnik, who jumped into the Potomac River to save a woman after a plane crash.

• "We saw the heroism of one of our young government employees, Lenny Skutnik," Reagan said.
• Skutnik stood and was applauded by the lawmakers there.

This launched a tradition in which presidents invite everyday Americans into the gallery as examples of political themes.

• Guests now become something of a pre-address storyline for the media.

What to watch: Trump seemed to invite the U.S. men's national hockey team — which won the gold medal Sunday at the 2026 Olympics — to his speech.

5. Clinton and the cloud of impeachment

Former President Clinton gave two addresses to Congress while under the cloud of scandal.

• In 1998, Clinton spoke just weeks after denying an affair with Monica Lewinsky, focusing on policy.
• In 1999, Clinton gave his address amid his impeachment proceedings. He did not mention the investigation at all.

6. George W. Bush's "Axis of Evil" remarks

In 2002, just months after the September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush drew a hard line for his foreign policy by declaring Iraq, Iran and North Korea an "axis of evil."

• "And all nations should know:  America will do what is necessary to ensure our nation's security," he said.

7. Pelosi sarcastic clap for Trump (2019)

As Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made headlines for her sarcastic clap for President Trump's State of the Union speech in 2019.

• She was also seen reading paperwork during the speech.
• Pelosi quickly became a meme.

8. Pelosi rips Trump's speech (2020)

One year later, Pelosi seized the moment again by ripping pieces of paper — believed to be a copy of Trump's speech — after he finished talking.

• The moment escalated tension between Pelosi and Trump, who had recently been impeached by the House over the Ukraine saga (though he was acquitted by the Senate).
• Some wondered at the time if Pelosi broke the law by ripping Trump's speech, which many saw as an archival document. But it was a copy of the speech and not an official document, AP reports.

The bottom line: Don't expect fireworks, but also don't be surprised if they come.